Smokin' YT and more.... [Archive] - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

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seaquinn

09-19-2012, 12:22 PM

This has been a successful fishing summer for me, and this year I acquired a nice smoker. I have really been enjoying several flavors of smoked Yellowtail and Tuna. Right now I am enjoying yellowtail with a teriyaki-flavor with a mix of Alder wood and Mesquite smoke, so good!

If any of you guys in the kayak family have excess fish they want to smoke, maybe I can help you out. I have one of the Smoke Vault smokers, and being that it is on a propane system, I can get a real good flavor and fully cooked fish in about one hour, plus or minus time wise depending on the thickness of the filets.

I live in the Fletcher Hills – La Mesa area, and if you bring over already fileted, and marinated fish, plus a good beer or two, we can smoke it up and all I want is a good story and a few bites of the fish.

There are many ways to marinate the fish, but the easiest way I have found is the “Soyaki” or “Hawaiian Soyaki” from Trader Joes. So far most of my batches are teriyaki-style, but I want to experiment with many more. I tried wasabi on one batch, and that was fine as well.

If any of you guys have recommendations for marinade or wood to use, please chip in.

Sure gotta appreciate this wonderful resource we have in San Diego and California, and this just makes me appreciate it more.

PM to me if you want to show up and smoke some. (Fish)

Ps…. This was also a summer where both me and my kids released Yellowtail. It was wonderful to see the delighted looks on their faces years ago when they caught their first YT’s, but this summer was special when we had enough, and they got to release some…. That is a sign of growing up: “Limiting their catch, not just catching their limits”.

http://csis132.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/yt_on_kayak_33_pound1.jpg?w=930&h=704

bus kid

09-19-2012, 01:26 PM

Nice.
Baja traveler post up a link a while back for some chips. I got a few pounds and it made for some good WSB and YT

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=6544&page=3&highlight=burbon

wiredantz

09-19-2012, 01:31 PM

killer yt

StinkyMatt

09-19-2012, 01:33 PM

Wow, got me smiling from ear to ear.........and hungry.:D

You ever try just putting on only dry ingredients?

Last year I tried some YT with Salt, Pepper and a greek seasoning. Don't remember the name exactly, yellow, white can with a picture of a chef. Super!

Now, if I could just catch some damn YT!

Dannowar

09-19-2012, 01:52 PM

I have an old barrel smoker that I use quite frequently. I usually soak my yt in a salt and brown sugar brine and smoke it at about 350 for about an hour and a half. I use almond wood from Bevmo. I love the old school smokers. I love having to maintain temperature by throwing more wood on the pile and I love smelling like I just burnt down a forest.

GR6RR

09-19-2012, 03:09 PM

pictures of these smokers would be nice. even better would be pictures of said smoked slabs...

finyak

09-19-2012, 03:36 PM

2 liters of water, 3/4 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar.Let it sit in the brine for about 24hrs.Pull from the brine pat dry and let sit for about an hour.Smoke with old oak wine barrel chips for 1.5 hrs. and with pineapple juice in the water try.I do this with all my fish and did some bluefin bellies a few weeks back OMG you would not belive how good it was, a very rich oily smokey tasty flavor.I have 1 more Bluefin belly that I already soaked in brine and vacum packed and put in the frezzer.I never tried that before it will be interesting to see how it comes out.

Finyak

ful-rac

09-19-2012, 03:39 PM

Glad you had a good summer! Sure looks like you caught a bunch of nice fish this season.

Really nice of you to offer to smoke everybodys fish!
Sounds like LJ isn't the only great resource in San Diego.....his name is SEAQUINN!!!!:D

ericko

09-19-2012, 03:44 PM

Has anybody smoked halibut???

T Bone

09-19-2012, 04:01 PM

best to smoke oily fish like Tuna-YT-Bonito-Salmon.

Other types of fish end up too dry.

I just smoked 6 # of YT over the weekend.I used mesquite which was flavor overkill,Brine was Yamasa teriyaki and brown suger.It is more addictive than crack...

ful-rac

09-19-2012, 04:02 PM

Just had some last week....K-I-L-L-E-R-!!!!! very good!

