How To Smoke Cedar Plank Trout
Smoking trout on a cedar plank solves the most common problem that all grill masters face when cooking fish recipes by keeping the fish from flaking apart and falling through the grates of your smoker. The cedar plank provides a base for the fish so you can easily move or pull the fish off the smoker when it is done and it complements the smoky flavor of your smoker wood chips.
Smoking fish is a great practice meat if you are an amateur looking to gain some experience in smoking. It allows you to test a variety of wood chips and smoking techniques without the long smoking time of larger cuts of meat. In fact, this smoked trout recipe only takes about an hour and a half to two hours to complete. You are basically leaving the fish on just long enough to get hot throughout and absorb the smoky flavor.
Smoking trout on a cedar plank solves the most common problem that all grill masters face when cooking fish recipes by keeping the fish from flaking apart and falling through the grates of your smoker. The cedar plank provides a base for the fish so you can easily move or pull the fish off the smoker when it is done and it complements the smoky flavor of your smoker wood chips.
Smoking fish is a great practice meat if you are an amateur looking to gain some experience in smoking. It allows you to test a variety of wood chips and smoking techniques without the long smoking time of larger cuts of meat. In fact, this smoked trout recipe only takes about an hour and a half to two hours to complete. You are basically leaving the fish on just long enough to get hot throughout and absorb the smoky flavor.
Cedar Plank Smoked Trout Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cedar planks
- 2 large Trout (skin on or filleted)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 sprig of seaweed (optional)
- 1 bag of charcoal
- 1 bottle of lighter fluid or a charcoal chimney starter
- 1 or 2 bags of smoker wood chips of your choice
Smoking Cedar Plank Trout Recipe Directions
The cooking time will take approximately 2 to 3 hours total to smoke the trout. There is not as much emphasis on making sure the trout is completely cooked throughout compared to red meats. There is one simple test you can always perform with fish to check for doneness. Simply insert a piece of metal, a fork or a meat thermometer work best, in the middle of the fish and leave it there for 5-10 seconds. Then simply pull it out and feel the end of it to determine if it is warm or not. If it is warm you know your fish is done and you can pull it off the smoker. You can also check to see if the trout has turned to a flaky texture with a white color. See our meat doneness chart for a full list of different meat internal temperatures.
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- Start this recipe by combining all of the cedar plank smoked trout recipe ingredients together in a large mixing bowl or plastic bag. Leave these ingredients together in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or as long as overnight. This will provide a brine that will keep your trout moist throughout the smoking process.
- Soak your wood chips and the cedar planks in water for approximately an hour prior to putting your trout on the smoker. Do not soak your wood chips or cedar planks for more than a couple hours.
- Light your charcoal smoker approximately 30 to 35 minutes before you want to put your cedar plank trout on. Your charcoal will be ready when it turns to a glowing white ashy color.
- Next you can begin preparing your trout for smoking by basting the outside of the skin with the vegetable or olive oil and stuffing the remaining ingredients on the inside of the trout fillets.
- Wrap your wood chips in an aluminum foil pouch or a smoker box. Make sure you punch holes in the pouch so the smoke can escape the pouch.
- Put your trout fillets on the cedar planks and lay them on the grates of your smoker. Place a slice or two of the lemon on top of the trout fillet or between the trout if you have the skin on and then place everything on the smoker. Make sure the vent at the top is about ¾ the way open to allow for enough air flow to keep the grill hot. If your grill lid is adjustable, make sure the vents are positioned over the top of the trout in order to draw all of the smoke over the trout before it escapes out the top of the grill. If your smoker does not have a vent, skip this step.
- Check the trout about every 45 minutes to make sure you have the ideal temperature and smoke. See below for more information about smoker cooking times and how to determine when your trout is done.
The cooking time will take approximately 2 to 3 hours total to smoke the trout. There is not as much emphasis on making sure the trout is completely cooked throughout compared to red meats. There is one simple test you can always perform with fish to check for doneness. Simply insert a piece of metal, a fork or a meat thermometer work best, in the middle of the fish and leave it there for 5-10 seconds. Then simply pull it out and feel the end of it to determine if it is warm or not. If it is warm you know your fish is done and you can pull it off the smoker. You can also check to see if the trout has turned to a flaky texture with a white color. See our meat doneness chart for a full list of different meat internal temperatures.
Back to smoked trout recipes >
See all smoked recipes >