This post shows you how to make Tea Smoked Fish in a Wok – it’s a lot easier than you think, no fancy equipment required.
Have you tried smoking food at home? You can smoke just about anything, and you don’t need a fancy smoker to smoke food. I tried to justify buying a smoker to play around with, but just haven’t been able to yet, so for now, I’ve been using my wok to smoke food, or using a homemade smoke packet on my grill.
Of course, you can skip smoking food yourself and just buy already smoked ingredients, like smoked salmon, or smoked seasoning like Spanish smoked paprika, smoked salt or smoked seasoning blends (Trader Joe’s sells South African Smoke Seasoning Blend that comes with a built-in grinder). But, if you’re feeling a little bit adventuresome, I encourage you to try this method of smoking food at home. It’s easy – don’t be intimidated. Once you try it, you’ll want to try wok smoking chicken, avocados and who knows what else.
There are just a few things you’ll need to smoke food at home – a wok, a rack that fits in the wok (mine came with my wok), and aluminum foil. The smoking ingredients are really simple – some tea, brown sugar, rice and aromatics (wood chips, ginger and star anise in this case).
The process is simple:
- Double line the wok with aluminum foil
- Put the smoking ingredients in the bottom of the wok
- Put the rack over the smoking ingredients (lightly oil the rack to keep your food from sticking to it)
- Put the food you’re smoking on top of the rack
- Turn heat to high until you see smoke, then turn heat down to medium low and cover with foil-lined wok cover
- Smoke 15 minutes, then turn off heat and let stand 5 minutes.
- That’s it!
MORE SMOKY RECIPES (smoked foods or recipes using smoky spices):
Creamy Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese
Smoked Avocado Tomato Salsa Guacamole (delicious over fish)
Slow Cooker Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet
Smoked Red Curry Coconut Chicken Marinated in Greek Yogurt
One Pot Chicken and Chorizo Paella (Spanish smoked paprika and smoky chorizo are key ingredients)
Smashed Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon, Egg and South African Smoke Seasoning Blend
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail (Spanish smoked paprika is the secret ingredient)
Wok Tea Smoked Fish
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 19 ounces cod filets
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons rice wine or sherry
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 slice ginger the size of a quarter, minced
- 1 scallion cut into 1/2" pieces
Smoking Mix
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup uncooked rice
- ¼ cup oolong tea leaves
- ¼ cup cherry wood chips
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 star anise
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together sea salt, rice wine and soy sauce. Add cod filets and toss well to coat all the pieces. 15-20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add ginger and scallion and saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes; remove ginger and scallion from skillet. Place fish slices in pan and brown lightly on both sides Remove to a plate.
- Double line the inside of a wok with foil. Line the inside of the wok cover with foil. Mix smoking ingredients together and place in bottom of foil lined wok. Place an oiled cake rack over smoking ingredients and arrange fish on the rack. Turn heat to high, and once you see smoke coming up, cover the wok and turn the heat down to medium-low. Smoke 15 minutes. Turn heat off and wait 5 minutes. Remove fish from rack carefully.
I have to admit, I have always wanted to do some smoking at home! Definitely going to be trying this method!
Joanne – this is really an easy and inexpensive way to smoke at home. You should try it!
What a fun idea, and the fish looks delicious!
Thanks Kalyn – I remember my dad wok smoking all sorts of food, but I didn’t try it until fairly recently. It’s actually very easy and delicious.
Who knew smoking your own food at home would be this easy!! I love smoked fish and I am definitely giving this a try soon. I’m so excited!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Alanna – it’s so much easier than I expected. Hope you try it.
Great tutorial! I’ve never tried smoking…but the wok definitely makes it doable…and I love that smoky flavor!
This is genius! I can’t wait to try this technique on other ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
Genevieve – who knew home smoking could be so easy!
You make it look/sound so simple! I’ve never tried smoking anything, but am gonna have to attempt this once I manage to find all the ingredients (hooray for living in the middle of nowhere)–I always thought it’d be super difficult! 😡
Farrah – it is really simple – you can substitute for most of the ingredients.
I’ve actually never smoked food at home. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and informative post. The final dish looks amazing!
Sonali – I’m glad you found this helpful. I was intimidated at first but once I did it, I realized how easy it was.
This is 100% on my to-do list!
Rebecca – I can’t wait to see what you make!
This is SO useful Jeanette! Thanks for it- Pinning!
Thank you Arman!
WOA – You are a genius! I would never in a billion years attempted to or thought of smoking fish in a wok!!!
Shashi – my dad used to smoke all sorts of things in the wok, but I didn’t try it until fairly recently. I don’t know why I waited so long it’s so easy.
Oh. My. God! I need to start smoking some fish! It’s one of my favorite ways to eat fish! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
oh my gawd, I can smoke fish in my wok?!!! I love this!!!
Alice – you’ve got to try this – it’s fun!
Amazing way to smoke your fish in the house! This smoked fish recipe looks cooked to perfection! Yum!
Thanks Sommer! I’m kind of obsessed with wok smoking now 🙂
Hi, this Q is for anyone who’s tried it, Jeanette included. After making this dish, let’s say, the next day, or after you’ve been gone from the house and come back in, does the house smell like smoke, (smokey flavor), or fish? I know, silly Q to some, but we’ve always cooked our fish on the grill to prevent cooking odors. I would like to give this a go with the Cod, but will wait for responses. Thanks, and “thanks Jeanette” for all you do. The work you put into your web-site is amazing!
Suzi, I have a hood vent on when I’m smoking on the stove top. If you use a wok set where the lid fits the wok, there shouldn’t be any smoke escaping the wok. I didn’t get any fishy smell and although there is a little smokey smell, it’s not much. I’d love to hear if anyone has tried this and what their experience is.
Thanks Jeanette! I don’t think my hood vent is very effective. Sadly, it’s old and I doubt I’d get the same results. However, I may try this anyway as it sounds very good, and very much like my upraising In HI. We had such an ethnic group, that I miss those potluck flavors. Thank you again. 😉
Suzi, you could also smoke for less time if you’re worried about the smoke. My dad actually told me he smokes rotisserie chicken for 5 minutes to get some smokey flavor.