Smoked Halibut

Smoked Halibut Recipe

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Tired of smoking cod and salmon? Want to try some new tastes? We have brought you an exciting and incredibly easy-to-make Smoked Halibut recipe. The flesh of halibut fish is firm, this leanness feature of meat will allow to dry brine or marinate the halibut fillets giving an extraordinary blast of flavours.

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Smoked Halibut

You can buy the frozen halibut fillets from any nearby supermarket, but if you have the sources and can get fresh halibut fish, there is nothing better than smoking halibut taken fresh from the water. Frozen halibut is available throughout the year but the availability of fresh halibut is from May to September.

We have broken down one of the finest recipes in which we will walk you through the best available method, ingredients, and techniques for smoking the halibut fish fillets. Gear up! get your grill ready with charcoal, wood chips, and thoroughly cleaned grill grates. I will be using a pellet grill, while trying this smoked halibut recipe, you will be the pitmaster and you can choose the smoker of your preference. It can be an electric smoker, charcoal smoker, or gas grill. You will love the smoked halibut recipe.

How To Make Smoked Halibut

Step 1: Preheat Smoker

Use the alder wood chips and light up the smoker. Maintain the internal temperature of the smoker at 225ºF.

Step 2: Prepare Marinade

Take a small bowl to mix all the ingredients. Pour in all the ingredients. Whisk them well, you can also use a hand blender if you are not comfortable using whiskers. Here I will be using a whisker, do not stop until you see smooth paste.

Step 3: Marinate Fillets

Take a shallow sheet pan. Place all the fillets in that sheet pan and pour in the mixture. Coat the fish meat thoroughly with the butter paste. When you are done with coating the meat, cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for around an hour.

Step 4: Smoke Your Halibut

After 1 hour of marination remove the pan from the refrigerator. Take off the plastic wrap and place the fish directly one by one on the grill. Make sure that the grill is preheated to 225ºF. Smoke halibut for 45 minutes. Do not forget to turn the sides of each fillet to perfectly cook them and to get the grill texture on the meat.

When do you know that the smoked fish is ready?

Take a meat temperature probe and insert it in the middle of the fillets. If the internal temperature is at 140ºF it means you can remove the fish from the pellet grill and it is ready to be served.

Step 5: Serve!

When the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove smoked halibut from the pellet grill and place it in a rimmed sheet pan. Squeeze lemon juice on the fillets and if you want a bold and strong flavour brush up the fish meat with more butter. If not, then you are ready to serve smoked halibut on your holiday table with some lemon wedges on the top.

Tips For Making The Best Smoked Halibut

  • Don’t Overcook. Try not to over cook it your smoked halibut. If you do so it will ruin the whole taste and will dry out the fish.
  • Butter It Up. If you want to enjoy the fillets full of flavour and juices try coating the fillets with butter mixture. It will not only enhance the taste but will also prevent the fish from getting dry and will give a silky texture.

More Great Smoked Seafood Options

If you’re looking to try other smoked seafood recipes, then you must give a try to our Smoked Lobster Tail, Smoked Shrimp, or Grilled Salmon recipes. They are healthy and easy to make.

This seafood dish is a perfect protein source and can be paired up with several outstanding side dishes. Some of the side dishes I would love to pair with this white fish are perfectly Smoked Deviled Eggs, Smoked Gouda, Smoked Sweet Potatoes, and Smoked Asparagus.

Best Beer To Pair With Smoked Halibut

This delicate, smoky delight from the deep blue sea deserves the perfect beer companion to elevate your dining experience. Let’s explore the top beer pairings that will make your halibut even more extraordinary.

Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen, with its light and slightly fruity character, is like a gentle ocean breeze for your Smoked Halibut. The beer’s subtle sweetness complements the delicate flavors of the fish, creating a flavor harmony that’s simply delectable. The effervescence of Hefeweizen refreshes your palate, making every bite of halibut feel like a breezy taste adventure. This pairing is as easy-breezy as a seaside escape and as tasty as a beachfront feast.

Sauvignon Blanc Barrel-Aged Beer

Sauvignon Blanc Barrel-Aged Beer is a wine-inspired choice that takes your Smoked Halibut to gourmet heights. The beer’s unique profile, with hints of oak and white grape, adds a layer of elegance to the dish. The wine-like qualities of Sauvignon Blanc Barrel-Aged Beer create a luxurious pairing, where the halibut’s delicate sweetness meets the beer’s rich character, resulting in a taste experience fit for fine dining.

Belgian Tripel

Belgian Tripel, with its fruity, spicy notes and effervescence, is like a flavor symphony with your Smoked Halibut. The beer’s complexity and lively flavors complement the halibut’s delicate sweetness and smokiness, creating a harmonious taste experience. This pairing is like a culinary celebration, where the fish takes center stage, and the Belgian Tripel adds a joyful twist to the party.

Smoked Halibut

Smoked Halibut Recipe

Flavorful Smoked Halibut you can try at home.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Maranation Time 1 hour
Total Time 55 minutes
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 fresh fish fillets
  • 6 tbsp cooled melted butter
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 cloves of finely minced fresh garlic
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 pinch Kosher salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Light up your smoker and maintain the temperature at 225ºF.
  • Prepare a mixture of ingredients.
  • Coat the halibut fillets properly and place them in the refrigerator for marination.
  • Place the fish on the smoker for 45 minutes.
  • Remove fillets from the grill and serve.
Keyword halibut

Smoked Halibut Recipe FAQs

Is Halibut Good To Smoke?

Halibut is the best fish to smoke. Due to the firm and leanness of the meat, it is easy to smoke and can be smoked in less time as compared to other fishes keeping all the juices and flavours alive.

How long does it take to smoke a halibut?

Smoking halibut will take almost 45 minutes. If the fish is not cooked properly and not good to eat, let it smoke for some more time and use a meat temperature probe to measure the internal temp of the fish. If the internal temp is 140ºF, consider it done. The optimal temperature to be maintained in a smoker to smoke halibut is 225ºF.

What does smoked halibut recipe taste like?

The taste of this fish is similar to the taste of clam or a crab because of its gentle and mild savour. If we compare its taste with fish, it tastes like Tilapia. The meat of this fish is a lot firm and thicker than the codfish.

What do you eat smoked fish with?

I would love to pair this white fish meal with some perfectly Smoked Deviled Eggs, Smoked Gouda, Smoked Sweet Potatoes, and Smoked Asparagus. I have also tried it with apricot sauce and it tasted awesome.

You can also try pairing it up with some creamy sauce, hot white pasta, and salads. Potato can be a good side too!

What temp do you smoke halibut?

The optimal temperature to be maintained in a smoker to smoke halibut is 225ºF. The internal temperature for a perfectly cooked halibut fish is 140ºF. If you leave the fish at a high temperature in the smoker it will destroy all the nice and silky texture as well as will affect the taste and juices of the fish.

What is better, cod or halibut?

Both of them are almost the same with very minor dissimilarities. Codfish is mild in taste and is usually dense and flaky besides Halibut fish have a strong flavour and has a firm and dense texture.

Both the dishes are rich in nutrients and are a rich source of proteins.

What is halibut like to eat?

Halibut has the quality to absorb the ingredients and garnish properly to give you a blast of flavours. The taste of this fish is similar to the taste of clam or a crab because of its gentle and mild savour. If we compare its taste with fish, it tastes like Tilapia.

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