How to Smoke Fish

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 39, 21 March 1940, Page 44

How to Smoke Fish

Dear Aunt Daisy, You were asking the other day for information about how to smoke fish. I missed part of your talk, but I hope the enclosed is what you wanted. My father is a very keen fisherman, and when he goes camping he always smokes the fish he catches while in camp. Of course, he is a trout fisherman, but the recipe would suit sea fish also.-‘ Mona," of Dunedin. First catch your fish. Thoroughly clean the fish and remove all blood. Cut off the head and spilt the fish alongside the backbone and down to the tail; or better still, remove the backbone altogether by cutting down both sides. A sharp knife is a necessity. The removal of the backbone may be found rather difficult at first, but after a little practice it is surprising how neatly and quickly this can be done; but don’t forget, the knife must be sharp. On removal of the backbone, perforate with the point of the knife just behind the first fins, and through the shoulders of the fish-these perforations are to take a wood skewer which holds the fish open when it is hung up for drying out and smoking. Then thread the skewer through these holes and put an S. hook in the middle round the skewer, so that it may be hung up. In preparing fish for salting and smoking wash them as little as possible-a wipe with a damp cloth is all that is required. Next sprinkle -the fish liberally with salt, and stack them in a clean box one on top of the other. Leave for 24 hours, then hang them up to dry out. The period of drying depends upon how long the fish are to be kept before using. The drier the fish the longer*they will keep, and the better they will carry. Next hang the fish in the smokehouse and smoke from twenty to. twenty-four hours. If in camp a temporary smokehouse can be made of sacks set up on a wooden frame, or a small sod house can be built. Build a fireplace about fifteen feet away from the smokehouse and lead the smoke in by a trench covered with flat stones or old iron or timber. Build the fireplace on a lower level than the smokehouse, otherwise the flue or trench may not draw well. Select a dry site as the smoke must be dry and free from moisture. It is better to put a fire in a new smoker to dry it out before using it for the fish. Use dry sawdust. Red pine or birch is quite satisfactory. Do not allow too much draught through the fireplace, otherwise (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) the smoker will get too hot and spoil the fish. The sawdust only requires sufficient air to allow it to smoulder slowly. It will be necessary to protect the fish from flies at all stages. Please thank your father very much. for us all, Mona, for his very clear description. We had better cut out this letter and paste it in our books for future reference. So much fish is often wasted when it cannot be taken home quickly enough after a big catch.