Cookbook:Smoked Eulachons

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

| Seafood

Smoked Eulachons is a common method for preparing eulachons. When smoked, eulachons provide an excellent source of fat, protein, iron, and riboflavin. Eulachon and eulachon grease are also an excellent source of vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.

Procedure

• 1. Wash the eulachons well under running water.
• 2. Place the fish in a barrel of fresh water to which has been added enough coarse salt to float a potato.

(about 2 cups [500 ml] coarse salt in 3 gallons [12 Litres]

• 3. Soak for about ½ hour to 1 hour or until their eyes turn white.
• 4. Hang the eulachons for smoking by threading on cedar sticks.

Push the strip of red cedar in through the gills and out through the mouth. Usually 12-25 eulachon are put on each stick.

• 5. Hang the eulachon heavy sticks from the rafters in the smokehouse, making sure the fish are not touching each other.

There needs to be enough space between each rack and the fish so that the smoke is even.

• 6. Start the fire after the eulachon finish dripping. Use alder wood for smoking.
• 7. Smoke the eulachon for 2-6 days. Smoke longer for drier fish.
• Half smoked eulachons (i.e., left one to two days in the smokehouse) may be canned.