Hot Smoked Fish
By Chef Lennox Hastie

Cookware: Fire Oven
Configuration: Smoker
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 15 minutes
Curing time: 2–3 hours
Drying: 1 hour drying
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2

About The Recipe

I absolutely love hot smoked fish, and I wanted a simple way for people to recreate that experience at home without a dedicated smoker. The Fire Oven becomes a smoker, with the trivet lifting the fish above the wood and smoke circulating gently around it. The result is delicate, beautifully textured fish with a subtle smokiness that lets the natural richness of Murray cod, kingfish or trout shine. A light cure seasons the fish and prepares the surface to take on smoke, while the choice of wood adds another layer of flavour.

Ingredients

400g skin-on fish fillet such as Murray cod, kingfish, or trout
30g sea salt
20g sugar
Zest of ½ lemon
1 sprig of thyme, finely chopped
1 sprig of dill, finely chopped
½ tsp fennel seed
4g pink peppercorns
1 handful hardwood smoking chips or wood cuttings (apple, oak or cherry)

Method

To cure the fish, place the salt, sugar, fennel seed, peppercorns, lemon zest, thyme and dill in a mortar and pound to combine.

Lay the fish skin-side down on a shallow tray. Spread half the cure on top, turn the fish over and cover completely with the remaining cure.

Refrigerate for 2–3 hours, depending on fillet thickness. A thinner fillet will require less time, while a thicker centre-cut can take the full 3 hours.

Remove the fish from the cure and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

Pat completely dry with paper towel, then place on a wire rack over a tray.

Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour. You want the surface to develop a slightly tacky pellicle, as this helps the smoke adhere evenly to the fish.

Place the Fire Oven pot over medium to high heat.

Add the hardwood chips, allow them to warm up, then ignite using a match or piezoelectric igniter to produce a clean, steady smoke. Avoid heavy, white smoke, which can impart bitterness to the fish.

I like to add some fresh juniper branches or lemon myrtle leaves (optional).

Place the fish skin-side down on the Ironclad trivet, then use the bale to lower the trivet into the pot above the wood chips.

Cover with the lid and smoke gently for 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, keeping the temperature steady at around 80°C.

If easier, place the Fire Oven in an oven at 90°C.

The fish is ready when it flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of approximately 55°C.

Allow the fish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve simply with grilled lemon, fresh herbs like dill and good olive oil.