How to: Smoked Fish Dip - Kingfish
ow to: Smoked Fish Dip - Key West Kingfish After finally catching a Kingfish, or at least watching Fred catch a Kingfish, I finally was able to make a classic Key West treat, Smoked Kingfish Dip. Since, Kingfish is an oily fish, often it is overlooked as a straight to the pan type fish. That oilyness however makes it great for smoking. The other popular fish is Amberjack. I started by fileting the Kingfish and leaving the skin on while cutting into manageable pieces. Those were placed in a basic "dry" brine consisting of equal parts salt and sugar. The salt pulls moisture out of the filet while the sugar gives it a slightly sweeter/molasses flavor. After brineing for 4-6 hours (overnight is fine) a lot of liquids is pulled from the filets. The filets are rinsed and patted down. In order to get that smokey flavor, it is very important to allow the filets to air dry for an hour or two to create a Pellicle, a shiny sticky layer caused by the bringing of proteins to the surface of the skin. This layer is what the smoke will attach to and give that rich smokey flavor. After starting the smoker, hard wood chips are soaked and placed on the coals creating a nice low heat smoke. Based on the cooking temperature will dictate the length of time the filets need to cook. Once completed, the filets skin are removed as well as any blood line meat. The filets can then be flaked into preferred size. For the dip, it can be as simple as some mayo, lemon, salt and pepper. For a more fancy mixture, a base of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise can be used, adding additional spices, vegetables, and hot sauce. Mix well by hand or in a food processor. Some prefer a smooth dip and some a more rough texture. Serve with some crackers for an amazing snack. The smoked filets can also be eaten plain, or the shredded pieces can be used by mixing with eggs for an amazing scrambled egg breakfast. It also makes a great salad topping. Enjoy.
