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–+ servings
searing smoked swordfish steaks

Smoked Swordfish with Lemon and Garlic

Mads Martigan
Swordfish is a deliciously meaty fish that tastes GREAT when smoked.
It’s also incredibly easy to prepare and to smoke, whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, a propane or electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional kettle or propane grill like a Weber. 
First we brine and then marinate the swordfish steaks in garlic and lemon before smoking over indirect heat and finishing with a high heat reverse sear.
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Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Brine Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course, Seafood
Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Mediterranean, Seafood, Smoked
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Baking Dish with Lid
  • Mixing Bowl and whisk
  • Grill, Pellet Grill, or Smoker
  • Wood chunks or a pellet tube smoker with pellets or a smoker box with wood chips
  • Grill Tongs or Spatula
  • Instant Read Thermometer and/or Leave in Temperature Probe
  • Ziploc Bag
  • Filet Knife
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs Swordfish Steaks cut into (4) ½ lb portions

Smoked Swordfish Brine

  • 4 cups Cold Water
  • ½ cup Kosher Salt
  • ½ cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Coarse Black Pepper

Lemon Garlic Marinade

  • 6 tablespoon Olive Oil enough to coat all the swordfish steaks
  • 4 tablespoon Minced and crushed fresh garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Coarse Black Pepper
  • ½ Juice of a Lemon save the other half to squeeze on fresh at the end.

Instructions
 

Brine the Swordfish

  • Mix together the brine ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl
  • Place the swordfish steaks in a sealable plastic or glass container or baking dish with a lid and make sure they are submerged in the brine solution.
    a swordfish steak brining before getting smoked
  • Place in the refrigerator for about 2-4 hours.
  • Afterwards, take the swordfish steaks out of the brine and rinse them well under cold running water and then pat dry.

Prepare and Marinate the Swordfish

  • Mix the marinade ingredients with the swordfish steaks in a ziploc bag.
  • Let them marinate for an hour or two in the refrigerator while you get your smoker set up.

Prepare the Grill or Smoker

  • Light or turn on your smoker or pellet grill and set up the temperature to 225°F. If using a grill, set up the burners or charcoal on only one side for indirect cooking.
    setting the traeger pellet grill to 225 degrees F
  • Brush the grill grates with oil to keep the smoked swordfish steaks from sticking or use cedar planks that have soaked in water for at least 1 hour to hold the steaks.
  • Add your wood chunk(s) directly to the firebox or on top of the charcoal of a smoker, or use chips in a smoker box, or pellets in a tube smoker on a gas grill.
    smoking wood on lit charcoal

Smoking the Swordfish Steaks

  • Once smoke is being produced, put your swordfish steaks in the smoker, or on the grill AWAY from the direct heat, even if using cedar planks.
    placinf swordfish in a smoker to smoke
  • While the swordfish is smoking for about the next hour, plan how you will reverse sear them to finish. You can move them to the hot side of a grill or use a hot pan with oil, or place them under a preheated broiler on a foil lined pan.

Reverse Searing the Smoked Swordfish Steaks

  • Smoke the swordfish steaks continuously at 225°F, without flipping, until they reach an internal temperature of 120°F. This should take about 45-60 minutes.
  • Once the smoked swordfish steaks reach 120°F internally, either move them over to the HIGH direct heat side of the grill, a hot pan on the stove with oil or, place them on a foil lined baking sheet and position it under the preheated broiler.
    smoked swordfish steaks cooking in a smoker
  • Once the internal temperature of the swordfish steaks reaches 145°F, remove them from the heat and place on a platter optionally squeeze some additional fresh lemon juice over the swordfish, and serve immediately while hot.
    an instant read thermometer reading 145 degrees

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
Keyword barbecue, bbq, BBQ fish, Camp Chef, electric smoker, electric smoker swordfish, Garlic, garlic marinade, Lemon, Masterbuilt, pellet grill, Pit Boss, pit boss smoked swordfish, pit boss swordfish, Propane, propane smoker, seafood, smoked fish, smoked swordfish, smoked swordfish steaks, smoking on gas grill, swordfish, traeger, traeger smoked swordfish, traeger swordfish, Weber, Wood chips
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