# How to cook smelt



## RUDDER (Feb 5, 2005)

I have about 30 smelt I would like to smoke or fry. All recipes call for cleaning the fish? How do you clean a smelt? I thought you left them whole no cleaning necessary.
Please help.
Rudder


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

Hey rudder....... They are easy to clean.... just take a pair of scissors and cut off their head, then cut down the stomach and scoop out the inards, and i prefer to cut off the dorsal fin and the tail.. (some people leave them on).. then ya rinse them off and cook them up... I just fry them up like my other fish... just use a light breading and they are awesome  .... I hope this helps ya out......


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

I clean mine the same exact way 
(maybe I should ask Chippewa to do mine and save me some time)  

I like to shake mine in a bag with some flour, onion or garlic powder, salt and pepper... what ever you like really works
Then I'll mix one can of beer and one cup of pancake mix let it set for several minutes then mix again... dip in floured smelt let the excess drip off for a second or two and cook at 300-350 in a deep fryer with peanut oil... I'll use the beer batter to make onion rings too and since I have two small fryers I'll cook homemade fries too... 
GREAT MEAL... 
My kids like it too ... 
I call smelt fishfries


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## RUDDER (Feb 5, 2005)

Thanks guys,
Heres a recipe that sounds good:
soak 20 smelt(cleaned) in apple cider, kosher salt, pickling spice,and 
peppercorns. Stir brine and let sit in air tight container for 12hrs.

Place smelt on cookie sheet(oiled) and place in smoker for approx. 40 minutes.
Remove smelt and place in air tight container for 5hrs. in refridgerator.
Serve cold.

There is also a tartar sauce for this. 
www.the media drone.com/content/recipes/smelt_brined_smoked_.htm


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The smelt never sit around for more than ten minutes after cleaning.  We get home, clean the smelt, cook the smelt, overeat, drink some beer and suffer 
,,,,,,,, pleasantly stuffed.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

geeeezzzz Ron you guys ate all those smelt you had from the night we met?
...and drank beer to top things off







... WOW talk about belly burting


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

Ahhhhh.,,,,,, We ate every last one of them.
Even had a shinner that got mixed in somehow or other.
Short says that it was very tasty.
In fact,,, so tasty,,, he would not eat one again !!!!


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## Chippewa (Oct 25, 2004)

that smoked recipe sounds good! and Ron really enjoyed that shiner  I got a hundred in the freezer for this summer when there are none around .... man they will taste good around then...


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

> Short says that it was very tasty.
> In fact,,, so tasty,,, he would not eat one again !!!!


hahahahaa... After he tossed down that brandy prob had no taste buds left...

I wanted to go today but could not get the time together...


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Forgot about the brandy but WILL NEVER FORGET THE SHINER!!!!!


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## Crappieking2001 (May 31, 2004)

Those rascles are, D err Delicious, every time I fried up a plate, by the time the kids came to get some there where only one or two there. I'm mad I've never tried them before, beer batter is the whip!! but I'll try'em every way.
keep posting recipes!


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## WalleyeGuy (Apr 9, 2004)

Start with a clean deepfry pan or pot.
Add oil and start heating it up,, just to a low heat till your nearly ready to cook.
Clean and dress Smelt, rinse off compleatly.
Break some Chicken Eggs in a bowl and beat the crap out of them.
Turn up the heat on the oil and get her hot to cook.
Drop smelt in the egg batter then straight into a bag of Instant mashed potatoe Flakes.
Deep fry untill Golden Brown or brown as you like them.
Drain axcess oil from smelt and commence to chow down.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Add a few emerald shiners to the mix.  Say a 1 to 100 ratio. Cook them the same as the smelt but don't bother to clean them.  If the smelt taste starts to bore you, try a shiner.  I gaurantee you will immediately re-appreciate the taste of smelt.


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

> Add a few emerald shiners to the mix


..only because you've already consumed massive 
amounts or brandy 1st


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## Lil' Rob (Apr 11, 2004)

Dip Net: $15.00
Maggots for bait: $3.00
Gas to Edgewater: $7.00
Bottle of Brany: $20.00 (?)
Ron eating a shiner by accident.....priceless.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Never again!!!!!


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## atrkyhntr (May 31, 2004)

...still say it was the brandy... LOL


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