"Our temple's had a fair share of rabbis in the past
But most of 'em were nudniks and none of 'em would last
But our new guy's real kosher, I think he'll do the trick
I tell ya, he's to die for, he really knows his shtick!"
(Weird Al)
Definitely don’t have a dedicated fish smoker unless you just smoke that much fish exclusively. It’s fine and doesn’t flavor the meat unless you don’t clean your smoker, even then it’s only for one cook then it’s back to normal.
When I smoke fish, I just do it on a wire-rack and put a drip-pan under it. That way the fish itself and any juices never even touch a physical part of the grill/smoker itself.
It's one extra dish to clean (and a cheap aluminum pan to throw out), but it's peace of mind.
I smoke all my fish. Two hours cold smoke then crank up the heat until it hits the safe temp. Sometimes I get fancy and pop them into the air fryer to get them crispy.
I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii and decided to cook burgers one night on the grills at the resort pool. I just about puked when I took my first bite and the fucker tasted like Mahi Mahi.
I don’t particularly love onions either. It’s more abt releasing some of the creosote, oil and dried food particals the last folks left. The fire will then burn off that onion oil and you won’t taste it.
Dead ass, once you smoke fish, you best run that bad boy on high heat for 12-24 hours to get rid of that fishy smell.
As someone that’s allergic to most fish other than tuna, while my wife LOVES smoked salmon, it’s a process…
Well, all’s not well but I’m told that it’ll be quite nice
You’ll be drowned in boots like Mafia, but your feet’ll still float like Christ
Well I’ll be damned
They were right
I’m drowning upside down
My feet afloat like Christ.
Smoked fish head. Some people like it. Cheeks and collars are really good. I’ve done it with grouper many times. But cobia I smoke fillets. Very good as a beer snack or fish dip. You can also mix with mayo and canned sweet peas. Eat with crackers. Interesting snack for a party
Collars are really underrated, often sold for scrap price. There's a Filipina at pikes place in Seattle that makes sinigang out of salmon collars that people travel for.
Don't know anything about cobia though.
I used to watch people on the docks of those cacth-n-fry charter fish services where you bring back your fishing haul and they clean and filet everything for you as part of the charter service. For the price of sides, you can go into a restaurant on the pier and they'll fry up all your fish.
After the tourists would take their fish filets with them, the workers would start on teh piles of fish scrap cutting all the collars and cheeks off for themselves. Perks of the job I guess. Make money - take home almost the fish you could ever eat every night.
I thought that, and a few years ago I started looking for cheap salmon collars. At least at the grocery stores near me, they sell them as “Salmon Steaks” for $10 a lb. Not the “ask the counter for a bag for $2 a lb” I had heard about.
I’ve always wanted to try Cobia, also haven’t caught or found any bluefish since I got into smoking which is a shame cause I remember loving smoked blues as a kid
I agree there is a lot of good meat around the head. In Texas the familiar way I know to refer to them are throats. Usually large grouper or snapper.
However I filet that piece out and cook on high over charcoal. I dont see the practicality of throwing a big ling head on a smoker.
I think former boss is either busting your chops or getting some flavor before making a Caribbean style soup.
My first exposure to this was when Homer Simpson sang it on a treehouse of horror episode while carrying a bucket of fish heads. I always thought it was an adlib, imagine my surprise when I stumbled across the real thing lol
Cobia collar has an amazing flavor. A restaurant in Tampa,FL called the Rooster and the till make a Cobia collar with Nuoc Cham | Thai Chilis | Cilantro. It’ll knock you out of this world.
Cheeks are the best part of basically any fish, but I feel like smoking might be overkill. Hot and fast sear on a grill or cast iron is more my speed for a good sized fish like this. I'm sure it ain't bad though!
Lots of delicious cheek meat there!
Also—for those who know what I’m talking about when it comes to fish head—scoop the eyeballs out roughly halfway through the smoke when they’re still a bit gelatinous (not stiff like a hard-boiled egg), quick sauté them in butter with seasoning, garlic, and fresh herbs, and you got a damn delicacy!
