Name: Vine-Smoked Trout
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 4 whole trout, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each, cleaned; Canola oil for brushing; Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1/2 cup dry wood chips; Fresh rosemary or sage leaves for garnish; Fresh lemon wedges for garnish

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Vine-Smoked TroutJoyce Oudkerk Pool

Trout rule the mountain streams of America. I remember the fantastic flavor of freshly caught trout in Wyoming cooked over a campfire. They were so delicious, we had trout for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This recipe echoes that experience, sans the stinging nettles and porcupines. If you like, you could also stuff the trout with an herb or horseradish butter, fresh lemon slices, or a cornbread stuffing.

As for the smoking, for trout I prefer the sweeter smoke flavor of alder or even grapevine, which you can gather from the wild or buy as prepackaged wood chips. I use them dry in this recipe, as the trout doesn't take long to smoke. This recipe works for any whole, cleaned fish; the rule of thumb for smoking is 30 minutes per pound at 225° to 250°F.

Cooks' Note

Suggested wood: Grapevine or alder

Recipe notes

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