This recipe for smoked bluefish works equally well with mackerel, trout, or salmon. I will never be able to replicate that first smoked mackerel, but that won’t stop me from trying. Wrap fillets crosswise with bacon strips and tuck a small sprig of fresh thyme between the fish and the bacon. Bake until bluefish reaches 135☏ on an instant-read thermometer, about 7 minutes. Season the bluefish lightly with salt and pepper.

Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread aioli evenly all over fillets. Seafood is another great option when you’re looking for a quick smoked meal. Pat bluefish fillets dry with paper towels and arrange on baking sheet. Sometimes I’ll come home after a long day of work, grab a beer, get my Weber kettle grill going, put a handful of woodchips on the charcoal, and throw on some pork chops (or a steak) and 15 minutes later, I have delicious smoked meat for dinner. There are many great, quick, and simple ways of producing smoked foods. Simply brush the fresh Bluefish fillets with olive oil and cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) until browned and serve. Smoking doesn’t always have to be a long, laborious process. When people ask me about my love of smoked food, this memory looms large. The mackerel was still warm from the smoker, and the oak smoke balanced perfectly with the briny oil of the fish, with the delicate flesh flaking apart and melting in my mouth. I can remember that first bite so vividly. My brother and I decided that buying our dad some smoked mackerel would be the perfect Father’s Day present - one that we would benefit from. The village we were staying in had one of those classic, large, white plastered buildings with a big smokestack, right on the water’s edge. My first time eating smoked mackerel is one of those Proustian memories: It was Father’s Day, and we were in Cornwall, England, for a family trip.