Smoked largemouth bass

[MaryB]

I always catch a half dozen 3-4 pound carp in spring when they are cleaner and the water is cold. Brine and smoke then vac pack in snack size portions. Great stuff to just munch or on a rye cracker.

[Tripplebeards]

Look what I found in the back of the fridge. I forgot I had some left! I was afraid to open the container but to my surprise it still smelled great and tasted just as fresh as the day I smoked it!




It’s all gone now. I still have some carp dip and a half gallon of picked northern left to tide me over till I wet a line tomorrow.

[Beagle333]

That smoked bass looks awesome!

[Tripplebeards]

Well, walked down to the dock this morning and lost about a 2 lb largemouth on a white mr twister. I was cursing since it was getting ready to rain so I walked upstairs and hung out in the garage till it stopped raining. I then grabbed a silver rapala rattle trap knock off...which I never use. It had my old work logo on it. I figured since there were big schools of shad id try it. I saw a huge school of white bass so I jumped in my boat and tried to head them off. I scared the school off but caught a small largemounth and a good size catfish. I then saw the school of white bass start hitting the surface again and picked one up on the first cast into the middle of the school. They shut right off after that. So I have three different fish to try in the smoker. I mixed almost a 1/2 cup of salt with a half cup of brown sugar this time with a couple tablespoons of Worchester sauce. I forgot I used table salt instead of canning salt so I guess I’ll see if it penetrates the fish or not.

[Hamish]

Trip,

Does smoking the carp dissolve all the little pin bones like deep frying does?

[Tripplebeards]

No, I pick out the bones after it’s smoked.


Since I only had iodized salt here I added in the last 1/2 cup of brown sugar to sweeten the brine and some soy sauce and I found some celery salt I added in as well. To be honest all could taste was the the salt on the smoked bass fresh out of the smoker but after letting it sit for a couple of days I could taste “the smoke”. I really never tasted any thing else I added to the brine. It must have never absorbed into the bass. The carp on the other hand flavors galore.

[richhodg66]

I used to smoke carp quite a bit back when I was avidly bowfishing. Didn't know what I was doing, just brined the filets in a solution of water with a bunch of salt and brown sugar dissolved into it and then smoked for several hours on a cheap Wal Mart charcoal smoker with hickory or mesquite chips. Also tried some maple chips from a tree in the yard. It always turned out pretty good, the kids loved it when they were small. Carp is pretty oily fish, which I suppose makes it good for smoking. Interesting that a less oily fish like bass worked out so well.

[trapper9260]

I buy smoke carp from a fish market north of me. It is always good I freeze it also . I have them package it each peace in paper and just take one out when I want to eat it. What I do to thaw it out is open the package and then turn it that the skin is on top in the fridge to thaw out and then it will be almost like to just got it . You want it to dry out in the fridge with the skin part on top and bone or meat on the paper . if not it will be mushy .

[bruce drake]

not smoked but I cook largemouth bass in tinfoil with loads of butter inside the cavity with plenty of Lawry's seasoned salt sprinkled into the cavity and on the outside of the scaled skin.

[Tripplebeards]

I used to smoke carp quite a bit back when I was avidly bowfishing. Didn't know what I was doing, just brined the filets in a solution of water with a bunch of salt and brown sugar dissolved into it and then smoked for several hours on a cheap Wal Mart charcoal smoker with hickory or mesquite chips. Also tried some maple chips from a tree in the yard. It always turned out pretty good, the kids loved it when they were small. Carp is pretty oily fish, which I suppose makes it good for smoking. Interesting that a less oily fish like bass worked out so well.

Yeah, I didn’t know what to expect myself with smoking the bass. It was an experiment that turned out great. Guess we will see how the white bass and catfish turns out I tomorrow as the only fish I’ve smoked have been carp up until the largemouth the other day. Curious to see how the catfish turns out with it’s thinner, scale-less skin.

[richhodg66]

I personally found white bass to have no flavor at all. A few years ago, mother inlaw was visiting and she's a good cook, I went to the lake by the house to catch some fish for supper. I was casting rooster tails because the white bass were running, but surprisingly caught as many flat heads as white bass on those spinners.

Anyway, there was no comparison, catfish taste way better than white bass.

Carp and Buffalo are both a lot better eating than most people believe. I haven't bowfished in a good while, might have to start again next Spring.

