Smoked Bluefish and Smoked Bluefish Spread
Bluefish fillets brined overnight and slow-smoked over cherry wood until deeply flavored and flaky — plus a creamy smoked bluefish spread with red onion and chives that's incredible on a bagel. The brine and smoke completely transform bluefish, eliminating the strong flavor it's known for.
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 qt Water
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tbsp Pepper Corns
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup Kosher Salt
- 1 qt Ice
- 3-5 lbs Bluefish Filets
Spread
- 4 oz Softened Cream Cheese
- ½ Small Red Onion
- 1 tbsp Chives
- 3 oz Smoked Bluefish
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
The Brine
- Make the brine. Combine the water, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns, brown sugar, and kosher salt in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Don't rush this step — you want everything fully incorporated.
- Cool it down. Take the pot off the heat and add the ice. You need the brine completely cold before the fish goes in — adding fish to a warm brine will start cooking it and you'll end up with a mushy texture. The ice brings it down fast.
- Prep the fillets. While the brine cools, clean your fillets and run your fingers along the flesh to find and remove any pin bones. A pair of needle-nose pliers or fish tweezers makes this easy.
- Brine overnight. Add the fillets to the cooled brine, making sure they're fully submerged. Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours. I usually do this the night before and smoke the next afternoon.
Smoking the Fillets
- Set up your smoker. Get your smoker running at 225°F with a mild wood — cherry or apple are my recommendations. Give it time to come up to temp and stabilize before the fish goes on.
- First smoke. Place the fillets on the grates and smoke at 225°F until they reach an internal temperature of 120°F. Depending on the thickness of your fillets this typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Finish at lower temp. Once the fillets hit 120°F internal, drop your smoker up to 160°F-180°F and continue smoking for another 2 hours. This finishing phase sets the surface of the fish and develops that slightly tacky, deeply smoked exterior. Pull the fillets when they're firm, flaky, and have a rich golden-brown color.
- Rest and serve. Let the fillets rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Eat them warm straight off the smoker, let them cool to room temperature, or refrigerate for later use. They keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days.
The Smoked Bluefish Spread
- Whip the cream cheese. Using a hand mixer, whip the softened cream cheese until it's light and fluffy. This takes about a minute and makes a big difference in the texture of the finished spread — you want it airy, not dense.
- Add the mix-ins. Stir in the finely diced red onion and chives.
- Fold in the fish. Flake the smoked bluefish into the bowl with your fingers, breaking it into small pieces. Stir gently to combine — you want some texture in there, not a completely uniform paste.
- Season and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind the fish is already seasoned from the brine, so go easy on the salt at first and adjust from there.
- Serve or refrigerate. The spread is great immediately but even better after a few hours in the fridge once the flavors have had time to come together. Serve on toasted bagels, crackers, cucumber slices, or thick slices of sourdough.
Video
Notes
Tips for the Best Results
Don't rush the brine. Twelve hours is the minimum, 18 is better. The overnight brine is what separates genuinely great smoked fish from just okay smoked fish. Pat the fillets dry before smoking. After pulling them from the brine, give the fillets a rinse and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Some people let them air dry on a rack in the fridge for an hour to form a pellicle — that slightly tacky surface layer that helps smoke adhere. It's worth doing if you have the time. Use a thermometer. Fish can go from perfectly done to overcooked quickly. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out completely. Make more than you think you need. The spread goes fast. If you're making this for a crowd, plan on double.What to Serve With Smoked Bluefish
- Toasted bagels — the classic pairing, especially with a little extra cream cheese
- Crackers — a sturdy cracker like a water cracker or wheat cracker holds up to the spread
- Cucumber rounds — fresh, cool, and a nice contrast to the rich smokiness
- Capers and lemon — a small bowl of capers and lemon wedges alongside elevates the whole spread
- Cold white wine or a crisp lager — smoked fish and a cold drink on a summer afternoon is hard to beat