How To Smoke Whole Trout on The Traeger Grill

I also have a similar recipe for smoked salmon — How To Smoke Salmon On The Traeger Grill — which uses a more complicated brine recipe including beets, blood oranges, and pomegranate molasses. Did you know that salmon and trout can often be used interchangeably in the same recipes? Well, now you do.

I Have a Secret Trout Fishing Spot

It’s in Ontario, but that’s about all I can tell you about it.

Every summer I regularly pull out massive trophy Speckled (also called Brook) trout from pristine water. But I’m not after trophies, I’m looking to stock my freezer with practically free wild fish for the colder months. And trout is one of the most delicious freshwater fish species you can target.

It is not a walk in the park. The area is hard to reach and remote. The best lakes require bushwhacking through dense forest outfitted in a full bug suit and carrying a trolling motor and batteries — not to mention your fishing gear.

But it’s worth it…

What Is The Point of a Brine?

Why do we brine? The process of soaking the fish (or any meat) in salted water for a period of time causes the flesh to absorb some of the salty water through osmosis. This makes the meat moister when cooked.

You can also dry-brine, but I won’t get into that here today.

To prepare your trout for smoking, you will need to brine them first. 8-10 hours will suffice, but overnight is even better.

Take your whole trout or fillets and place them in a glass or plastic dish, bowl, or pan. I find that a glass casserole dish or large Pyrex bowl with a lid works the best. Remember, the fish have to be able to be fully submerged in the brine solution so choose your vessel accordingly.

Pour 1 full measuring cup full of water over the fish, and repeat until they are fully covered and submerged in water.

Did you keep track in your head about how many full cups of water you used? Good. Remember that number. Discard the water, you will be starting with fresh water later.

Too Much Salt & The Sugar Question in Brine?

You can freely omit the sugar caramelization step if you’re concerned about cane sugar or just do not have any in your pantry. I don’t eat or cook with sugar (including maple syrup and honey) outside of special treats for celebrations, or the rare occasion when I just feel like it.

I’ve had the same big bag from Costco sitting in my pantry for ages. It’s rock-solid now and a challenge to break up, but whatever.

Remember — the trout are not going to be absorbing the VAST majority of the brine, trace amounts really.

The quantity of salt used, and he scant tablespoons of sugar I include in this recipe do not permeate the flesh in their entirety. Regardless, you still need to use the correct amount for the science of osmosis to take place — 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 1 cup of water.

And you will be rinsing the brine off the surface at the end anyway, so don’t freak out if you’ve never done this before. It’s fine.

How To Smoke Whole Trout on The Traeger Grill

I live in a condo and the Traeger was a godsend. Prior I had an electric grill to work with and it just was not performing how I wanted.

But condo living has many limitations, and that was just one of the many. I was resigned to my fate and the ridiculous condo rules. It never occurred to me to look into a Traeger or smoker of any kind. That was always just one of those things I thought I would have to wait for when I finally got a house with some land.

From the moment I smoked my first wild coho salmon on it, I was hooked.

First of all, it’s compact enough for my tiny balcony. Secondly, it uses 100% hardwood pellets that come in multiple flavours like hickory, maple, apple, and more.

And I’m learning that nothing really beats that smoky taste and most commercial smoked foods I’ve had just cannot compare to home-smoked. Quite the revelation in my cooking journey really. So I have become rather obsessed with smoking lately.

I gather that a smoky taste was likely a common component of the food we ate through the ages as our ancestors really only had wood-burning ovens or straight-up fires to work with for most of history.

I look at old recipes in a new light now and cannot wait to start experimenting by making them on a smoker.

Enjoying Your Smoked Trout, Some More Ideas

Smoked trout is delicious hot off the grill, but if you have a big fish or a lot of them, they’re equally tasty cold or at room temperature.

My favourite breakfast recipe that calls for smoked salmon works beautifully with trout as well:

• Smoked Salmon With Poached Egg, Roe, & Asparagus

A smoked trout spread with flaked fish and cream cheese with herbs is lovely, as a smoked trout salad. It’s very versatile.

I have an article with some more great trout recipes here if you want to try methods other than smoking:

• My 10 Favourite Summer Trout Recipes 

Serve Your Smoked Trout Alongside:

• A Pretty Summer Salad of Nasturtium Flowers & Leaves
• Wild Edibles: Stinging Nettle Soup
• Ajoblanco Extremeño: Cold Spanish Soup

How To Smoke Whole Trout on The Traeger Grill

The recipe is adaptable to any size, weight, and amount of trout you may have.

If you try this recipe, I would love to know what you thought. If you have any additional tips and tricks for me, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.

Stay tuned for more fishing stories and Traeger smoking recipes. You can subscribe to me below to not miss out.

 

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