StinkyMatt

09-19-2012, 04:19 PM

I did halibut before.

It was a little more dry than I like. I'm sure there may be a way to infuse some moisture into it. Otherwise just wrap it in bacon:D

seaquinn

09-19-2012, 04:34 PM

Here is the smoker I use: (and some nice results at the bottom!)

Wish I had smoked fish photos.... but I don't have any.... .just looks like smoked fish. Thanks for the input guys. And as for fishing..... it looks like time to go on the offshore boats right now. I "may" go Friday, but I don't have much freezer room right now! Early this summer, true story, coming back from the Islander overnight trip, with kayaks, we only had a few small fish..... well, the dock was covered with tuna from another boat returning from a 16-day trip, with 28 tons of tuna! So.... with my youngest son, we quickly made friends and took home a free 102-pound Yellowfin! Lots of BBQ on that one!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81dQVSKtD8L._SL1500_.jpg
Here's a photo of the BBQ that night! With WSB and YT as well.... too nice!

http://www.cliftonquinn.com/cqphotos/fullsize/cliffishm.jpg

mtnbykr2

09-19-2012, 04:36 PM

mmmmmmmmmm smoked fish.......let's eat
congrats on the epic YT summer you have had...
I have done halibut, it is a bit dry, but if you keep a tray of liquid close by in with it I use beer, it is ok....
Now I have to go get me some smoked fish.....:drool5:

dwntwnall4u

09-19-2012, 05:06 PM

Nice smoker there.

Bigfishhunter96

09-19-2012, 05:09 PM

If the smoke flavor is to strong us a light flavor wood such as hickory or apple chips with a teriyaki marinade goes perfect with yellow tail and tuna.:jig:

ericko

09-19-2012, 06:35 PM

thanks boys ill stick to grilling my halibut.

MrPukaShell

09-19-2012, 06:59 PM

I use one of the Little Chief electric smokers. I brine with 1 cup salt, 1 box of Dark Brown sugar, whole bulb of garlic, one inch of ginger, red pepper flakes to taste and a gallon of water. Bring to a boil and let cool. If you like it a little sweeter add some Maple syrup. Soak the fish overnight. Take out of the brine and rinse with clean water. Place on the rack for about an hour with a fan blowing on it. You want that glaze to form over. It looks like your skin when you rip a scab off, a little sticky or tacky. For smoke fruit woods are awesome if you can get your hands on some. If not try Alder or a nut wood like pecan. If you have a BevMo near you they carry some hardwoods for cooking. I am a low and slow with 180-220 the desired temps. Try not to peak for the first few hours.

If you have fish that is too dry make a salad out of it. Some mayo & mustard will put the moister back in. Add wet veggies like celery, pickles & onions and your set. Break it out the next time you are with some friends with a box of crackers of your choice and you will be the hero for the day.

blitzburgh

09-19-2012, 07:29 PM

SA-WEEET.

taggermike

09-19-2012, 07:57 PM

Just remembering how much I enjoy smoked fish. Alder gives a lighter and sweeter flavor to fish that I like more than hickory or mesquite. Last year in Baja one of the locals showed up to a fish feed with some yellow tail jerky. Chewy but still a bit moist thin strips, super good. I think my spanish was a little weak to get the details but it would be worth attempting. MIke

MotoHero

09-19-2012, 08:14 PM

Tried some beef and tri-tip on a Traeger wood pellet grill a couple times this summer and it was so good I worked some overtime to get one. Not being that good of a cook the Traeger wood pellet is almost a "set it and forget it" program which makes me seem better than I really am at it.

Mostly beef but the yellow-tail was awesome with the apple wood. Hickory is a bit strong so I will mix them next try.

Dwayne

PS: just an appetizer...

