Florida Smoked Fish Dip

There are certain foods that instantly transport you to a bare feet in the sand, cold cerveza sweating in the sun state of mind. Smoky, creamy, savory, and begging for spreading, Florida Smoked Fish Dip is a true taste of the Sunshine State.

I love Floridian and Caribbean flavors, such as Jamaican Jerk Clams. There are certain iconic Floridian dishes that are near and dear to my heart, such as conch chowder, fresh grouper sandwich, and a basket full of peel and eat Key West pink shrimp. But one dish ranks at the top of the list.

Authentic Florida fish dip is a rite of passage. No trip to Florida is complete without trying it at least once. You are officially a Floridian when you plan vacations around seeking out the best fish dip, sometimes partaking several times in one day, and rank trips accordingly. Smoked fish dip is a unifying food. Grandmas from Boca by way of Jersey, ambiguously aged sun worshippers with leathered skin, self-made millionaires, and families alike love this Sunshine State favorite. It’s a dish of humble origins that is beloved by many.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Whether you smoke your fish yourself or buy already smoked fish, this recipe couldn’t be easier. With a few simple ingredients, Florida Smoked Fish Dip comes together easily. The smoking process transforms the fish into something magical. Combined with the rest of the ingredients it becomes a dish that both seafood lovers and those who are a little more reserved about things that once swam in the sea will love.

• Simple Process – If you decide to smoke your own fish for this recipe, it is a simple three step process. If you purchase already smoked fish, there is absolutely no cooking involved. The hardest part is waiting to eat it!
• Meal Prep – This dish is best served the next day, allowing all of the flavors to marry and meld. Make this on a Sunday and snack on it all week. Make it to bring to your next football party. Just make it!
• Customizable – Not only can you use your favorite fish in this recipe, you can also adjust it to your desired texture.
• Festive – Smoked fish dip is a party on a plate. It’s an interactive food that begs your friends and family to spread, top, and have fun piling up their perfect cracker.

The History of Smoked Fish Dip

As a native Floridian, I will be the first to say one of the worst nightmares is not having A/C. Long before central air and refrigerators that give us crushed ice for our mojitos, Floridians were finding ways to preserve the longevity of their food. Just like key lime pie was born from the need to use nonrefrigerated items, sweetened condensed milk, so was the creation of Florida fish dip.

Fish smokehouses in southern Florida preserved the bounty of the Atlantic and Gulf. While the larger filets were kept for meals and the bones for making stock, the thin and often uneven scraps found their way into more creative dishes.

While no one knows who first invented smoked fish dip first, the first recipe was probably for smoked mullet dip. Handwritten roadside signs advertising fresh smoked mullet popularized these schooling aerialists. Anyone that has been fishing in Florida is familiar with these feisty jumpers. While many places deem them trash fish or bait fish, their nutty flavor and oily texture has long been a Florida delicacy.

Ingredients

Smoked fish is the star of this dish with just the right accents to bring texture and highlight its flavor. Skip the fancy crostini and get your stack of Captain’s Wafers.

• Smoked Fish – Smoked mullet is the most traditional smoked fish to use for this dip. Amberjack, cobia, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, and kingfish are other popular choices. You can use a combination of a couple different types or keep it to one variety.
• Cream Cheese – This is the canvas that makes this dip creamy and dreamy, begging to be slathered on a cracker.
• Mayonnaise – Some recipes make mayonnaise the main base; this recipe uses just enough to make the cream cheese more spreadable.
• Celery – Adds both crunch and freshness. Use the celery heart, including the leaves.
• Green Onions – Adds delicate onion flavor without overpowering the smoked fish.
• Worcestershire Sauce – Adds both salt and umami.
• Pickled Jalapenos – Pickled jalapenos are a classic ingredient to crown a cracker piled high with smoked fish dip. They add just a hint of heat and a little crunch to the dip itself. In addition, that acid balances the richness of the cream cheese and mayo mixture.
• Hot Sauce – Adds a little heat and also acidic pop.
• Lemon Juice and Zest – Brings a bright freshness that cuts through the richness and also accents the fish.
• Seafood Seasoning – Pick your favorite variety. I gravitate towards Florida seafood seasonings like Gentry’s Loosey Ann and The Spice Lab Spicy Seafood Seasoning but use what you like. Old Bay is always a classic choice.

How to Make Florida Smoked Fish Dip

Whether you smoke your own fish or are using already smoked fish, this dip comes together in just two simple steps…mix and then refrigerate.

• Mise en Place – Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. Finally dice all of your vegetables and set them aside.
• Flaky – Use either two forks or your hands to flake the smoked fish. Using your hands will allow you to feel if there are any pin bones.

