Smoked Trout & Bacon Spread

For the Brine:

2 pounds whole trout, scaled and deboned
12 cups water
3/4 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup brown sugar

For the Spread:

2 slices Jones Dairy Farm Dry Aged Hickory Smoked Bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon chopped chives
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly cracked black pepper

For the Brine:

Combine water, kosher salt and brown sugar. Stir until salt and sugar are completely dissolved; warm mixture over stove if necessary. Allow brine to cool completely.

Submerge trout in cooled brine. Refrigerate for 2 hours; remove trout from brine and rinse with cold water; discard brine. Pat fish dry with paper towels, lay fish on plate skin-side down, and loosely cover to allow some airflow. Refrigerate for 8 hours.

Soak generous handful of wood chips in water for at least 1 hour. Prepare smoker to 190°F and add wood chips according to type of smoker used. Smoke trout skin-side down for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until cooked through and fish flakes easily. Allow fish to cool.

 For the Spread:

Cook bacon until rendered and crispy. Crumble into small pieces and set aside.

Separate trout meat from skin; remove any leftover bones. Place meat in medium bowl, add mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, bacon and freshly cracked pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed; add more mayonnaise and sour cream if desired. Serve with crackers.