LDO10

09-19-2012, 08:34 PM

A basic marinade is equal parts of shoyu (soy sauce) and brown sugar. From there you can add flavoring, e.g., garlic, pepper flakes, cayenne, jalapenos, citrus, etc. I like that you're willing to experiment. Try lower temps and longer time for a heavier smoke or drier texture. Enjoy.
:cheers1:

tptrench

09-20-2012, 09:26 AM

Dam, that got me salivatin! Congrats on the great summer!

lamb

09-21-2012, 07:46 AM

Nice! :cheers1:

ctfphoto

09-24-2012, 02:02 PM

maui jim

09-28-2012, 09:03 PM

Hunters Pa

09-29-2012, 08:16 AM

OK Boys. If you live near orange county. Here is the shit.
thewoodshedoc.com
Best selection of cooking wood around try some grapefruit wood or cabernate wine barrell.
:coo
Maui loves his smoke....:cool: Maui knows his smoke.......:cool:

Check out the wood menu. Youll find something differant youll love.

They also ship wood in small bags
:cool:

Yup, been hittin the Woodshed for smoker chunks. Great variety & great service. Have Apple, peach, hickory & wine barrel right now. I don't smoke fish because 1) dont want my smoker to have a fish flavor and 2) wife hates smoked fish. But the pulled pork and ribs are the bomb. I took a class a year ago last June from Harry Soo, badass pitmaster in Diamond Bar. Best investment in taking by bbq to the next level! http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/
I have no ties to Harry but it is well worth passing on. He donates proceeds from his class to very worthwhile charities.

I know, threadjack, but I don't pass on stuff I don't believe in. I have referred a couple friends to his course and, all of them seasoned bbq-ers, have come back saying it was well worth it.

Back to the thread, that fish looks incredible. I tried smoking fish in the past but dried it out terribly.

maui jim

09-29-2012, 09:20 AM

Yeah Hunter, I check out That smoking site ia good one alond with a couple others.
I hunt with a Chef, and he does smoking compititions in Utah with his brother,
He has showed me so much, and come to my house for a smoking weekends, we do a big varity on the, Brinkman pro smoker, a Santia Maria pit, and of course the Weber.

smoking is almost the same adiction as fishing and hunting,

SMOKE ON BRUDDAH!!

seaquinn

09-30-2012, 07:49 PM

great suggestions....

wow! "cabernet wine barrel", that sounds really good, and for fish, how about "Chardonnay wine barrels", both sounds good. and I have grapefruit wood, but may need some processing.

And yes, this does get addicting, as with each experiment I learn something. Hah! Tonight I wanted to create the world's best hamburgers, and I blew it. Ihave not cooked hamburgers all summer, and I mixed the very good quality ground beef with a bunch of custom bar-be-que sauce..... and the darn burgers so moist they were really tough to get to hold together. Kind of hamburger crumbles. Still tasty.

But BBQ'n and smoking, great past-times. Tomorrow night out to sea for tuna...... maybe some more experimenting, and hopefully some fresh sushi. What a season this has been. And some of you guys getting lobsters.... gotta love our local waters!

maui jim

10-01-2012, 06:14 AM

Try add an egg or two(depends on how much meat) mixed in for a binder for the meat keeps it from crumbling.

I have made Venision, mixed with Wild pig, and top sirlion for a treat for burgers, dont forget the cheddar or bluecheese along with bacon, red onion and jalipenos....in the mix with a little A1 or worstishire..... I use a burger press and make some half pound goodies.....

Here's a corn on the cob dessert Whole corn on the cob coat with melted butter lather on some sour cream, add sprinkle some parmgesan cheeze, and add some cayanne pepper,wrapped in foil on on the grill, cook turn and cook the packets untill you hear the sizzle from the foil packs, while those bad boy burgers cook.......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm enjoy!!

Crap now I'm hungry....

Steinsurf

10-03-2012, 04:12 PM

CHECK OUT WWW.HANGEMHIGHBARRELS.COM (http://www.HANGEMHIGHBARRELS.COM) FOR SOME REALLY CHEAP AND REALLY COOL SMOKERS.
iVE SMOKED A TON OF STEELHEAD ON MINE AND ALL THE MEAT THAT HANGS IN THERE IS AWESOME!

Tman

10-03-2012, 06:14 PM

These smoke up nice as well, jerky style:drool5:

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegallery/data/500/smoked_fish_017.jpg

mtnbykr2

10-03-2012, 07:50 PM

starvin' here...:drool5:...:toetap05:...:auto:...:reel:...: D