smoking steelhead

Don't soak in milk. Don't use a wet brine. Use a dry brine of 1 cup brown sugar to 1/4 cup sea salt, kosher salt, or canning/pickling salt. rub on both sides of fish, cure for 24 hours. Rinse off brine mixture, let dry for 30 minutes. Smoke at low heat, 150-175 tops for 3-4 hours for fillets, longer for whole fish. This is what I do and it turns out perfect every time. Do not let smoker get too hot. If the fish cooks quickly it will not turn out right. The ratio I use was given by an Alaskan guide. All fish his operation smoked and sent home with clients was done with this dry brine.

Joe, I"ve used a wet brine for years and theyve always came out great but I"m gonna give this dry brine a shot, sounds good and a lot easier. Right on about the heat.

 
 
 
 
i've been trying to get my steelhead to quit somking...

 

Apple

I got a recipee off of here for smoking steel, it is a very easy brine you mix equal parts of salt, sugar and brown sugar and water.  Soak for 24 hrs and smoke with APPLE  I have found that this is hands down the best smoked steel I have ever eaten!!!!!
 
also if you are getting your fish cleaned in erie make sure to take time to cut the lateral line and the "blood line" off of the fish.  this is any red color on the steelhead on the skin side, you want to take all of that off of there and it will improve the taste of the fish 100 times.
 
hope this helps

I go the same way as Joe B dry brine/salt brown sugar and a few other spices..Smoked around  180 or so for 4/5 hours..But when done I bring them in while hot get the oven to 200 and brush honey over the fillets and let is get gooey and cookin for about 15 minutes or so..Found the recipe a few years back it was called coho candy on one of the western salmon web sights should still be around..Excellent stuff!!!   Enjoy  .Ray

can steelhead be used for making the gravlax??