Posted By Greg on December 3, 2009

We met Skink. We actually, truly met the living breathing Skink, straight from the pages of a Carl Hiaasen novel. A true blooded, Native, nature loving, highly educated, grey bearded, wild man…a.k.a. a Florida Cracker.

Before we get a ton of emails, the term Florida Cracker was coined during the colonial era way back in the mid 1700’s. Simply put, it’s a Florida native who knew how to live off the mosquito infested, hot, sweaty, gator ridden, swamp that was once most of Florida. Back to Skink.

We received an invitation to attend the 11th annual Terra Ceia Annual Mullet Smoke-Off from an Orlando cyber friend whom we met through a Nashville food blogger buddy a.k.a. Cook Eat Fret. With only a 45-minute drive just south of the Sunshine Skyway, we found ourselves immersed in what seemed like a little island that time forgot. Beautiful old Cracker style homes dotted the pristine shoreline, an estuary tucked into banks of mangroves. With a few more twisting roads and a couple “I think we are lost”, we hit Cracker gold.

Roughly 80 people - whom strangely all looked like each other (with the exception of Cook Eat Fret and her road buddy, whom looked completely out of place)– were cheering and jeering the Mullet Toss. Men, women and children took their turns throwing dead Mullets into a toilet bowl as billows of smoke permeated the air. We wandered in and out of camp site after camp site, where serious competitors were managing their mullet smoking contraptions, the largest being named Big Bertha who was about the size of a small car.

As we turned the last corner, we heard a deep bellowing voice declaring the values of a good fresh ceviche. We knew we had found our friend, Robert King…a.k.a Skink.

Robert King with his prize smoker

Robert’s camp was everything it should have been; old Jeep Cherokee with the roof and doors ripped off topped with two kayaks, homemade barrel smoker with a pulley attachment, and one modest tent. Robert was gently folding avocado into his bay scallop and catfish ceviche.

“Ha! Ha! You made it!” Robert announced as he quickly sat up to shake Greg’s hand. The hours to follow were filled with stories and eating. Cook Eat Fret talked about her visit to Per Se, we talked about buying a restaurant and Robert talked about the disappearance of native Florida plant life and then we ate some of the freshest most delicious ceviche, no less than three types of smoked mullet, smoked mullet roe (don’t knock it till you try it), and smoked scallops just to name a few.

Smoked Mullet Roe, shown above, takes an acquired taste but when you love it. You love it. Just ask Cook Eat Fret, who drove from Nashville to get some.

Robert did not take the Grand Prize for his smoked mullet; but no matter, there is always next year.

Smoking mullet is a delicate task and a true Floridian rite of passage. The sweet meat becomes smoky and buttery. After you master this basic recipe, step it up and create dry rubs to make it your own and possibly award winning smoked mullet.

Smoked mullet, smoked scallops and smoked oysters

Smoked Mullet
Serves 4
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 mullet, head, spine, fins, and ribs removed (have your fish vendor do this for you if you aren’t too adventurous)

Combine the salt, garlic, coriander, and cayenne in a bowl. (You can also use your favorite spice blend.) Lay the mullet out flat with the flesh side facing up. Coat the meat of the fish well with the spice blend and let sit for five to ten minutes before cooking.

Prepare your smoker with your favorite wood – mild is best – Mr. King used a mix of Red Bay and citrus. When the temperature reaches 130-135 degrees, it’s time to add the mullet. Place them in the smoker, skin side down and smoke for 60 – 90 minutes total. Smoking time will vary on thickness of the fish, type of smoker, and about a dozen other variables. During the smoking, moisture will pool in places on the fish. Take a basting brush and slather that moisture evenly across the meat as a flavorful basting liquid. The fish is done when the edges just flake a bit when touched.

Categories: American Cuisine, Budget Recipes, Main Course, On The Cheap, Our Comfort Food, Seafood, cool shit
Tags: florida food, florida mullet, florida oysters, florida scallops, skink, smoked mullet