Cured Trout Recipe

In my latest trip into the cookbook that is this wonderful internet, I found a curing technique for trout that is very easy to do. It is also a very different style of trout prepping than I think most folks are used to at home.

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So, what is curing? Well, it is essentially the act of drawing out any moisture from the flesh while also killing any possible bacteria that may exist in there. For this, you need some salt, sugar, citrus zest (Lemon, Lime, Orange, etc.) and various herbs for flavoring.

There are multiple different recipes out there, and this one is no different. This one below is relatively open ended, and ultimately you can use this as a backbone for really any kind of curing. The biggest piece is keeping equal parts sugar and salt, and making sure citrus is involved. That all being said, I hope this presents a new opportunities to try preparing your fish in a way you have not before.

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cure Time: 12 hours

Ingredients:

• 1-2 trout fillets, check for those pin bones!
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups salt, coarse if available. Standard kosher will work as well.
• 1-2 Lemons for zest*
• 1 Lime or Orange for zest*
• Fresh herbs for taste (Dill, Fennel, Coriander, Juniper, Thyme, etc.)

  

Directions:

• Mix together the sugar, salt, zest, and herbs into a bowl. Then spread half of it on the bottom of a baking sheet.
• Rinse and pat dry your trout. Place it on top of the salt mixture in the pan.
• Cover the trout with the other half of the salt mixture.
• Saran wrap the entire baking sheet and place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. The fish should be firm to the touch after it finishes curing. If it is not, place back in the refrigerator for a few more hours

*A special note on the citruses. If you are having trouble gauging what might be necessary from a zesting standpoint, cutting a lemon and another citrus fruit into very thin slices and placing them on top of the salt layers can offer a similar result for the fish. It is an easier application than trying to zest two entire fruits.

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This style of fish goes great with breakfast or as an appetizer. It will keep for a good week in the refrigerator as well. That being said, my fish rarely sits uneaten for that long! Give it a try! I hope you enjoy!

- WRS