Smoked White Bass (first try)

I assume you want to hot smoke?

You shouldn't see much of a difference between bass and salmon, other than size. Are you smoking fillets? Weight?

Sorry bout that, but yes hot smoked, the fish is scaled and filleted with the skin still on it. I catch a ton of these things this time of year as the Walleye run is winding down.

The Walleye are my HOLY GRAIL of baked, broiled, grilled, and deep fried fish. I won't smoke them as they are to tasty prepared these ways. I usually have 70 to a hundred put up by this time of year for me and the wife, this is our only fish for the year except a few messes of yellow perch, and some big blue gill's I catch throughout the year.

Every year I say I ought to try em smoked, and the past couple years guy's tell me there delicious smoked. They are a very tame fish deep fried, when filleted and skinned and all the red meat is cut out. But I always thought they were kinda dry and flavorless. With the Great state of Michigan doubling the price of there fishing license, and the cost of stuff to smoke these days, I thought it would be great to see if these things would be good. You litterally can catch em by the 100's, a slow day would be 30 to 50. Anyway thanks for the confirmation MaxQ!!

What might work well is a method I use for smoked trout (butterflied/head-on)

Prepare a brine of 1 gal water, 1 cup Kosher salt, 1 tbsp. blk peppercorns, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1 bay leaf. Fresh herbs such as thyme may be added.

Brine the bass...3 hrs for every 8 oz. A 1 lb bass fillet would brine for 6 hrs.

Smoke at 225 until you see some color on the flesh and it firms up. The trout takes 1.5-2 hrs. Your mileage may vary.

Serve hot or cold. You could also prepared something similar to White Fish Spread/Salad. A Google search will produce recipe options. You'll find this in Jewish Delis and it's the bomb on a toasted bagle

I was taught to make a brine with equal amounts of salt and sweet. To sorta get the old Ying and Yang straight. The brine recipe given appears to need at least another half cup of sugar and a big slug of Brer Rabbit mild flavored Molasses maybe. I guess if it aint too salty it should be ok. The proof of the pudding is in the eating they say.

quote:

Originally posted by Wildcatter:


Every year I say I ought to try em smoked, and the past couple years guy's tell me there delicious smoked. They are a very tame fish deep fried, when filleted and skinned and all the red meat is cut out. But I always thought they were kinda dry and flavorless. With the Great state of Michigan doubling the price of there fishing license, and the cost of stuff to smoke these days, I thought it would be great to see if these things would be good. You litterally can catch em by the 100's, a slow day would be 30 to 50. Anyway thanks for the confirmation MaxQ!!

I absolutely love Walleye. My favorite freshwater fish by far. I'm envious that you catch by the hundred! I grew up Walleye fishing on Lake Pymatuning, being from Western PA (Been Eastern PA for many moons). How did your smoked Walleye turn out ? Such a mild fish, so I assume you smoked delicately.
Rick

Old hypo dispatcher smoked golden croakers..which tasted just like country ham. The bones seemed to disappear.

quote:

Originally posted by astronorick:

quote:

Originally posted by Wildcatter:


Every year I say I ought to try em smoked, and the past couple years guy's tell me there delicious smoked. They are a very tame fish deep fried, when filleted and skinned and all the red meat is cut out. But I always thought they were kinda dry and flavorless. With the Great state of Michigan doubling the price of there fishing license, and the cost of stuff to smoke these days, I thought it would be great to see if these things would be good. You litterally can catch em by the 100's, a slow day would be 30 to 50. Anyway thanks for the confirmation MaxQ!!

I absolutely love Walleye. My favorite freshwater fish by far. I'm envious that you catch by the hundred! I grew up Walleye fishing on Lake Pymatuning, being from Western PA (Been Eastern PA for many moons). How did your smoked Walleye turn out ? Such a mild fish, so I assume you smoked delicately.
Rick

Like I said Rick, I won't smoke Walleye I have to many ways to cook it better than smoking, and have fish that I like better than smoked. Just a personal thing probably? But I will say the White Bass came out "fantastic"!! I changed the recipe a little bit and have my brine down now and currently have the second batch in with the recipe I decided on. It came out great once, if this time is as good,,,well I will say I am going to be busy cleaning and packing fish a little later in the season from here on. White bass are so abundant when they run that 3 or 4 trip's I can catch more than I will smoke all year. Like I say, the price of a Michigan license is now rediculous, and I am getting old enough where it is becoming a challenge to wade these steep banks and swift waters we catch the King Salmon in. This may be the answer to the fish I replace those king's with, yes I like the Kings better but these are quite tasty, and much less fatiguing to acquire!! I will post this brine recipe as soon as this batch comes out and confirms the results I got a month ago.

quote:

Originally posted by MaxQ:
What might work well is a method I use for smoked trout (butterflied/head-on)

Prepare a brine of 1 gal water, 1 cup Kosher salt, 1 tbsp. blk peppercorns, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1 bay leaf. Fresh herbs such as thyme may be added.

Brine the bass...3 hrs for every 8 oz. A 1 lb bass fillet would brine for 6 hrs.

Smoke at 225 until you see some color on the flesh and it firms up. The trout takes 1.5-2 hrs. Your mileage may vary.

I have some rainbow trout I want to try in the smoker. I'll try your brine, what wood do you like to use on your trout? Any other trout prep suggestions or ideas are appreciated.

My other trout cooking method is to season the cavity, throw in a lemon slice, completely wrap in foil and throw on the charcoal grill.

Based on my experience with salmon (a much more dense fleshed fish) I'd recommend a lower temp (maybe 200) and to begin checking for doneness at 1 hour. Trout is so thin and delicate that you can't really use a probe, but check for flakiness early. I'd also suggest a very mild wood, maybe peach or alder? Just my $.02. I've also done exactly your grilling method for salmon, bluefish, trout, and sea bass (striper). It works great, but I also spread a little bit of mayo in the cavity before wrapping. Good luck and let us know how it goes!