Hot Smoked Chesapeake Bluefish
Bluefish, commonly called Blues, are a predatory fish that are abundant in the Chesapeake and Delmarva coastal bays in the late summer and into fall. Blues feed heavily on schools of baitfish as they prepare for cooler water temperatures - making them an easy target for recreational anglers. Commercial fishermen fishing stationary pound nets and gill nets also see an abundance of Blues during the fall. Some people shy away from harvesting and eating Bluefish because of their stronger flavor and oily flesh, but when prepared properly, Blues can be exceptional and are a favorite among anyone who knows how to handle them.
Once the Bluefish are landed, it is important to immediately bleed the fish out by cutting their gills and to ice them down. The meat on Bluefish is delicate and soft, and can spoil quickly, so by putting the fish on ice the meat stays firm.
My favorite way to prepare a large batch of Blues is to hot smoke them - the oil in the flesh and skin makes them perfect for smoking. To prepare the iced fish for smoking, I first fillet the fish and cure the fillets overnight after coating them with a mixture of Jane’s Crazy Salt, Chef Paul Blackened Redfish Magic, and freshly ground pepper. After the fillets have cured, I space them apart skin side down on the racks in my electric smoker and turn up the heat to 200-225°F. The heating element on the smoker heats up the wood chips (alder, pecan, or apple) and causes them to slowly burn and emit a smoke that also cures and dries out the fillets. After roughly two hours, the fillets are done and I repeat the process until I am out of fish.
The smoked filets are great to eat on their own with cream cheese and crackers. But for those willing to take the extra step, they can also be used as a key ingredient in making a cream cheese-based dip. When the fillets are flaked apart and blended together with cream cheese, mayonnaise, a little bit of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, diced red onions and chives - the result is an incredible homemade dip that goes perfectly on a cracker or toasted slice of a baguette.
The process can be time-consuming, so I generally smoke more than enough fish and make more than enough dip. The smoked filets and the blended dip freeze well and make great gifts for friends and family around the holidays.
