Smoke me a kipper , Skipper, I’ll be back for breakfast
Posted: 08 Sep 2018, 11:39
Long live the boys from the Dwarf.
Also, in this case it wasn’t really a kipper but rather some mackerel I caught in the Solent yesterday.
Had a lovely day on on Friday 7th September on the Solent. Put in at Swanwick on the Hamble as it is free (my favourite price) and headed out to find some marks off Calshot. The fishing was good but mostly they were too small. I caught a dozen or so tiny mackerel, which I returned by twisting the barbless hook free so I didn’t touch the fish, and three larger ones which I kept by pulling the hooks out and breaking their necks, all nice and humane. I was using tinsel feathers and an Ugly Stick on 15lb line but I never hooked up more than two at a time.
Anyhoo, got them home, gutted and filleted them before salting them for 10 minutes or so with coarse sea salt.
While that was salting I got out my camping stove and an aluminium smoker which was a wedding present to my parents some 40 years ago, making it way older than me!
I threw in a handful of oak chips (ex Jack Daniels barrel) and got it nice and hot so the chips stared to smoulder.
Next I rinsed off the fish and patted it dry before placing it on the smoker.
Lid on and cook for 10 minutes at around 140 degrees C (no real precision here, I just turned the camping stove down as low as it goes)
Ten minutes later and it looked like it does in Asda!
Only this has no additives in the slightest and hasn’t been vacuum packed.
Served with a slice of bread and butter. Should have been brown bread but we were out.
I have to say it was utterly delicious. A milder taste than the stuff from the supermarket but it was wonderful. I have placed the other fillets in a box in the fridge and I will be taking them to work tonight for a cold snack.
Smoking was far simpler than I thought and I would recommend anyone to give it a go. You don’t need a dedicated smoker, an old pan and a veg steamer (one of the metal folding ones) would do the job just fine.
I know what I will be doing with my mackerel in future! And it is portable so I can even take it with me and hot smoke right there on the beach.
Also, in this case it wasn’t really a kipper but rather some mackerel I caught in the Solent yesterday.
Had a lovely day on on Friday 7th September on the Solent. Put in at Swanwick on the Hamble as it is free (my favourite price) and headed out to find some marks off Calshot. The fishing was good but mostly they were too small. I caught a dozen or so tiny mackerel, which I returned by twisting the barbless hook free so I didn’t touch the fish, and three larger ones which I kept by pulling the hooks out and breaking their necks, all nice and humane. I was using tinsel feathers and an Ugly Stick on 15lb line but I never hooked up more than two at a time.
Anyhoo, got them home, gutted and filleted them before salting them for 10 minutes or so with coarse sea salt.
- Salted and ready for smoking
I threw in a handful of oak chips (ex Jack Daniels barrel) and got it nice and hot so the chips stared to smoulder.
Next I rinsed off the fish and patted it dry before placing it on the smoker.
- On the smoker
- Smoking.....
- All smoked
Served with a slice of bread and butter. Should have been brown bread but we were out.
- Simple but delicious!
Smoking was far simpler than I thought and I would recommend anyone to give it a go. You don’t need a dedicated smoker, an old pan and a veg steamer (one of the metal folding ones) would do the job just fine.
I know what I will be doing with my mackerel in future! And it is portable so I can even take it with me and hot smoke right there on the beach.
Similar to your way, but I used an old Prestige pressure cooker.
Always fancied a smoker, especially with the amount of Oak sawdust/shavings I've made in the past.
