Fact or Fiction: Do You Need a Dedicated Smoker for Fish?


 

KToliver

TVWBB Fan
I've read conflicting reports (as is the case with many topics!) regarding the need for a dedicated smoker for fish.

I plan to smoke some salmon today on my one and only WSM. I really don't buy the concept that the "smell" of the fish will basically impact your meat flavors when you smoke meats later on.

What say you? What is your EXPERIENCE versus your opinion?
 
If I smoked fish on a regular basis I would have a designated fish smoker.
Since I don’t do fish more than once or twice a year, I don’t get too concerned.
If the grill or smoker gets to smelling of fish I burn it out and scrub it down.
 
Damn it I can't help myself. I've seen this question come up a time or two and most people say it doesn't matter. You've got porcelain coated steel and grates involved. There's nothing to really soak up that smell but the seasoning. The worse case scenario is that you do create a smell, and you have to totally clean and reseason the WSM down the bare porcelain and bare grates. It's not like a fish cooler that's plastic and soaks that stuff up and can never be used for anything else again. Hopefully some more knowledgeable folks chime in.
 
Damn it I can't help myself. I've seen this question come up a time or two and most people say it doesn't matter. You've got porcelain coated steel and grates involved. There's nothing to really soak up that smell but the seasoning. The worse case scenario is that you do create a smell, and you have to totally clean and reseason the WSM down the bare porcelain and bare grates. It's not like a fish cooler that's plastic and soaks that stuff up and can never be used for anything else again. Hopefully some more knowledgeable folks chime in.

What Dustin said!
 
I agree with the other members. A few times a year, no problem, just remember to clean the water pan immediately if you use water.
Fresh fish doesn't smell.

Tim
 
My experience is I share beef and pork with fish on my smokers, kettles, and gas grills, though at a 20:1 ratio. If doing so affects flavors no one here can detect it. My opinion is the same. Please don't persuade me that I need dedicated skillets and--worse--two indoor ovens :p
 
Is this to help convince the spouse that you need another smoker?

Then, yes of course you need one for beef. One for pork. One for poultry. And one for seafood.

Just trying to help a brother out! :)
 
This board is populated by a bunch of enablers for sure!

And your point is?
I’ve said that for ages! I’ve bought more stuff based on this site than pretty much any other influence in my life! It’s all turned out to be a lot of fun but, yes, been enabled by you guys!
Fletch, you mean to say I DONT need all the pans filling my walls and heading down the basement stairs!? As (I think) Rich Dahl exclaimed “Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit!”
 
So,
Harry Soo is clear about this. (No fish) That said, if i cooked at his level i might feel the same. My personal threashold for a succesful competition is based on how far away from last place I can get.
...just sayin.
One more thought...
Do you ever wonder why french fries are so tasty from the chinese take out place? My theory is cuz they fry EVERYTHING in that same fry oil.
Just my two cents.
B.

And Timothy,
Fwiw, after people are done shaking their heads at my toys, nobody's ever complained about the food.
 
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So,
Harry Soo is clear about this. (No fish) That said, if i cooked at his level i might feel the same. My personal threashold for a succesful competition is based on how far away from last place I can get.
...just sayin.
One more thought...
Do you ever wonder why french fries are so tasty from the chinese take out place? My theory is cuz they fry EVERYTHING in that same fry oil.
Just my two cents.
B.

And Timothy,
Fwiw, after people are done shaking their heads at my toys, nobody's ever complained about the food.

Harry is clear about his opinion. Doesn’t mean he’s right.
I cook a TON of salmon, my smoker smells great, and no one ever complains about my other foods being “fishy”
 
Brett, you are right, the first bites do tend to shut up the folks who start out ridiculing.
My favorite was a neighbor who used to poke her head put the door when I’d be doing a turkey on the kettle and claim I was nuts, then I took a slice of breast and part of a thigh over. The next year they bought a kettle!
 
Harry is clear about his opinion. Doesn’t mean he’s right.
I cook a TON of salmon, my smoker smells great, and no one ever complains about my other foods being “fishy”

Thanks, Brian! I love Harry, but he is opinionated (like so many of us), and his opinions change from time to time. You clearly have some relevant XP here. I also have to say, after my first salmon smoke, I could not discern any difference in the smell of my WSM "patina".

What do you consider a "ton" of Salmon? Every few weeks? Weekly? Monthly?
 
Do you HAVE to have a separate smoker? NO. BUT I can smell salmon after smoking it in my WSM. I do not like to pour my heart into making top notch BBQ and SMELL fish.

You can clean or burnout your cooker and the fish will swim away. I quit smoking salmon.
 
Harry is clear about his opinion. Doesn’t mean he’s right.
I cook a TON of salmon, my smoker smells great, and no one ever complains about my other foods being “fishy”
Actually Harry is completely correct in his opinion. Your "no one" probably does not include myself, Chris Allingham, and a few others on this forum that get to judge Harry's competition turn-ins.
 

 

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