Smoked Mahi

J Appledog · March 2000

I had some Mahi Mahi smoked over buttonwood on Captiva Island the other day. I brought home some buttonwood and am hoping for your help with a good brine recipe that includes Terriyaki, as well as suggested cooking time & temp. for the fish. Thanks in advance! Julie

Frozen Chosen · March 2000

J Appledog, I have several brine recipes for salmon, but they are for long-term preservation with cold smoke, and probably too salty for the mahi. You might try just marinating in Yamasa sauce (Costco usually has this) for a half hour or so. Our mahi up here is most always frozen and wierd. The button wood sounds interesting.

J Appledog · March 2000

Greetings from the 44th parallel, Frozen Chosen.
I was also thinking that my salmon brine recipe is too salty; thought that Teriyaki instead of salt + honey sounds more like what we were served. They did say it had been brined overnight.
Lucky for me- my FoodService distributor (for my company's products) is the largest seafood importer in Michigan; getting fresh anything just requires a phone call! Bone appétit! Julie

Frozen Chosen · March 2000

J Appledog, I'm finding the most challenging thing with fish is how to cook them. Lately I've done them much like beef steaks; egg up to 700+F then about 2 minutes one side, minute and one half for the flip side. I havn't been putting oil on the fillets, only S&P. They are now nicely char marked on the outside and about right inside (fillets about 3/4 inch). Have you been cooking over high heat or lower temps? I guess to smoke the fillets you would have to go at lower temperatures (?) Egg is under 4 in of new snow...

YB · March 2000

J Appledog,I have never tried this but it looks pretty good.
YB[p]Citrus-grilled Ahi[p] 1 cup orange juice
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds ahi, swordfish or mahi mahi,
cut into steaks
1 tablespoon paprika
1 lime or lemon (for garnishing)[p]
Servings: 4[p] Combine the citrus juices, sherry, thyme, cayenne and salt in a shallow baking dish. Add
the fish and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, turning the steaks after 2 hours. Preheat the grill
until the coals are gray to white. Remove the fish from the marinade. Lightly oil the grill and
place the fish over the heat. Lightly sprinkle paprika over the fish. Turn after 5 to 7
minutes. Continue grilling for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until the fish is opaque in the center.
Remove the fish to warm plates and serve immediately. Garnish with lime or lemon
wedges.[p] Cook's notes: [p] Ahi is the Hawaiian name for yellowfin tuna. The flesh is deep burgundy red with a
steak-like texture that is ideal for grilling.

J Appledog · March 2000

Thanks, YB, that recipe sounds like a winner for tuna or swordfish, even salmon! Being from Florida (and the sister of a commercial charter boat captain), I am no stranger to grilling Mahi Mahi / Dolphin / Dorado - I personally wouldn't recommend marinating the Mahi for longer than an hour in all that citrus unless you plan on eating it raw. The fish I tasted the other day was different than anything I (or the owner of several seafood restaurants who accompanied me) had ever tasted. My goal for the upcoming week is to recreate that culinary highlight of the vacation part of my travels.*
Bone appétit! Julie[p]*The "business" part of the trip included the International Fancy Food & Confection Show in Chicago - what a trip! JCA

YB · March 2000

J Appledog,
I'm like Tim M,I cook fish for my wife but i don't eat them,but i do love Florida,we vacation there a couple of times a year,we will be there in july for a week,fun in the sun and then again in november for a red and black and blue and orange football game.It souns like your trip to Chicago was alot of fun.
YB

King-O-Coals · March 2000

YB, don't eat fish? Excuse me,, I have to make a change in my will. I'm just leaving you the bills now! :^)

Smoked Mahi

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