Dedicated Fish Smoker???


 
S

Scott Hollister

TVWBB Member
Do you guys smoke fish and meat on the same smoker? I have an old crappy smoker for fish, but am considering using the 22 WSM for it now. Just don't want my pork to taste like fish!!! I mostly smoke salmon and really want to try Brett's method for lox. I fish Lake Michigan a lot so have plenty of access to salmon and lake trout.
 
I smoke everything on my pellet grill, and previously on my WSM with no issue whatsoever. If you are really concerned about it, you can always put a drip tray under the fish, and some high heat on the grates would take care of any residual. I don't bother, but I've been told (by my wife) that my sense of taste/smell is underdeveloped. ;)

R
 
Smoked fish in a Big Chief smoker, kettle, Smokin-it model 3, and WSM 14. No fish flavors encountered After 40 plus years.
 
Scott Hollister said:
Do you guys smoke fish and meat on the same smoker? I have an old crappy smoker for fish, but am considering using the 22 WSM for it now. Just don't want my pork to taste like fish!!! I mostly smoke salmon and really want to try Brett's method for lox. I fish Lake Michigan a lot so have plenty of access to salmon and lake trout.
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cold smoke, my salmon, does not release any fish oils inside your smoker. your salmon's temperature really won't move beyond ambient temps. in summer, i cold smoke at night only as the air is cooler than our daytimes.

only hot smoking will release fish oils which if you're doing a large hot smoke batch, i'd recco a separate smoker as fish oils will impart weird flavors onto non-fish proteins.

feel free to reach out to me with any questions. i will do my best to guide you and answer your inquiry.
 
Yea. If you use the water in the pan just clean it out immediately or ASAP.
If you let that sit for too long you could get some funky seasoning added to your smoker.
 
Scott Hollister said:
Do you guys smoke fish and meat on the same smoker? I have an old crappy smoker for fish, but am considering using the 22 WSM for it now. Just don't want my pork to taste like fish!!! I mostly smoke salmon and really want to try Brett's method for lox. I fish Lake Michigan a lot so have plenty of access to salmon and lake trout.
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Big Chief for fish. That's what they're made for and do a great job. Also use it as a dehydrator to keep the extra heat outdoors where it belongs. I have used it for ribs and, after a couple hours of smoke, finished them in the pellet grill.

For anyone who hasn't tried it, pellets work great in the Big and Little chief. Just use half as much by volume as you would wood.
 
I use all three of mine to smoke fish, no problem. I’m a big believer that this whole “you cant somke fish in the same smoker” is such a false narrative.
 
Well,,,, thanks for the responses and that is kinda range I was expecting really. I've heard it both ways. I can remember as a kid we got a batch of bacon from the butcher plant that we took our animals to and it was so rancid with fish flavor it was inedible. I think that is way I'm so leary.
 
I use a Little Chief for smoked salmon. I added extra side rails. It only gets "smoke" from wood shavings for a couple of hours and then it gets dried partly in the Little Chief, and later in the garage refrigerator in a brown paper bag, after which the refrigerator smells like smoke for a month.

The LC doesn't smell like fish, nor does the refrigerator. The smell is smoke with hints of soy and red wine barrel. my Salmon marinade / brine has both in it.
 
Scott Hollister said:
Well,,,, thanks for the responses and that is kinda range I was expecting really. I've heard it both ways. I can remember as a kid we got a batch of bacon from the butcher plant that we took our animals to and it was so rancid with fish flavor it was inedible. I think that is way I'm so leary.
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That's a valid point and I would be leery also, but your DIY and not on a broad scale like a smokehouse.
 
I have the original Weber P/N 7473 Expandable Smoking Rack, & although I have never smoked any fish, it came with these really lame hooks that I assume would have worked on fish. Check out the pics below:
 

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A lot of East Coast guys do smoker builds from old home oil tanks just to use as dedicated fish smokers, especially the northern half of the country. Many do it as a way to keep their other equipment clean, and some just because of the volume they are able to hold.
 
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