SPANISH MACKEREL, SMOKED
Yield: 6 servings.
1 gallon water
1 cup salt
2 pounds Florida Spanish mackerel, butterfly fillets*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Combine water and salt; stir until salt is dissolved.
Marinate fish in brine for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
Remove fish from brine and pat dry.
TO SMOKE FISH: Soak 1 pound of hickory or other hardwood chips in 2 quarts of water for at least 5 hours. Use a hooded or covered electric, gas or charcoal grill. Use less charcoal for smoking than you use for normal grilling. Cover charcoal or ceramic briquets with 1/3 of the wet chips. The wet chips maintain a low temperature and provide smoke which flavors the fish. Place fish on a well-oiled grill, skin side down, about 4 to 6 inches from the coals. Baste well with oil before and during cooking. Close hood and smoke fish for 1 hour at 150 to 175 degrees F or for 30 minutes at 200 degrees F. Add remaining wet chips as needed to keep fire smoking. Fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.
*Seafood alternatives: mullet, pompano, king mackerel
Per serving: calories 390, calories from fat 270, total fat 30g, saturated fat 6g, cholesterol 95mg, total carbohydrate 0g, protein 27g.
Florida Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture
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