Salmon: Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em

The process of smoking and preserving fish, or any other meats for that matter, is nothing new. It has been around for a very long time. However, many people find the process intimidating. The truth is just the opposite – smoking your catch is an easy and enjoyable process, and the results are absolutely delicious.

I now prefer to smoke fish – especially salmon I catch from Lake Michigan.

You don’t need any type of expensive equipment to smoke your catch. There are those high-end automatic smokers out there, but you can also do the same thing on a standard BBQ grill.

For my smoking, I choose to use a simple electric heat box style that allows me to load my meat from the front and add the desired smoking chips without loosing any heat and smoke.

The principal is quite simple. Place your prepared fish in a box with low heat and a smoking fruitwood and let the smoke and heat do the work.

For a lesson in smoking fish from start to finish to make the most out of your catch, read the Aug. 24 issue of Illinois Outdoor News.