Dry Brined & White Wine Marinated Smoked Halibut Recipe

Halibut is a cold water fish that is mostly found in the northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Halibut is either wild caught or sourced from farms in these waters.

Mature halibut are flat fish with both eyes on their right sides. This same side is greenish brown or gray in color, while the left side is creamy white. Most halibut dwell close the bottom of the ocean. They are omnivores that will eat almost anything in their habitats. Halibut can grow to as large as 600 pounds. These fish can live up to 40 years.

The dark skin is a bit tough. However, the flesh is flaky white with a mildly sweet flavor. Halibut is low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Halibut is also an excellent source of potassium, calcium, selenium, and vitamin A.

When shopping for halibut to prepare in your Masterbuilt Smoker, choose the highest quality and freshest fillets. There should be no unpleasant or fishy odor and the flesh should feel firm and not have any discoloration. If you are seeing the whole fish displayed, the eyes should appear clear and bright and the gills should be red.

Smoking Halibut

Halibut is a great fish for smoking because the flesh is firm. Due to the leanness of the meat, it is a good idea to dry brine or marinate the fillets for a short time. The cook time should not be very long to ensure the meat doesn’t dry out.

It is fine to smoke halibut fillets with or without the skin intact. I like leaving the skin on so that you can place the fish directly on the smoker rack. You can easily slice the meat off the skin after it has smoked. The flesh remains light in color and is quite attractive. It is also delicate and flaky.

I recommend smoking halibut over mild wood chips, such as alder, so as not to overpower the inherently sweet flavor of the fish.

Dry Brined & Smoked Halibut with Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Dry Brined & Smoked Halibut with Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

Halibut is a great fish for smoking because the flesh is firm. I have two absolutely delicious halibut recipes for you. Be sure to try them both!

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Ingredients

Fish

• 2 lbs fresh halibut fillets with the skin on
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or turbinado sugar
• 1 TBS fresh cilantro, minced (or dill)

Sauce

• 1/2 cup Greek style plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup good mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup finely diced or shredded cucumbers, seeds and peels removed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Line a sheet pan with plenty of plastic wrap to completely cover the fillets. In a medium bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, and cilantro. Give the fish a quick rinse in cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Rub all sides of the fish with the dry brine. Wrap the halibut up tightly in the plastic wrap. Place the pan in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Remove the fillets from the plastic wrap and give them a rinse under cold running water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Place a wire rack inside the sheet pan. Put the fish on the rack and return the pan to the refrigerator for 1-1/2 to 2 hours so the fish can dry.
3. Take the halibut out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for approximately 15 minutes while you prepare your smoker. Take a rack out of the smoker. Fill the water bowl as directed. You can add some lemon slices to the water. Add the mild wood chips to the tray. Heat the smoker to 225°F with the top vent open.
4. Place the fillets, skin side down, on the smoker rack. Put the rack in the smoker and cook the halibut for approximately 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Remember to replenish the wood chips and water approximately at 60 minutes.
5. Make the sauce while the fish is in the smoker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt and mayonnaise. Stir in the cucumbers, garlic, and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Remove the halibut to a clean cutting board. Slice it thinly, leaving the skin behind. Arrange the slices on a platter and serve with the sauce on the side. Smoked halibut is good cold or at room temperature. This is nice with small squares of party rye bread or Bavarian style thin rye bread and some dill pickle spears. You might enjoy a bubbly dry Prosecco with smoked halibut.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 490Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 7960mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 0gSugar: 26gProtein: 53g

White Wine Marinated & Smoked Halibut

Ingredients:

Fish

• 2 lbs of halibut fillets with the skin on
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh shallots, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For Serving

• EVOO
• 1 tsp chopped caper berries
• Lemon wedges

Total time: 3 hour 20 min – Prep time: 1 hour 20 min – Smoke time: 2 hour – Serves: 4 people

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wine, EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Give the fish a quick rinse in cold water and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Place the fillets in 1 or 2 sealable plastic bags. Pour the marinade over the fish, seal the bags well, and massage gently to make sure all of the fish is coated with the marinade. Place the sealed bags in a dish or pan and put them in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Take the halibut out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for approximately 15 minutes while you prepare your smoker. Fill the water bowl as directed. You can add some lemon slices to the water. Add the mild wood chips. Heat the smoker to 225°F with the top vent open.

3. Place the fillets, skin side down, on a rack inside the smoker. Cook the halibut for approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Remember to replenish the wood chips and water approximately at 60 minutes.

4. Remove the halibut to a clean cutting board. Slice it thinly, leaving the skin behind. Arrange the slices on a platter and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle the caper berries over the top. Serve while warm with lemon wedges. Enjoy the fish with herbed brown rice (recipe follows) and a dressed salad of field greens.

Herbed Brown Rice

You can make the rice during the last 50 minutes of smoking the halibut so that it is ready as soon as the fish fillets come out of the smoker.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup short grain brown rice
• 1 TBS butter
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 3 scallions sliced thinly, white and green parts
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Total time: 1 hour 20 min – Prep time: 40 min – Smoke time: 40 min – Serves: 4 people

Directions:

1. Place the rice in a large sieve or colander with small holes and rinse well under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain.

2. In a medium saucepot, melt the butter over medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir it to coat with the butter and to toast it for approximately 1 minute. Turn the heat to high and pour in the broth. Add the salt and give this a quick stir. Allow the broth to come to a boil. Then, turn the heat to a low simmer and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Leave the rice alone for approximately 40 minutes or until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is cooked through and just slightly chewy.

3. When the rice has finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat. Add only the white parts of the scallions to the pot. Return the lid and allow the rice to sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Remove the lid from the pot and add in the parsley and green parts of the scallions. Fluff the rice gently with a fork to incorporate the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Place the herbed rice in a serving bowl and enjoy with your halibut.