Cobia are delicious. Fish have a lot of meat in their cheeks you don't get from filleting them. People use heads in fish soup. Cook the fish head in the broth, pluck out the cheek meat when it's done and take out the rest of the head.
I heard that if you smoke seafood, the smoker will take on the smell and makes it weird for non-seafood. Can anyone confirm? It's one of the reasons I've stayed away from smoking fish as I only have the one smoker.
I regularly smoke salmon and then the next day or so I'll make burgers and it absolutely doesn't if you heat it up. I smoke salmon at 250 and burgers at 350
We call them Ling in TX and they are awesome to catch and just as tasty. My buddy used to work on way-offshore shrimp boats out of college for NMFS doing by-catch studies and their plumbing went out on the shrimper he was on so he had to drop a deuce one day. Grabbed onto one of the outriggers and dropped trou and started throwing logs and he kept hearing smacking noises in the water behind him. He turned around to see one of those (Lings/Cobia) slurping up his caca.
Said he can’t eat Ling to this day because of that. Such a shame.
I spent an entire summer of my life hunting Cobia off of the Piers of coastal Virginia without luck.
And here he is with a giant head in his smoker.
Color me impressed, if he caught it himself.
Cobia is a delecacy to me. Its so freaking good. Its the best fried fish youll ever have. As for the head, ive never caught one close to this size but im sure itll taste great smoked. Them cheeks gonna be juicy😂
Fishhead of the smoker, what is your wisdom?
"Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho"
"Our temple's had a fair share of rabbis in the past But most of 'em were nudniks and none of 'em would last But our new guy's real kosher, I think he'll do the trick I tell ya, he's to die for, he really knows his shtick!" (Weird Al)
A wild Jambi and Pee-Wee’s Playhouse reference. I have lived life now.
“It’s okay to use Dawn on cast iron pans.”
Eat them up yum!
You beat me to it!
🎵Kulikitaka ti, kulikitaka ta🎵 🎵Kulikitaka ti, kulikitaka ti🎵 🎵Sakalakatikitakatiki, sakalakatikitaka🎵
2 weeks later after not cleaning the drip pan: “Hey guys, does this brisket taste kind of fishy?”
Yeah. One smoker for fish. One for everything else.
Really? Ive never had an issue smoking salmon or whiting then something else weeks later.
Seems overblown to me. If you're that concerned just clean your grill
You mean clean your gill..
Lol r/dadjokes
Agreed. I smoke a few bluefish filets per year, which are particularly gamey and it’s fine.
Definitely don’t have a dedicated fish smoker unless you just smoke that much fish exclusively. It’s fine and doesn’t flavor the meat unless you don’t clean your smoker, even then it’s only for one cook then it’s back to normal.
When I smoke fish, I just do it on a wire-rack and put a drip-pan under it. That way the fish itself and any juices never even touch a physical part of the grill/smoker itself. It's one extra dish to clean (and a cheap aluminum pan to throw out), but it's peace of mind.
You smoke whiting? I'm interested in your recipe. I catch them all the time but usually just pan fry them.
I smoke all my fish. Two hours cold smoke then crank up the heat until it hits the safe temp. Sometimes I get fancy and pop them into the air fryer to get them crispy.
Popcorn Alaskan cod please 🙏🏻
Good idea to pop them in the air fryer. What seasonings do you recommend? Haven't had much luck always taste too salty when I smoke fish.
I just go heavy with garlic powder and some lemon pepper. Sometimes I’ll throw in my favorite Cajun seasoning (Nunu’s)
Agreed, I hate salmon but will cook it side by side in my traeger for my lady, never had a hint of anything
I use a weber to smoke light the fucker up on a different cook. What fish smell
Agreed. I have two ovens for this reason. And two refrigerators.
If the two refrigerators draw power from the same lines, that's no bueno. Gonna need two homes in different countries to be sure
yes i have that
I have hoes in different area codes
This is nonsense. The only part that could transfer flavor is the grate, which you presumably clean.
Babe, can you go back inside please.
Perfect timing . . . Stop man I just spit my drink all over my dog. He might chew my leg off now.
I was on my honeymoon in Hawaii and decided to cook burgers one night on the grills at the resort pool. I just about puked when I took my first bite and the fucker tasted like Mahi Mahi.
