Black Forest Cold-Smoked Trout
Whole trout are brined in a herb salt solution and then cold-smoked over fir wood and juniper berries. The result is a delicate, aromatic fish with a subtle smoky note and extended shelf life. Typical of the traditional Black Forest smoking kitchen.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Prepare brine & cure
8–10 hours (refrigerated)Dissolve salt and sugar completely in cold water. Add juniper berries, bay leaves, and allspice. Submerge the gutted, thoroughly rinsed trout completely in the brine and weigh them down. Cure at 4–6 °C for 8–10 hours.
Rinse & dry (pellicle)
2–3 hoursRemove trout from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Hang on smoking hooks and allow to dry in a cool, airy location until the skin is dry and slightly tacky and glossy.
Cold smoke
12–16 hours (with breaks)Preheat the smoker to 15–20 °C. Fill the cold smoke generator with fir sawdust and crushed juniper berries. Smoke the trout in 2–3 phases of 4–5 hours each, airing for 1 hour between phases. The smoking temperature must remain below 20 °C at all times.
Rest & serve
12–24 hoursAllow the smoked trout to rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours so the smoke flavor distributes evenly. Keeps for up to 10 days refrigerated. Serve with horseradish, dark bread, and lemon.
Pro Tip
Keep the smoking temperature strictly below 20 °C – in warmer weather it is best to smoke overnight or place ice blocks in the smoker so the fish flesh does not cook and the delicate fat content is preserved.
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