Looking for a mouthwatering smoked trout recipe made in your oven? Discover the perfect balance of smoky, tender, and flavorful fish with our easy-to-follow recipe. Impress your guests or treat yourself to a delectable meal with this delightful dish.
It’s no secret that smoked trout is delicious, but it can also be a bit tricky to cook properly. We are sharing how to make the perfect smoked trout dish every time in this simple smoked trout recipe.
Learn how to smoke trout without a smoker!
Whether you’re a seasoned fisherman or just looking for a new way to prepare trout, read on for some smoking tips and a recipe for preparing it right in the oven! Smoked fish is a great option and one of our favorite ways to enjoy this mild fish thanks to the smokey flavor.
While trout can be eaten whole, they are also great smoked, fried or added to salads.
What Kind of Trout Can You Catch During Trout Season?
Trout are a type of fresh water fish that are prized for their delicate flavor and texture, and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
There are many different types of fresh trout that you can catch during trout season. Some of the most common types include lake trout, steelhead trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout. Each type of trout has its own unique flavor and texture.
How to Smoke Trout in the Oven
Ingredients
- Trout fillets
- 1/2 gallon of water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
The first step is to make the smoke trout brine in a large bowl.
In a large baking dish or baking sheet, pour in brine, place whole trout into brine.
Brine the fish for about 8 hours in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap.
Remove from brine, rinse off fish in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels,
Lay fish onto the racks of your oven.
Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees. Smoke fish until done, about an hour and half to 2 hours. The fish is finished when the meat of the fish is flaky or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
Once the trout is perfectly smoked, remove it from the smoker and allow it to rest for a few minutes. This allows the flavors to settle and the flesh of the fish to become more tender. Gently separate the flesh from the skin, which should easily peel away.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Relevant Recipes:
How to Eat Smoked Trout
There are all sorts of ways to enjoy smoked trout, but my personal favorite is to simply mix it with some fresh herbs like fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon juice and slices of lemon.
To eat smoked trout, first remove the skin and any bones. Then, cut the fish into thin slices and enjoy! Serve the smoked trout as a main dish alongside your favorite side dishes, such as roasted vegetables, herbed potatoes, or a fresh salad.
It’s also great in salads or on sandwiches, as well as a delicious trout dip. Smoked trout goes well with tartar sauce, horseradish sauce, or simply lemon juice. It can also be used in salads or sandwiches.
What is the Best Way to Eat Smoked Trout?
There are endless possibilities when it comes to what to eat with smoked trout. This versatile fish can be eaten on its own or used as a key ingredient in all sorts of dishes. Here are just a few ideas of what to eat with smoked trout:
- Flake the smoked trout and toss it with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a tangy vinaigrette for a refreshing and protein-packed salad.
- Incorporate smoked trout into a pasta dish by adding it to a creamy Alfredo sauce or tossing it with linguine, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, and fresh herbs for a flavorful and light meal.
- Combine flaked smoked trout with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and a touch of horseradish for a delicious and creamy dip. Serve it with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
- Add flaked smoked trout to a fluffy omelette along with some fresh herbs, diced onions, and grated cheese for a protein-rich and satisfying breakfast or brunch option.
- If you’re feeling creative, you could even make a Trout Tartine – an open-faced sandwich topped with smoked trout, avocado, and other toppings of your choice.
Smoked Trout FAQ
Smoked trout usually lasts for about 2-3 days in the fridge. However, if you keep it properly sealed in an airtight container, it can last up to a week.
Yes, you can smoke trout without brining it, but brining can enhance the flavor, texture, and moisture of the fish.
However, if you prefer to skip the brining step, you can still smoke trout directly without compromising the end result. Simply season the trout with your desired spices, herbs, or marinade, and then proceed with the smoking process.
Absolutely! While trout is a popular choice for smoking, you can use other types of fish as well. Salmon, mackerel, haddock, and whitefish are commonly smoked and offer their unique flavors. The smoking process may vary slightly depending on the fish variety, but the general principles remain the same.
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Oven Baked Smoked Trout Recipe
Ingredients
- * 1/2 gallon water
- * 1/2 cup sugar
- * 1/2 cup brown sugar
- * 1/2 cup salt
- * 2 tbsp garlic powder
- * 3 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
The first step is to make a simple brine in a large bowl.
In a large baking dish or baking sheet, pour in brine, place whole trout into brine.
Brine the fish for about 8 hours in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap.
Remove from brine, rinse off fish in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels,
Lay fish onto the racks of your oven.
Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees. Smoke fish until done, about an hour and half to 2 hours. The fish is finished when the meat of the fish is flaky.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Timothy Bullette
Friday 19th of February 2021
This recipe should be called baked trout, since there is no actual smoking involved
Art Hanson
Sunday 7th of March 2021
@momma lew, have you tried adding liquid smoke to the brine?
momma lew
Friday 19th of February 2021
While technically you are right, this recipe does taste and looks just like smoked trout and is perfect for people (like my family) who do not have a smoker.
ellen beck
Saturday 16th of June 2018
I love fresh fish. Trout is probably one of my favorite game fish so good! This was an interesting post as I have never 'smoked' one. I steam mine or fry it. I like the idea of the game saver bags, those would come in handy if you had t catch several to make a meal up.
georgia boanoro
Monday 11th of June 2018
I absolutely love smoked fish and I'll definitely try your smoking method because it looks super easy!
What Corinne Did
Saturday 2nd of June 2018
i have never been fishing and would never know how to prepare a fish. SMoke trout sounds amazing
Erin S
Saturday 2nd of June 2018
This is a great summer recipe. Sounds easy and delicious