Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Smoked Tilapia

Ok this may sound odd, but I was thinking about trying this out if I smoke this weekend.

Has anyone ever smoked Tilapia and if so how was it and would you please share your recipes, recommendations, or concerns.

Thanks

I've tried to smoke all kinds of fish....but couldn't keep them lit!!

Sorry - the court was open and I couldn't resist taking a shot.

kept clogging the pipe!

seriously though.. are you hot smoking or cold smoking? i've hot smoked tilapia, but cold smoked other fish..
for hot, i brine for 45 minutes or so in water and brown sugar
i use a cameron "stove top" smoker, and for smoke i use cherry, oak, alder etc... i usually add some tea leaves as well
for the fish, i prefer smoking "whole" (gutted and scaled), but fillets work, they cook faster..i like to stuff with dill, thyme salt and pepper(whatever your favorite fish spices are) etc, i like slice into the body of the fish as well and stuff with the spices.. sometimes i'll drizzle with just a little olive oil as well, and top off with a slice or two of lemon and hot smoke for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on temps/size of fish etc) you can "hot smoke" at different temps, lower cooks longer
cold smoking i brine overnight and keep the temps around 80ish, depending on the fish, it can take 8-24 hours

It will be hot smoking in a big smoker on a trailer. I plan to do some ham, ribs and was going to try some fish as I have too many in my tank and need to thing them out so the smaller ones can grow larger before it gets too cold here.

My thought was to gut and scale them, do you leave the head on as well. I usually smoke at 250 as well but maybe warmer if I move to the grill side instead of the smoke box.

This would be a first for me and I hate to ruin fish if I can keep from it.

Thanks