Brined and Smoked Smelt

Name: Brined and Smoked Smelt
Prep time: 3 h 50 min
Cook time: 3 h 50 min
Total time: 3 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon allspice berries; 237 milliliters apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 2 sprigs fresh dill; 1 garlic clove, halved; 454 grams ice; 1 teaspoon juniper berries; 118 milliliters kosher salt; 118 milliliters sugar; 24 smelt, cleaned with head and tails left on

Brined and Smoked Smelt is a side dish that serves 4. This recipe covers 1% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Watching your figure? This gluten free, dairy free, lacto ovo vegetarian, and vegan recipe has 118 calories, 0g of protein, and 0g of fat per serving. Head to the store and pick up sugar, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 3 hours and 50 minutes. If you like this recipe, take a look at these similar recipes: Smoked Brined Salmon, Brined and Smoked Smelts, and Apple-brined And Smoked Turkey.

Instructions

Rinse the smelt in cool running water. Set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Place all of the remaining ingredients, except the ice, into the electric kettle. Bring to a boil.

Ingredients you will need

Ice

Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cooled.

Ingredients you will need

Ice

Transfer the liquid to a 1-gallon ziptop bag along with the smelt. Seal and place in a container so that all of the fish are in the brine.

Ingredients you will need

Brine

Fish

Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove the smelt from the brine, rinse and pat dry.

Ingredients you will need

Brine

Place them onto a paper towel lined sheet pan, layering with paper towels in between if they won't fit in one layer. Allow to dry in the refrigerator overnight.

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Frying Pan

The next day, place the smelt onto racks, belly side down, separating them by at least 1/4-inch and place into a smoker. Turn the smoker on so that it maintains a temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F. Adjust heat as needed and cook for approximately 3 hours or until desired level of doneness.