Plan to smoke some Rainbow Trout on Christmas Eve morning any tips on getting the pellicle to perfection prior to smoking?- a lot of time and method variances online.
Current plan is wet brine but I could do 1/2 dry brine if someone has a must try method also.

I tried to smoke a trout once but I couldn't keep it lit.

I always wondered how the trout could get the cigarette lit underwater.

Good luck

I like a dry brine. I usually shoot for three hour brine and about a three hour pellicle

I use Steven Raichlen recipes for fish quite often, not saying they’re the best but I have had good luck with them, and here is the link to his website.

https://barbecuebible.com/

Brings to mind this video by yukonjeff.
Makes my mouth water ......
Good luck with yours, E eye

fillets or whole fish
my dad mostly does fillets
you can absolutely do it a day or 3 ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge

most people like it cool anyway

thanks for the video , got me thinking about making fish jerky

that is what we called it when dad over smoked one good and salty really dry

I am going to have to try drying fish on the dehydrator now

Done trout for years and they turn out great. I fillet them and make a dry rub of 50% canning salt, 50% brown sugar and a a cup of pickling spice without dill. I put the mixture in a blender to mix it well. take the fillets and put them in a glass dish and cover them well with the mixture about and let them sit for 24 hours. I rearrange them a couple times, it will make its own brine. Take them out and rinse the big pieces of spice off with cold water and then pat them dry. Once they are dry I wipe them down with a light coating of cooking oil, enough so they will not stick on my smoker grate. Smoke them on low heat with apple or alder my favorite for six hours and enjoy.

We tried smoking some steelhead. They were better than salmon and cheaper in the stores.

What I do and the adults and grandkids love them, take a brownie pan feel it half full of water, cut up a garlic bulb, half cup of salt and brown sugar and mix well, put trout in marinade overnight, pat dry and place on your smoker, I have a brinkman and it takes about a hour and half.

Forellen Rauchen

I remember buying smoked trout at local fests in Germeny. They were served on a stick like a corn dog. Funky looking to an American but they were good.

A quick rinse after brining, then place on rack and air-dry in front of a fan until dry to the touch.

I have a little master built electric smoker works pretty good i love smoking trout the fillets just peel right off can't remember what temp an how long have to look at my notes on that

Have experience smoking tuna for retail sales in a seafood market. Only two ingredients required. Non-iodized salt for 45 minutes, rinse and toss in Dixie Crystal brown sugar for 30 minutes. Smoke with oak and hickory.

Bet trout would be good prepped like tuna.

I use a dry rub. These smoked. brook trout filets are from trout around 3/4 lb- 1 1/2 lb.. 4-6 hours in the dry brine is plenty. Be careful to not let them stay in the brine too long, they will end up being to salty. Bigger filets can brine longer.

For lake trout I like a cup of corse salt or 3/4 cup fine table salt, one cup brown sugar, shot of pancake syrup if you wish, to a gallon of water. Soak fresh trout 10-12 hours, previously frozen trout 6-8 hours. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Put trout on rack in front of fan for 1/2hr or so. Smoke to your preferred doneness.

I plan to fillet with skin on- we're trout fishing a farm in the morning.