speckled trout

Smoke your whole trout or trout fillets to perfection on a pellet smoker or whatever you prefer.

Smoking Trout The Right Way {Old Family Recipe}

Whole trout

maple syrup (for basting (optional))

rosemary

brown sugar

soy sauce (or coconut amino acids)

bay leaves

black pepper

Add the kosher salt, soy/tamari/coconut aminos (if using) and bay leaves.

Heat the water and stir until all of the sugar and salt are completely melted. Add more cups of water if necessary, but always remember how many cups you are adding.

Remove the solution from heat, pour it into the vessel you will be using to brine your trout, and then add the rest of the water as you previously measured. Allow this to come to room temperature completely — IMPORTANT — do not use warm or hot brine on your trout, it will cook the fish which you do not want.

When the brine solution has cooled down, fully submerge your trout in it and add a few teaspoons of whole black peppercorns.

Place your whole trout (or trout fillets) in the refrigerator to brine for anywhere from 8 to 12 hours.

After the trout is brined, remove them from the brine and discard the liquid.

Rinse your trout with cold water to remove the brine from the surface. Failing to do so will result in an overly-salty fish.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels or tea towels.

Using 2-3 toothpicks per trout, stick them inside the fish cavity to keep it propped open while drying and smoking. Add a small sprig of rosemary into the cavity too

Place the trout on a rack to dry for 1-4 hours with a baking sheet underneath to catch the moisture. This step is crucial in developing the sticky pellicle which helps smoke adhere to the flesh. I usually go for 2 hours at cool room temperature, but the refrigerator is probably best.

Preheat your Traeger on the &#39;Smoke&#39; setting for 5 minutes. Or whatever pellet smoker or other type of smoker you&#39;re using.

Baste the trout inside and out with maple syrup using a pastry brush and place them, with their chest cavities propped open, directly on the grill grates.

Set your timer for 1 hour and every hour baste the trout with more maple syrup and check to see if the flesh is flaky.

Depending on the size, the smoking will take anywhere from 1.5 hours to 4.

Do NOT surpass 4 hours until you are looking to make trout jerky. 

Do NOT let the temperate get above 200/220 Fahrenheit, and if it does place a bowl of ice water inside the smoker to regulate it.

Make the brine solution: In a large enough saucepan on medium heat, add your brown sugar and allow it to melt and bubble until dark brown. Immediately add 2-3 cups of water to stop the caramelization process and prevent the sugar from burning. WARNING: This can cause the sugar mixture to splatter, please do this with care, or remove the sugar from the heat and add water once cooled down.

Did this recipe on 3/26/23 with great caught lake Sand Bass. It was like eating candy when they were done. 
SOOOO good! 
Since I did 6 fish, I tripled the recipe. I have already been asked for the recipe multiple times and sent this link. 

Thank you for sharing it.

This was awesome I will never cook trout a different way fall off the bone great

Great recipe! I used it to smoke a (4) pack of trout from Costco ( I know... that is cheating) on my Traeger Silverton 820 w/ Traeger brand Cherry pellets! I followed your recipe (including the sugar in the brine, and maple syrup basting), and it turned out perfect. I used the super smoke feature along with a smoke tube. Smoking took approximately 2-1/2 hrs.

Thank you for sharing!!

This sounds fantastic!  I have a few questions before I attempt it.  I have  fresh smaller Rainbow "stockers" in the 6-8oz range.  You specify the 2 tablespoons of sugar and tamari amount "per trout".  Should I use this amount for the smaller fish as well or will it be too much?  Also can I substitute teriyaki for the tamari?

Thanks for a great recipe!

Looks like an awesome recipe. 
Loved the pics of the catch, thank for sharing

Useful information. Lucky me I found your web site by chance, and I am surprised why this twist of fate didn't came about earlier!
I bookmarked it.

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