History
Commercial whitefish fishing on Lake Michigan dates to the mid-1800s when German and Scandinavian fishermen settled the Lake Michigan ports of Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Two Rivers. Smoking preserved the catch for shipment inland; Empire Fish Co. on East Layton Avenue and Susie Q Fish Market on East Mason Street still smoke whitefish daily. The smoked fish is now a Wisconsin specialty staple, paired with rye crackers, dilled cream cheese and a beer.
Book a food experience
Tours, tastings and classes that match this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Common allergens: Fish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1 whole Lake Michigan whitefish, about 1.5kg, gutted and scaled
- 150g kosher salt
- 100g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- Apple or maple wood chips for smoking
Method
- Mix salt, brown sugar and crushed peppercorns to make a dry cure.
- Coat the whitefish inside and out with the cure mixture. Place in a non-reactive container with bay leaves.
- Refrigerate 6 hours, turning the fish halfway through.
- Rinse the cured fish thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. Let air-dry on a rack in the refrigerator 1 hour to form a pellicle.
- Soak wood chips 30 minutes. Set up your smoker for cold smoking, 90 to 120F.
- Place the fish on a smoker rack. Smoke 4 to 6 hours with apple or maple chips until the fish flakes easily.
- Cool completely and refrigerate. The smoked fish keeps a week.
- Serve flaked over rye crackers with cream cheese and dill, or use in chowder.
Tip from the editors. Cold-smoking at 90 to 120F is essential; hot smoking dries the fish out. If you don't have a smoker, hot-smoke at 200F for 2 hours instead for a different but still good result.
Where to eat lake michigan smoked whitefish
Lake Michigan smoked whitefish in Milwaukee
Third Coast Provisions ★ 4.4
Third Coast Provisions on North Milwaukee Street downtown is a Great Lakes-leaning seafood room with raw bar and walleye, smelt and whitefish from Lake.
Book2 weeks ahead
Milwaukee Public Market ★ 4.7
Milwaukee Public Market on North Water Street in the Third Ward, opened in 2005, houses 20 vendors including Thief Wine, West Allis Cheese and St Paul Fish.
More places near Third Coast Provisions and Milwaukee Public Market
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Swingin' Door Exchange Irish, about 100 m away
- Amilinda Spanish, about 150 m away
- Kompali Taqueria Mexican, about 200 m away
- Carnevor Steakhouse Steakhouse, about 250 m away
- Thief Wine Shop and Bar Wine Bar, about 250 m away
- San Morello Brunch Brunch, about 250 m away
More cities are in research. Want lake michigan smoked whitefish covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.