Stovetop Smoking

Smoking whole fish is a time-consuming and elaborate process, and cold-smoking requires an appliance with separate chambers for the smoke source and the fish. But it’s a simple matter to flavor a few portions with smoke on the backyard grill, or even indoors. Line the interior of an ordinary saucepan and its lid with aluminum foil, scatter smokeable materials—small dry wood chips or sawdust, sugar, tea leaves, spices—on the bottom, place presalted fish pieces on a rack, turn the heat on high until smoke appears, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot tightly, and allow the fish to “bake” in this 400–500°F/ 200–250°C stovetop oven until barely cooked through.