Recipes

Smoked White Fish Salad

Transform your Hanukkah table with the luxurious elegance of Smoked White Fish Salad. This dish begins with delicately brined and smoked white fish, infused with layers of flavor from a carefully balanced mix of salt, sugar, and aromatic spices. Gently folded with creamy mayonnaise, zesty horseradish, and a bright burst of lemon and dill, the salad achieves a harmony of rich and fresh notes. Serve as an appetizer or pair with latkes for a refreshing approach to a seasonal tradition.

By Stephanie Banyas
Serves 1 quart
Image of Smoked White Fish Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients

Brine

  • 2.5 lbs white fish fillets, skin on
  • 7 cups cool water
  • ¾  cup kosher salt
  • ¾  cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
 

Smoked Fish Salad

  • Smoked white fish fillets, above, skin removed and fish gently broken into pieces
  • ½ cup prepared mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon prepare horseradish
  • 1/3 cup finely diced celery
  • ¼ cup finely diced shallots
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons  finely chopped fresh dill
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions

Brine the fish. Brining the fish before smoking will remove some of the moisture and bring nice flavors into the flesh. In a container with a tight fitting lid, whisk together ingredients for the brine until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place fish in brine mixture, with the skin side up, tightly covered. Brine the fish for 12 hours in the refrigerator.

It’s important to keep the fish at 40°F Fahrenheit or lower during the brining process. We prefer to brine fish for 12 hours. Without enough time, the brine won’t have its full effect and with too much time you risk a very salty fish.

After 12 hours, remove the fillets from the brine and rinse well under cold water.  Pat fillets dry with paper towels then transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.  Place the fish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight to dry out. We loved the results in 3 hours. 

Smoke the fish. Heat the Gravity Smoker to 220°F.  Place fillets on the racks of the smoker, spreading out over several racks if necessary and smoke until they reach a temperature of 135°F. Depending on the thickness of your fillets, this can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. Once the fish has reached an internal temperature of 135°F, remove it to a sheet pan or baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. 

Assemble the salad. Whisk together the mayonnaise, horseradish, celery, shallot, zest, juice and dill in a large bowl until combined.  Gently fold in the white fish until combined. (You want there to be different sized pieces of fish throughout the salad, folding gently avoids a salad that is too smooth.) Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days before serving to allow flavors to meld.