Surf Perch

Recipe adapted from Jonathan Miller. For more recipes from Jonathan, visit Photographs are from Central Coast, CA.

“This is a simple recipe for how to smoke a fresh batch of Surf Perch on the Big Green Egg.

First, catch them! Use GULP! sandworms on a #4 hook with an 18″ monofilm leader and a barrel swivel. You will need about an ounce of weight above the swivel. Cast out into the surf and real in slowly. Walk the beach until you catch one, and then fish in that spot. Good eating size is between 1-3 pounds.” -Jonathan Miller



  • 3 Surf Perch, 1-3 pounds each
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • Hickory smoking chunks


Scale and gut the fish, leaving the heads on. Lay them on their side on tinfoil. Pour olive oil over each fish. Sprinkle heavily with ground sea salt and ground pepper.

Set the EGG for indirect cooking (with convEGGtor) at 350-400°F/177-204°C with the hickory chunks. You want a lot of smoke because the fish will only be cooking for a short amount of time, and they still have their skin on so the smoke will need to penetrate it.

Place the fish (still on the tin foil) on the cooking grid and cook until the fish are brown and smoky. (See image below for reference.)

The meat will fall off the bones and have a wonderfully smoky flavor. Bon Appetite!

Makes 3 fish


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