Smoked Mahi Mahi

Smoked Mahi

I invited my parents over for dinner one evening recently, and when I asked what sounded good, they said fish. My local meat store had Mahi Mahi on sale…I’d never smoked Mahi before…so there you have it.

I never need an excuse to try something new on my grill!

Prepare the Fish for Smoking

Mahi Mahi is a meaty fish, so it doesn’t tend to fall apart making it a great fish for the smoker. Mahi Mahi is also great on the grill!

This fish also has a very mild flavor so I used mild flavor profiles so the fish wouldn’t be overwhelmed and lost in a sea of rubs, marinades and sauces.

The fish was not brined or marinated.  Instead it was simply seasoned with a gentle dusting with our All Purpose Rub.  Brush the fish with some olive oil before applying the rub to help it adhere better.

All Purpose Rub

  • 1/2 cup paprika
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated garlic
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp oregeno
  • 2 tsp cayenne

Let the rub work into the fish for 20-30 minutes before smoking.

Smoke the Mahi Mahi

Set your smoker to 250F and use a mild wood like apple or maple for smoke.

I smoked the Mahi on my Weber kettle using an indirect, low heat charcoal arrangement. This setup uses about one third of a chimney of lit charcoal banked on the left side of the grill with the top and bottom air vents halfway open.

You can easily smoke Mahi Mahi on a Traeger grill, or any other pellet grill, by dialing in the grill to 250F and using a mild wood pellet such as apple.  Do not use Smoke Mode or use a smoke tube filled with pellets for extra smoke.  This is a mild flavored fish and too much smoke will overwhelm the fish flavor.

Some people like to use Alder pellets for smoking fish but I am not a fan of the Alder flavor profile.

Smoke the fish for about 30 minutes at 250F until it flakes apart easily and reaches an internal temp hit of 145.

What Does the Fish Taste Like?

Mahi Mai has a mild fish flavor and is very meaty. This makes this a great “starter fish” for folks who don’t like strongly flavored fish like salmon.

Definitely give this a try next time you’re in the mood for a healthy BBQ dinner!

Smoked Mahi Mahi

2.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • Mahi Mahi filets
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup paprika All Purpose Rub
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar All Purpose Rub
  • 1/4 cup white sugar All Purpose Rub
  • 1/4 cup garlic powder All Purpose Rub
  • 2 tbsp onion powder All Purpose Rub
  • 2 tbsp salt All Purpose Rub
  • 1 tbsp black pepper All Purpose Rub
  • 1 tbsp chili powder All Purpose Rub
  • 1 tbsp oregano All Purpose Rub
  • 2 tsp cayenne pepper All Purpose Rub

Instructions
 

  • Set up your grill for indirect cooking/smoking and aim for a temperature of 250F. If you are using a Traeger grill then set the grill to 250F and use mild wood pellets such as apple.
  • Place a piece of tin foil on the side without heat. You'll put your fish filet's on the foil.
  • Combine the All Purpose Rub ingredients and mix well to combine.
  • Spread some olive oil across the filet, then sprinkle some all purpose rub.
  • Place the filet on the foil on your grill, away from the heat.
  • Add wood chips/chunks - I used apple and - and smoke for about 30 minutes, until the internal temp is around 145 and the fish flakes easily

Notes

This is a meaty fish that has a mild flavor.  Go easy on the seasoning and the smoke levels so you will be able to taste the fish and not just the rub and smoke.
Keyword Smoked Mahi Mahi

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