smoking your own fish? any advice?

katieowl_2

We made a hot smoker from a new galvanised dustbin, and a heat source, the mark one was electric, the gas canister mark two was better, but we still think we need a mark three. The fish was absolutely delicious though every time, just took longer to cook.

We bought a meat thermometer to stick into to the drum to make sure it was reaching temperature, and used some of the OH's oak shavings for wood, and I soaked a batch in jack daniels which was very tasty...

There are loads of diagrams online for making one, and it sounds like if you have a good source of mackeral it would be worth taking the time to make a big smoker? Not just a biscuit tin.

Kate

skintbint_2

thanks jackieb - that would have been great! no point in paying for fish when DS can get for nothing and i get peace all day when he is fishing! just have to learn how to do crabs now as that is what he catches most of but just throws back, even got the chance of a lobster straight off the boats for £10 but not a clue about that either! (guess whose not a local!)he has also been out with a friend ferreting and learning how to rabbit, not sure about that either - eat your heart out felicity kendall!

skintbint_2

katie - best supply ever - can look out the upstairs window and see the north sea!

jackieb

skintbint wrote: »

thanks jackieb - that would have been great! no point in paying for fish when DS can get for nothing and i get peace all day when he is fishing! just have to learn how to do crabs now as that is what he catches most of but just throws back, even got the chance of a lobster straight off the boats for £10 but not a clue about that either! (guess whose not a local!)he has also been out with a friend ferreting and learning how to rabbit, not sure about that either - eat your heart out felicity kendall!

My OH caught a lobster when he was up in Lerwick one morning (his friend has a small lobster boat). He wrapped it in a plastic bag and put it in his holdall. He flew home later that day. I picked him up and we drove an hour home. Took it out of the bags and it was still alive! OH put it in the freezer to make it sleepy before we boiled it. When it was put in the pot it screamed, but i've since been told that they can't scream and it was just air escaping from the shell. Phew!

We often had lobsters when I was little (dad was a fisherman) and I wouldn't eat them or look at them going in the pot. He also had a load of crabs once and their pincers were secured with elastic bands. We made them race on the kitchen floor.

Good luck with the Good Life!

skintbint_2

ah well - dad a fisherman?, you're near me? - the only place i can think of is that wee place about 3 miles out the road near geordies pond!

love the idea of the crab racing!

jackieb

skintbint wrote: »

ah well - dad a fisherman?, you're near me? - the only place i can think of is that wee place about 3 miles out the road near geordies pond!

love the idea of the crab racing!

I don't actually know where you are but you've got NE Scotland. I'm in NE Scotland, but just Googled Geordie's Pond and i'm up a bit. Just go up as far as you can before you hit the sea. :rotfl:

skintbint_2

well you'll know all about fishing being up that way!

ginnyknit

Will ask SIl how he did it in a wok -looked very simple and he did it in my kitchen. No smoke in house at all!

meritaten

I believe Jamie Oliver used Tea to smoke the fish in the tin. if I remember correctly it was Earl Gray! but any smokey flavour tea would do!