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.
