Hot Smoked Snapper

Directions:

1. Combine all the wet cure ingredients in a pot and heat until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.  Heating is required as the water will be close to fully saturated and will take forever to dissolve at room temperature.
2. Allow to cool completely.
3. Butterfly your fish and place completely submerged in a nonreactive container for up to 1 hour depending on thickness of fillets
4. Remove from brine and soak in fresh cold water 15 to 20 minutes to remove some of the saltiness and sweeten them a little.
5. Pat dry and place them skin side down on your smoker racks.  If you do not intend to smoke them straight away, place them on racks uncovered skin side down in your refrigerator.
6. This has the added advantage of allowing the salt to further penetrate the flesh and dry the surface of the fish to form a pellicle for the smoke to stick to.
7. Smoke with Bisquettes of choice at 60°C for 1 hour of light smoke.  Or if a heavy smoke is required, smoke at 70°C for 2-3hrs.
8. It can be served straight away or allow to age in refrigerator for up to 24 hours to allow smoke flavour to develop.

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checkout The Smokehouse.