[Tripplebeards]

Yep, I don’t clean white bass as they have chewy, tasteless meat. Figured the brine and smoke might make a difference on a worthless eating fish. The catfish I should have just fillet and pan fried but I wanted to experiment with smoking it.

[Tripplebeards]

Well, I took them out to dry this morning. It’s been about 18 hours in my brine give or take. I can tell with less salt and brown sugar the flesh didn’t turn brown like the largemouth did. I would assume the iodized salt caused the meat no5 to turn darker? I’ve read using iodized salt smoking salmon makes the meat bright red and some times an off taste VS canning salt. I sprinkled some celery salt in the chest cavities and placed them in front of a fan till they dry a little before smoking again. I’m guessing they will be more like baked fish with a smoky taste when done so they will be consumed more like a meal than a snack when done? I’m using wood from a pear tree that I bought a few seasons ago, never planted, and died off...instead of hickory chips this time.




Think I’ll try a few Tomorrow with bone in fillets like I do with carp and the correct salt to check the taste difference.

I Better get fishing!

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Great thread!

[richhodg66]

I just read where a guy caught a pending Kansas state record Buffalo, 66 pounds and 45 3/4" in length. Big fish.

[Tripplebeards]

OH BOY!!!!




8 hours of smoking and I pulled them out. The catfish was literally pouring grease everywhere so I was afraid it wasn’t done. I peeled the skin off and let it rest for about 10 minutes. I then patted if off with paper towel and pulled the meat off the bones. It’s the best smoked fish I’ve ever had! Everywhere I’ve read everyone pulls off catfish skin before smoking...I didn’t and figured i screwed up. I can taste an extremely strong smoke flavor which I love and it’s very moist and not too salty. I need more catfish! The plate in back is the white bass. It also tastes great but doesn't hold a candle to the catfish and is not anywhere near as moist. I also made a dip with mayo, chopped onions and their green stems, orange juice, pickle relish, and added a dab of shrimp sauce to the mix. Guess that dead pear tree came in handy!

Just heard the oven go off...fries are done gotta go!

[MaryB]

Well, I took them out to dry this morning. It’s been about 18 hours in my brine give or take. I can tell with less salt and brown sugar the flesh didn’t turn brown like the largemouth did. I would assume the iodized salt caused the meat no5 to turn darker? I’ve read using iodized salt smoking salmon makes the meat bright red and some times an off taste VS canning salt. I sprinkled some celery salt in the chest cavities and placed them in front of a fan till they dry a little before smoking again. I’m guessing they will be more like baked fish with a smoky taste when done so they will be consumed more like a meal than a snack when done? I’m using wood from a pear tree that I bought a few seasons ago, never planted, and died off...instead of hickory chips this time.




Think I’ll try a few Tomorrow with bone in fillets like I do with carp and the correct salt to check the taste difference.

I Better get fishing!

Skin the catfish, cut out the blood line, brine, smoke, great stuff on crackers! I smke it on top of a sheet of foil because it will start to fall apart.

[Tripplebeards]

Catfish is all gone. It was the best tasting smoked fish I’ve ever had. Tasted better than any smoked salmon I’ve eaten by far. I’ll have to try one with skin off next time but Im sure it will dry it out and Id rather eat it moist like it turned out above. It’s the best fish I’ve even eaten that wasn’t batterfried.

[Blackwater]

Thanks, Tripplebeards. I'd love to try that. I've long wanted to try to smoke some of the big American shad we have here, but health problems and poor fishing conditions prevented me getting out to get a few to try. Shad have a strong, sort of "salt water" taste to them, and I believe smoking would be the absolute best way to cook them, for culinary goodness. Here, it's really the roe, or "Poor man's caviar" that is most in demand. Many eat the roe, but not the flesh. Some say the bucks (smaller, @ 2-3 lbs) taste better when country fried. Others see no difference, and love the roes (larger, @ 4-6 lbs. avg.). I've never turned any of it away, but am really fond of the roe. A country boy never ate anything better! But maybe I'll get to smoke one this coming Jan-Mar? I am sure hoping so!!! And if I get a good mess of bass, smoking them would be a great "experiment," also. Come to think of it, I believe you could smoke corn shucks and they'd be great! But maybe I exaggerate just a teensy bit there???

[beechbum444]

Following closely .... especially about carp .... anyone ever smoke mackerel or Spanish sardines??? Headed to Florida next week thinking of smoking some Spanish mackerel