Tea‑smoked chalk‑stream brown trout
Houghton Club and Broadlands: 12–16" brown trout, May mornings
Hampshire chalk‑stream brown trout — Salmo trutta fario — come from gin‑clear shallows on the Itchen and Test. Beat keepers and anglers prize them for firm flesh and a clean, peaty flavour that stands up to smoking.
Gear & catch notes
Fish from glides in May–June using 7‑foot split‑cane rods, 4lb leaders and size 14–16 dries such as Tup's Indispensable. Fresh 750g fillets, pin‑boned and skin‑on, give the best result.
Step‑by‑step recipe
Cure: 100g brown sugar, 100g sea salt, 50g ground Lapsang Souchong, lemon zest, 1 tsp black pepper. Lay half on cling film, skin‑down fillet, top with rest. Wrap tight; refrigerate 15–30 minutes. Rinse, pat dry.
Smoking setup: double‑foil lined wok or roasting tin. Base: 200g loose tea (Lapsang or jasmine), 200g rice, 175g demerara. Rack above coals, or foil layer.
Smoke: heat medium until wisps. Place trout skin‑down, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil, season. Seal. Low heat 15–20 minutes until edges golden and centre just flaky. Rest 5 minutes off heat.
Finish & flavours
Flake, discard bones. Serve with Test‑side samphire blanched 10 seconds and tossed in garlic butter, watercress on rye, or a horseradish‑yogurt with pea shoots. Beat keepers favour pickled fennel to cut tea's tarry smoke.
Recommended: stove smoker pan