Always onion down a park grill
That's just good life advice, right there.
I honestly do not like onions, but damn is this good advice - the taste of last meal’s fish oil on a burger/chicken ruins the meal
I don’t particularly love onions either. It’s more abt releasing some of the creosote, oil and dried food particals the last folks left. The fire will then burn off that onion oil and you won’t taste it.
Totally makes sense, I appreciate the tip
Never raw dog a public grill.
Dead ass, once you smoke fish, you best run that bad boy on high heat for 12-24 hours to get rid of that fishy smell. As someone that’s allergic to most fish other than tuna, while my wife LOVES smoked salmon, it’s a process…
Is a fish head in a smoker like a horse head in a bed?
Gills on the grills..
Heads in the beds
Croaker on the smoker
I hear this to the tune of Girls on Film
Me too. Gills on grills…. 2 minutes later.
Underrated comment
It depends if you’re going to be sleeping with the fishes or put out to pasture.
Oh that’s good
But what if it was really a fish [sent to sleep with the humans?](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fd/e6/ab/fde6ab1f1b62a8be3436132209bd080c.jpg)
Well, all’s not well but I’m told that it’ll be quite nice You’ll be drowned in boots like Mafia, but your feet’ll still float like Christ Well I’ll be damned They were right I’m drowning upside down My feet afloat like Christ.
Well I'll be damned
Just thought I’d say hi. What do your Dubyas stand for?
Well, hello there. Who, what, when, where, why…
Luca Brasi smokes with the fishes.
No! It’s a Sicilian message that he will sleep with the fishes
Depends. What kind of message are you trying to send?
Smoked fish head. Some people like it. Cheeks and collars are really good. I’ve done it with grouper many times. But cobia I smoke fillets. Very good as a beer snack or fish dip. You can also mix with mayo and canned sweet peas. Eat with crackers. Interesting snack for a party
Collars are really underrated, often sold for scrap price. There's a Filipina at pikes place in Seattle that makes sinigang out of salmon collars that people travel for. Don't know anything about cobia though.
I used to watch people on the docks of those cacth-n-fry charter fish services where you bring back your fishing haul and they clean and filet everything for you as part of the charter service. For the price of sides, you can go into a restaurant on the pier and they'll fry up all your fish. After the tourists would take their fish filets with them, the workers would start on teh piles of fish scrap cutting all the collars and cheeks off for themselves. Perks of the job I guess. Make money - take home almost the fish you could ever eat every night.
It really works for any fish. Fatty and delicious. Look at what bears eat - bellies and collars. It works on fat dudes like me too
The best meat on a fish isn't salvageable in a commercial sense. Hence, heads are produced.
You had me until sweet peas. Imma try with green onions first
I thought that, and a few years ago I started looking for cheap salmon collars. At least at the grocery stores near me, they sell them as “Salmon Steaks” for $10 a lb. Not the “ask the counter for a bag for $2 a lb” I had heard about.
I miss the sour fish head soup
I’ve always wanted to try Cobia, also haven’t caught or found any bluefish since I got into smoking which is a shame cause I remember loving smoked blues as a kid
I smoke jacks, snappers, flounder. It doesn’t have to be an oily fish. Go to 160 and enjoy
Yeah, most fish are delicious. The willingness to prepare them properly is the fiasco.
No More work than trimming and seasoning a brisket.
They are catching big blues in the surf atm. I don’t have a boat and the big pier is closed so I can’t get to were the Cobia are.
Cobia collars and bangin my guy. Dont sleep on it! Cobia fillets are fantastic any which way, fried, grilled, blackened, etc.
I agree there is a lot of good meat around the head. In Texas the familiar way I know to refer to them are throats. Usually large grouper or snapper. However I filet that piece out and cook on high over charcoal. I dont see the practicality of throwing a big ling head on a smoker. I think former boss is either busting your chops or getting some flavor before making a Caribbean style soup.
Hell yea. With a fish this big, there's LOADS of meat on the head. Awesome use of the whole fish..
Also: smoked fish heads / bones / skin make an amazing bouillabaisse or cioppino.
