Need help on making whole smoked perch.

[plinker]

The guys were talking about smoking the smaller perch we got whole. I have borrowed my M.I.L,s Bradley Smoker. I have looked at some ideas on the web and question them all. I know some of you make fish candy and things like that. Please throw me some ideas cause I really want this to work. Thanks.

[WayneChristie]

I just gut and skin whitefish then smoke them whole, should work ok for perch too

[plinker]

I just gut and skin whitefish then smoke them whole, should work ok for perch too
Yup, but do you make a brine? I have a recipe from the IPOD Bradley site and they want you to use OMG amount of course salt. I'm pretty sure my heart doctor will slap me in the head if I do that.lol

[slingshotz]

I do a lot of perch smoking and yes you should brine them and dry them afterwards before smoking. Do a search on the threads, we have mentioned it many times in more detail.

[BeeGuy]

Yup, but do you make a brine? I have a recipe from the IPOD Bradley site and they want you to use OMG amount of course salt. I'm pretty sure my heart doctor will slap me in the head if I do that.lol

Thats a really good point you bring up.

are there any non-sodium alternatives?

[dube]

I'm pretty new to smoking but all the salt in the brine is to draw the moisture out of the fish.

Personally for perch I would gut and take heads off, leave skin on and have at it. The skin helps keep fish together and also keeps it from drying out too much.

Like was mentioned, some good recipes for brine or dry cure if you do a search here. Good luck.