Mountain trout
Photo: Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Cherokee mountain larders relied on native brook trout from the Smoky Mountains streams; the rainbow was introduced for sport fishing in the 1880s. Sunburst Trout Farms in Canton (35 miles west of Asheville) opened in 1948 as a working hatchery and now supplies most of Western North Carolina's restaurant trout. William Dissen's The Market Place on Wall Street and John Fleer's Rhubarb on Pack Square run Sunburst trout as a permanent menu item; Crusco in the River Arts District works it into seasonal Italian plates. Country ham, brown butter, sorghum drizzle and pickled ramps are the canonical pairings.

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Common allergens: Fish, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 whole rainbow trout, cleaned, head off (about 350g each)
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 60g country ham, diced fine (or pancetta)
  • 1 tbsp pickled ramps or 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 2 tbsp sorghum syrup (or maple syrup)
  • Kosher salt, black pepper, fresh thyme

Method

  1. Pat the trout dry inside and out. Season the cavity and outside with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over medium-high. When shimmering, add the trout and cook 4 minutes without moving until the skin is crisp and releases cleanly.
  3. Flip carefully and cook 3 to 4 minutes more until just opaque at the bone.
  4. Lift the trout to plates. Drain the pan and return to medium heat.
  5. Add the butter and country ham; cook 2 minutes until ham crisps and butter browns to a hazelnut color.
  6. Off heat, stir in the ramps or spring onions, a squeeze of lemon, and the sorghum syrup. Spoon over the trout, scatter thyme leaves, finish with cracked pepper.

Tip from the editors. The skin needs to crisp; if you flip too early it sticks and tears. Wait until the trout releases cleanly from the pan, four minutes minimum.

Where to eat mountain trout

Mountain trout in Asheville

The Market Place ★ 4.8

$$$$ Tasting $85-110 per head, à la carteModern Appalachian, Farm-to-tableDowntownChef William Dissen

William Dissen's The Market Place on Wall Street moved here 1990 (founded 1979 by Mark Rosenstein). Dissen is a 2025 JBA Outstanding Chef semifinalist.

OrderThe Sunburst Trout Farm trout from Canton, plus the seasonal foraged mushroom plate.

Book3 weeks ahead

TipBook on the restaurant's reservation page. The walk-up bar pours small plates from the main menu.

Directions Book

Rhubarb ★ 4.5

$$ $18-28BrunchSunday Supper, weekend brunchDowntown

John Fleer's Rhubarb on Pack Square runs Sunday brunch alongside its modern Southern dinner service. Wood-fired flatbreads, buttermilk biscuits, country ham.

OrderWhatever the wood oven is running, plus a buttermilk biscuit and country ham plate.

TipBook Sunday brunch a week ahead. The bar takes walk-ins from 10:30 on Sunday.

Directions

Crusco ★ 4.5

$$$$ Tasting $65-90 per head, à la carteItalian, SeasonalRiver Arts DistrictChef Kat Kearney and team

Crusco in the River Arts District opened in summer 2025 from Kat Kearney and former Cucina 24 staff, serving pasta Wednesday to Sunday from 17:00.

OrderWhatever pasta the kitchen is running, plus a glass off the food-friendly wine list.

Book10 days ahead

TipBook on the restaurant's site. Dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 17:00. Bar walk-ins.

Directions Book

Posana ★ 4.5

$$$ New AmericanDowntown

Posana on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville opened in 2009 as a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, serving crab cakes, trout almondine and flourless chocolate torte.

OrderThe crab cakes, plus the flourless chocolate torte if you saved room.

TipBook on the restaurant page. A South Asheville Biltmore Park location at 264 Thetford Street is a separate kitchen.

Directions Book

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