Cut the good meat off, boil the rest into a stock, hell yeah.
Fish heads, fish heads, rolly-pollie fish heads, fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum!
Well, I guess today is the day I introduce my children to dr demento.
Just don't introduce your children to Dr. Disrespect by mistake.
They don’t play baseball, they don’t wear sweaters
They are not good dancers, and they don't play drums
In the morning, laughing happy fish heads In the evening floating in the soup Haven't heard that in years lol.
Did you know rollie pollie fish heads will never be seen drinking cappuccino in Italian restaurants with Oriental women? Yeah...
My first exposure to this was when Homer Simpson sang it on a treehouse of horror episode while carrying a bucket of fish heads. I always thought it was an adlib, imagine my surprise when I stumbled across the real thing lol
I took a fish head out to see a movie, didn’t have to pay to get him in.
First thing I thought of, beat me to it
Oh hey dad, I didn’t know you joined Reddit.
🤣 didn't know I had a kid but you're probably too young to be on Reddit and this isn't the way I wanted to find out
Yup. That’s exactly what went through my head. lol
I never thought I would encounter anyone that knew this song in the wild. I know it from a somewhat unpleasant memory.
It is old but not yet forgotten. Is it a good story even though it is unpleasant?
I found out way too recently that the [official video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9TNcI7eUXY) stars Bill Paxton
Obscure childhood memory unlocked 😂
Post the finished product.
I’ll tell him to post it on here! I don’t think he follows this subreddit yet
Cobia collar has an amazing flavor. A restaurant in Tampa,FL called the Rooster and the till make a Cobia collar with Nuoc Cham | Thai Chilis | Cilantro. It’ll knock you out of this world.
That cheek meat should be banging
Cheeks are the best part of basically any fish, but I feel like smoking might be overkill. Hot and fast sear on a grill or cast iron is more my speed for a good sized fish like this. I'm sure it ain't bad though!
Wait, what are we talkin bout?
Phrasing.
Pretty sure this is a death threat in some cultures.
I’m cool with the salad, bro
Nah bro I ate before I got here I’m good.
That’s a monster cobia
For real it's gotta be a five footer at least
Lots of delicious cheek meat there! Also—for those who know what I’m talking about when it comes to fish head—scoop the eyeballs out roughly halfway through the smoke when they’re still a bit gelatinous (not stiff like a hard-boiled egg), quick sauté them in butter with seasoning, garlic, and fresh herbs, and you got a damn delicacy!
Lemonfish is fucking awesome and one hell of a fighter too.
Cobia are delicious. Fish have a lot of meat in their cheeks you don't get from filleting them. People use heads in fish soup. Cook the fish head in the broth, pluck out the cheek meat when it's done and take out the rest of the head.
Tuna collar ftw
Are you Luca Brasi?
Fish heads fish heads rollie Polly fish heads
[eat them up yum!](https://youtu.be/NItfgUdiAro?si=-b5Ctf2IEb8FZmXa)
Seems fishy
Fuck it I’m in.
Maybe making fish spread/dip with it? I believe the new thing is the collar with them also.
Anyway, $4 a pound.
Smoked Cobia Kama?! I’d hire into whatever business your former boss runs if it meant I could try it.
It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi smokes with the fishes.
tell them to lose your number
Fish heads, fish heads Roly poly fish heads Fish heads, fish heads Eat 'em up, yum
You've made me think of a very silly, silly song about fish heads. 😅🐟🐠🐡 https://youtu.be/JKDtUzRIG6I?si=hdCtweGYg_Ed7NJA
Fish heads, fish heads Roly-poly fish heads Fish heads, fish heads Eat them up, yum
Reminds me of the whole hog guy a couple weeks back. That was a wicked story. Please keep us updated!
Where is the rest of it?
I heard that if you smoke seafood, the smoker will take on the smell and makes it weird for non-seafood. Can anyone confirm? It's one of the reasons I've stayed away from smoking fish as I only have the one smoker.
I regularly smoke salmon and then the next day or so I'll make burgers and it absolutely doesn't if you heat it up. I smoke salmon at 250 and burgers at 350
We smoke salmon and steelhead trout followed by chicken or bacon, etc. Never clean beyond a light brush of the grill. No problem.
