Smoked Freshwater Drum

A while ago I caught a Freshwater Drum, also known as Sheepshead and Silver Bass around here. It’s not a popular eating fish. Recently I heard a new term: Manitoba Tilapia. Apparently, that’s what the Filipinos living in Winnipeg call it. We catch lots of Freshwater Drum in Lockport. They are fun to catch, but I usually release them again.

I decided to keep one for smoking. A couple of months ago I made a Freshwater Drum on the bbq. It tasted okay, but it was a bit too greasy. So I put this one into the freezer. Soon after that I read on a website that you should never freeze them, because the meat tends to get tough.

The day before yesterday I decided to finally smoke it. I took it out in the morning and let it thaw in the sink. In the evening I put it into a covered pan and left it in the fridge overnight. Yesterday morning I removed the fish, washed it and rubbed the inside and outside (I removed the scales before I put it into the freezer!) with garlic powder and coarse salt. I left it in a cool room for 2 1/2 hours. Then I washed it again and let it sit in the cool room for another 2 hours to allow the skin to dry. Then I took it to my smoker.

I used Apple wood in my Electric smoker. I adjusted the temperature to 200 F and the time for 2 hours. I hung the fish immediately into the smoker. It was quite warm yesterday and I discovered it is difficult to keep the temperature in the smoker low on warm days. Summer isn’t really the best time to smoke fish (or anything else) in an electric smoker. It tends to get too hot too soon and when the element isn’t on, there will be no smoke, or very little.

By putting the fish in right at the beginning without preheating the smoker, as the instructions tell you to do, the fish is subjected to smoke as soon as the wood begins to burn. I kept close watch on the smoker. I added new wood chips every 30 minutes. When the temperature reached 200 F I opened the door to cool down the inside. Unfortunately, this allows the smoke to escape, but it lowered the temperature and the elements started to glow again, therefore creating new smoke.

I left the Freshwater Drum in the smoker for 90 minutes, and then I took it out. After it cooled down a bit, my wife immediately peeled off the skin and removed the meat from the bones. Once the fish cools down too much it becomes difficult to do that. We put the meat into the fridge to be consumed today.

Well, whoever said the meat would be tough was wrong. The meat was flaky and quite tasty. A bit greasy, though. I should have left it in the smoker for another 15 minutes. That may have helped. But I was pleasantly surprised. There was no fishy or other unpleasant taste to the meat.

It seems Freshwater Drum will be on my menu from now on. I still love smoked Goldeye, but the Sheepshead should not be dismissed or overlooked.