Best Sturgeon Brine Recipes

SMOKED STURGEON

Steps:

• Trim the sturgeon of any fat or dark meat. Cut the pieces into regular blocks, like rectangles. Mix the salt, sugar and spices together, then coat the fish with it. Put into a covered, non-reactive container (plastic, ceramic, stainless steel) and set in the fridge to cure for as many hours as each block of sturgeon weighs, i.e., if you cut 1 pound blocks, they should be salted for only about 1 hour.
• Remove the sturgeon from the cure and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels, then brush brandy or whisky all over the sturgeon. Set on a rack in the fridge uncovered until the next day.
• Smoke over very low heat -- about 160°F -- until it's smoked the way you like it. I go for 4 hours.
• Allow to cool fully before vacuum sealing and storing. It will keep for a week in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer if it has been vacuum sealed.

STURGEON WITH CAPER, OLIVE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat saute pan over medium high heat (hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick) until just warm and add the olive oil. Let oil heat and place fillets in the pan. Let sides brown for 1 minute or 2, then add onion. Stir until onion starts to become translucent. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until garlic just begins to brown. Flip fillets over to brown. Add olives and stir in. Then, add capers. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, then, add white wine. Increase heat for a few minutes to reduce wine. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients and let sit for a few minutes. Flip fillets so that both sides are coated with sauce. Fish is done when there is resistance to pressure. (Check also with your seafood market person about recommended cooking times for the fish.) Freshly ground pepper can be added during the cooking, but salting the dish isn't necessary since there is a lot of salt in the olives and capers. Serve with rice, pasta, or couscous. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

SMOKED STURGEON GLAZED WITH HONEY RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except fish and honey in a large bowl. Add fish, and stir to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 12 hours. Place fish on cooking racks of a smoker. Add pieces of water-soaked applewood to the firepan, and smoke at 250 degrees for 5 to 6 hours. After about 3 hours, brush honey over each fillet. This recipe yields ?? servings.

FISH BRINE

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Submerge the fish in the brine, weighting it down with a plate if need be, and brine according to these guidelines: • Trout, shrimp, sardines, and other delicate seafood: 15 minutes • Bass, barramundi, sablefish, and other flaky fillets: 20 minutes • Halibut, mahimahi, bluefish, and other flaky, meaty fillets: 30 minutes • Salmon, mackerel, Arctic char, and other meaty, full-flavored fish: 35 minutes • Amberjack, cobia, swordfish, and other dense, steak-like fish: 40 minutes