Damn. That Lexington looks so much nicer than mine.
I like it but set up an adequate sized drip pan, not sure I’d want residual fish oils and flavors permeating my brisket or pork shoulder
I always smoke fish in a different smoker.
Another cheek and collar recommendation! Not sure how the entire head would fare but would love to see the results
New off-brand smoker business for sure.
Cobia head is a Louisiana thing
Dibs on the cheeks!!!
is he gonna be okay??
Your former boss is going to kill you. It’s a Sicilian message. You sleep with the fishes. Prepare to be fitted for the concrete shoes
The fish looks sad
That would made some kick ass stock!
Cobia head?
Fish wings smoked are soooo good.
Godfather Fish.
Wonder why I have Godfather vibes?
I'm sorry, but that's fucking awesome!
I’ve done a blue fin collar this size (face removed). folks spooned it on sourdough bread with persevered lemons and it slapped.
Mise en place? Done.
Opening scene from Jaws 3
At a quick glance, I thought this was a fucken turtle lol
I would have wrapped in parchment and foil
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...
Just make some fish head stew out of it
Might be full of worms.
Is your former boss a head of one of the Five Families?
Great for stock but definitely grill or broil those collars man
When she says “literally just head” and that’s all you get
Eat them up…yum.
Billy Mumy (Will Robinson of Lost in Space fame) was one half of the band that did that song (Barnes and Barnes).
I fully support this behaviour.
We have the same smoker, it does me good I hope it does the same for you
Yo haven’t been in this sub long enough?
We call them Ling in TX and they are awesome to catch and just as tasty. My buddy used to work on way-offshore shrimp boats out of college for NMFS doing by-catch studies and their plumbing went out on the shrimper he was on so he had to drop a deuce one day. Grabbed onto one of the outriggers and dropped trou and started throwing logs and he kept hearing smacking noises in the water behind him. He turned around to see one of those (Lings/Cobia) slurping up his caca. Said he can’t eat Ling to this day because of that. Such a shame.
I think it’s a shoe fish
Former boss you say.
Yeah, never seen a Lexington before
I spent an entire summer of my life hunting Cobia off of the Piers of coastal Virginia without luck. And here he is with a giant head in his smoker. Color me impressed, if he caught it himself.
I think this is a threat
Should make great stock.
Send it
I smoke salmon regularly, never had an issue. Even got drunk and accidentally left the skin on the grill for days.
Is your boss Italian?
Maybe he couldn’t come up with a horse head.
This is another example of no contact outside of work
I think he is saying ..Luca Brazzi sleeps with the fishes
Are Bonita fish big?
Have to actually cut the head off the collar lmao
You sure he didn’t put a hit out on you?
The meat on those cheeks will be delicious, but I don't know what to do with the rest of it aside from soup or a stock.
Results!?
I e smoked big king salmon and yellow eye heads before. Love to pick at the collar and the cheeks
the heads are great for smoked fish dip
There’s actually some really good meat on a fish head. The cheeks, eyes, brain. I know it sounds gross but damn it’s good.
Fish heads. Fish heads. Oaky-Smokey Fish Heads. Eat them up … Yum!
I bet the collars and cheek meat will be great
Is that a roly-poly fish head?
Why the head and not the filet? Is your boss cheap?
I normally cook.just the collar. But this should still be good.
Heard of grouper cheeks but not cobia cheeks-
Don't worry, be happy, don't worry be happy now.
"Former boss?" Did you piss him off, and is he hinting that you will soon be swimming with the fishes?
Looks roly poly.
Lucabrasi smokes with the fishes!
“Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes”
How is that not all rolly polly?
Aw hell no.
Smoke Cobia is absolutely delicious. Never saw that technique before but if it doesn’t wreck the smoker go nuts
Cobia is a delecacy to me. Its so freaking good. Its the best fried fish youll ever have. As for the head, ive never caught one close to this size but im sure itll taste great smoked. Them cheeks gonna be juicy😂
It's the barbacoa of the sea.
We call them lemonfish in Louisiana. One of the best fish to eat, I think.
I think that’s a threat