It will be cold comfort for hot smokers
‘‘When you give somebody something they couldn't get somewhere else, it's special.’’
Old scores will be settled at this year’s fish smoking competition when ‘‘the master’’, David Lehndorf, does his best to beat his apprentice, John Black.
Lehndorf was a butcher for 32 years in Taranaki before retiring in Taupo. ‘‘I know smoking,’’ he said. ‘‘My smokers are going nearly every day, all week.
Lehndorf won the Taupo Fishing Club’s trout smoking competition in 2014. Black was quick to ask for advice.
‘‘Blackie came in and asked me about smoking right after the competition. For a year, he was the apprentice. ‘‘ Lehndorf said.
Then, in 2015, the apprentice beat the master. Black placed second and in fourth place. Lehndorf was left without a prize.
Lehndorf said he was unlikely to change his recipe much.
He will certainly keep to the same ‘‘cold smoking’’ process too.
‘‘Most people smoke fish in a day – they call that hot smoking. It’s rubbing the flavouring in it and putting it in a smoker,’’ Lehndorf said.
‘‘I take three days to do one fish. First I bone the fish, then I put my dry brine over it –a mixture of salt, brown sugar, herbs and spices.
‘‘ I leave it in that overnight, then I wash it all off. Then I’ll dry it. You won’t get a good smoke unless the meat is dry, so I hang it in the fridge or in the safe for a day. Then the next day I smoke it.
Black said when cold smoking, the fish was kept about a metre away from the flame, so the smoke is not hot.
Black said although he and Lehndorf loved to experiment with flavours, they tended not to eat much trout themselves.
‘‘We do it, vacuum-pack it, and give it away to friends.
‘‘It’s really nice to see peoples’ faces when you give them a piece because you can’t buy it. It’s illegal to sell. So when you give somebody something they couldn’t get somewhere else, it’s special.’’
* Annual Trout Smoking competition: , AC Baths Ave. Two categories: Best Smoked Trout and Best Fish Products, such as terrine and roulades. People’s Choice voting, all welcome to attend and taste entries. Starts 4pm. Contact Mathew Pate at Taupo Rod and Tackle with any injuries: 378-5337.