Smoked Herring
Delicious hot smoked herring fillets cooked low and slow over oakwood. These small fish fillets are great added to salads, rice dishes, or even just by themselves! From preparing the fish to dry brining, discover how to smoke herring with our easy barbecue fish recipe.
Prep Time2 hours hrs
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Total Time4 hours hrs
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Caribbean
Servings: 4
airtight container
wire rack
- 2 lbs fresh herring filleted and deboned
Dry Brine
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp dried lemon zest
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- ½ tsp dried ginger
In a small bowl, add the dry brine mix ingredients. Combine well and then leave to one side.
Rinse the herring under cold water and then pat dry with paper towels
In a plastic container, sprinkle a thin layer of the dry brine mix to cover the bottom. Place the herring on top of the dry brine mix layer, and then sprinkle the remainder of the dry brine over the fish, covering it evenly.
Cover the container with the lid and then transfer to the refrigerator. Leave to brine for at least 2 hours.
Remove the herring from the refrigerator and container. Rinse under cold water to remove any excess brine solution, and then dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Arrange the herring on a wire rack and allow to dry and come to room temperature while your prepare your smoker
Fire up smoker to 275°F (135°C). Oil the smoker grates to help stop the herring from sticking.
Once the smoker is at temperature, place herring on the grates. Close smoker and smoke to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), about 1-2 hours. The herring should have developed a golden brown color and flake when touched with a fork.
Once done, pull from smoker and serve immediately