Lake Whitefish can grow up to ten pounds
…with a common size being two to five pounds. The white flesh of lake whitefish is rather oily like other fish in the salmon family, of which it is part. It’s also a full-flavored fish with many options for preparation, from baking to smoking that result in excellent dishes. A few people still go after this finned table-fare using traditional methods of cutting a hole through the winter ice on northern lakes and attracting the fish with a decoy. Once the fish is below the hole the challenge is in throwing the spear at just the right moment to capture the fish, and not damage too much of the flaky white flesh.
In this video we follow the entire experience, including the process of smoking the fish and creating a few great recipes. Watch the video and then check out the recipes below.
All the recipes below use smoked Lake Whitefish that we prepared on a charcoal smoker using applewood and birch. Times will vary based on the outside temperature and size of the fish. Here’s one recipe for smoking whitefish that’s very similar to what we did. Once you have the fish smoked you’ll be ready to use the fish in these recipes that are showcased in the video:
Smoked Lake Whitefish Salad with Herb Aioli
Smoked Lake Whitefish with Lemon Dill Cream Cheese
Cook Book: Selecting & Preparing Great Lakes Whitefish
