This delicious smoked trout cream cheese recipe is great on bagels, crackers, toast, or anything you’d normally put cream cheese on!

 

Ingredients:

 

Brine:

 

  • 1 Gallon – Water
  • 1/2 cup – Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 cup – Dark Brown Sugar
  • Your Preference – Granulated Garlic(Optional)

 

Cream Cheese Spread:

 

  • 8 oz Cream Cheese(Softened)
  • 4-5oz Smoked Trout
  • 2 Scallions/Green Onions
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • To Taste – Pepper
  • To Taste – Salt
  • Garnish – Chives(Optional)
  • Very Little(1/4tsp) – Liquid Smoke(Optional)

 

Recipe:

 

Brine:

 

  1. Thoroughly mix 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, and a few generous shakes of granulated garlic into 1 gallon of cold water.
    • You can use a portion of warm water to help dissolve ingredients easier before pouring into the rest of the cold water.
  2. Place cleaned and butterflied(!) trout into brine mix for at least 8 hours.
    • Ensure all trout is submerged.
  3. Remove from brine and rinse excess brine from trout.
  4. Gently pat dry with paper towels.
  5. Allow to sit on raised wire rack at room temperature to allow pelicle to form.

 

Smoking the Trout:

 

  1. Pre-heat smoker to 180 degrees.
  2. Place trout on racks with enough space between to allow sufficient airflow.
  3. Smoke at 180 Degrees for 3-4 hours.
    • Check at 3 hours to make sure you aren’t over-cooking trout.
  4. Once meat is flaky and opaque, remove from smoker and allow to cool.
  5. De-Bone pin-bones(Optional)
  6. Shred trout by hand into small crumble sized pieces.

 

Mixing the Dip:

 

  1. Mix together in large bowl:
    • 8oz cream cheese
    • 4-5oz smoked trout
    • 2 green onions
    • 2 tsp lemon juice
    • some salt
    • some pepper
    • <1/4tsp Liquid Smoke(Optional)
  2. Garnish with chives
  3. Serve on favorite delicious vessel.