• Mix – You can use either a food processor or mix your dip by hand. The food processor will give this dip a creamier, more airy texture while mixing by hand will give you more texture.
  • If using a food processor add the cream cheese, mayo, lemon zest and juice, hot sauce, seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the fish and pulse until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the vegetables.
  • If mixing by hand stir together the cream cheese, mayo, and west ingredients by hand. Fold in the remaining ingredients.
• Chill – Allow the Florida fish dip to chill at least two hours, ideally overnight. This will allow the flavors to meld. The texture of the dip will also firm up once chilled because of the cream cheese.
• Taste – Smoked fish can be salty. Hold off adjusting your seasoning until it has chilled. After it’s chilled see if you need to add any additional seafood seasoning or a pinch of salt.
• Serve – Serve with crackers, lemon wedges, hot sauce, and pickled jalapenos.

How to Smoke Mahi-Mahi

Unlike smoking large cuts of meat such as brisket and pork, smoking fish such as mahi-mahi requires less time and is an easy process. You just need to plan ahead to allow for the steps.

• Trim – Trim your mahi-mahi into fairly even sized pieces. If you have any thin ends trim them off and smoke them, they will just be pulled first.
• Cure – Create a blend of 50/50 kosher salt and brown sugar. For 1.5 pounds I used 1/4 cup each. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over all sides of the fish and place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate it for one hour. Liquid will begin to leach from the fish and the sugar/salt mixture will begin to dissolve.

• Rinse – Thoroughly rinse off your fish and pat it dry.
• Refrigerate – Place the dried fish on a baking rack fit into a baking sheet. This will allow air to flow all the way around it. Let it refrigerate overnight. This allows the fish to form a pellicle, or thin, shiny membrane on the outside of the fish. The smoke will adhere to the pellicle.

• Smoke – Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees. Place your fish skin side down on the smoker, or use a baking rack. Allow your fish to smoke until it reaches 145 degrees. Remove thinner pieces first as they reach 145. You will notice is turn darker in color, slightly shrink, and dry out. This step can be done the day before making your fish dip.

Types of Fish for Smoked Fish Dip

It doesn’t get any more Floridian than mullet. Smoked mullet is the OG star of this beloved Florida classic. You can purchase smoked mullet online from places such Frenchy’s Stone Crab and Seafood Market and Wild Ocean Direct. Key Largo Fisheries also has a variety of different smoked fish.

When picking a fish for Florida fish dip, you want a fish that is oiler as it doesn’t dry out as much during the smoking process. In addition, if you are smoking the fish yourself you want to pick fish that is skin on to prevent it from falling apart. Here are some popular Florida choices. You can also use a combination of a couple different fish to create your own flavor profile.

• Mullet
• Spanish Mackerel
• Cobia
• Amberjack
• Mahi-Mahi
• Wahoo
• Kingfish
• Grouper

How to Serve Florida Smoked Fish Dip

Get out your ice cream scoop and crackers. Just like authentic Florida smoked fish dip is an icon, so is the way it’s served. While it does get the white tablecloth treatment and you will find it accompanied by everything from crostini and pita chips to lavash, caper berries, and diced tomatoes, nothing makes a Floridian’s heart beat a little faster when it has these sidekicks.

• Captain’s Wafers Crackers – You know the fish dip is good when the plastic wrappers are piled high, anchored by a red plastic basket to prevent them from taking flight in the sea breeze. Saltines are occasionally tolerated if it’s the only option.
• Pickled Jalapenos – Always err on the side of too many. The spicy and briny bite of pickled jalapenos pairs well with the rich and smoky dip.
• Hot Sauce – Keep your Tabasco; Crystal is the beloved sassy sprinkle bringing kick to this dip. Bonus points if it’s a Florida hot sauce though.
• Lemon Wedges – Nothing says welcome to the Sunshine State like a bright burst of citrus.

However, any vehicle to usher smoked fish dip to your mouth is the right answer. Use your favorite dippers including but not limited to tortilla chips, butter crackers, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, even just a spoon. Also have fun with your toppings, but make sure they don’t overpower the dip. Diced or pickled onions are great options.

Always serve this dip chilled. If you want to give it a little curb appeal, a little sprinkle of paprika not only will add a pop of color but also echo the smoky flavor of the fish.

Storage

This is one of those things that just gets better the next day. While smoked fish does keep for awhile, this dip does have dairy in it. Always keep it refrigerated in an airtight container and serve it chilled.

Tips From the Beach

Smoked fish can be a salty product. Hold off adding any additional salt to your dip until it has been allowed to chill and the flavors melded. You can add a little more seafood seasoning, extra splash of Worcestershire sauce, or pinch of salt depending upon your preferred flavors.

When deciding on a fish to smoke for this smoked fish dip recipe, you want to pick one that is oilier, and skin on. The fish will be less likely to dry out and the skin will prevent it from falling apart on the smoker.

You can control the texture of this dip. If you like a smoother, creamier, more spreadable dip use the food processor. For a chunkier version mix, by hand. You can also add more mayo for a slightly softer base but cut back on the cream cheese by two ounces.

Looking for more smoked fish dip inspiration? Make sure to check out Everything Bagel Smoked Salmon Dip.

Print