Kendalls Smoked Fish: Generations of Deliciously Cured Seafood

Well, let me tell ya ’bout a place where ya can get some of the best smoked fish you ever tasted, it’s called Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse, and it’s been around a long time. I don’t know much about fancy places, but I do know good fish when I taste it. This Smokehouse, it’s been in the family for five generations now, since 1908! Can ya believe that? Five generations, just sellin’ smoked fish, and folks from all over come to get a taste.

If you’re ever up on the North shore of Lake Superior, you gotta stop by this little place. It’s not a big fancy shop or nothin’, just a small building, but I tell ya, the fish they smoke here is somethin’ else. Now, they’ve got all kinds of fish, but the smoked salmon—oh lord, that’s the real star. Some folks say it’s the best smoked fish in Minnesota, and I reckon they’re right. People come from all over to get their hands on it, and they ain’t disappointed.

Now, what makes their fish so special? Well, it’s all in the process. They don’t just toss it on the smoker and call it a day. Nah, they take their time, that’s for sure. First off, they soak the fish in a brine made of water, salt, and brown sugar. That’s gotta sit for a good 12 to 24 hours, you know, to make sure it’s all good and cured. Then they smoke it real slow, sometimes five or six hours! Can you imagine the patience it takes to get it just right? But that’s what makes it taste so good, you see. It ain’t rushed.

Smoked salmon, you might say, ain’t cheap, but that’s because of all the work that goes into it. The smoking process takes away some of the fish’s weight, so they gotta charge a little more for it. But trust me, it’s worth every penny. The taste, the texture—it’s like no other fish you’ll ever have. And it ain’t too salty neither, like some of them lox you might find at the store. This here is just perfect.

But now, I gotta tell you somethin’ else about this Smokehouse. It’s been run by the same family for years. Gordy Olson, he’s the co-owner now, and he’s married to Christy Kendall, who’s the granddaughter of ol’ William Kendall who started the place. They keep it goin’ strong, just like their grandpappy woulda wanted. You can tell they care about the fish and about their customers.

Some folks might wonder why the price for smoked salmon’s a bit higher. Well, it’s all about the smoking process, like I said before. The fish loses weight, but it gains all that flavor. It’s a slow process, and that means the fish is spendin’ a long time in that smoker, gettin’ just the right amount of smokiness without being too strong or overpowerin’. And then they got a few different types of fish to choose from, so you ain’t stuck with just one kind. There’s something for everyone.

• Slow-Smoked Salmon – That’s the one that takes the longest, but oh, it’s worth it!
• Nova Lox – It’s cured with salt and sugar, then cold-smoked, and it ain’t too salty like the belly lox.
• Other Smoked Fish – Not just salmon, they got other fish smoked up nice and tasty!

But what really makes Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse stand out is the care they put into everything. They catch their fish locally, and that makes a difference. It ain’t like the fish you buy at the grocery store, which coulda come from anywhere. This here’s the real deal, fresh and local. You can taste it in every bite. Folks come from near and far to get a taste of that fish, and they leave happy, that’s for sure.

And if you’re wonderin’ where to find ‘em, they open up early, round 9:30 in the morning, and close up at 5:30 in the evening. It’s a small shop, so don’t expect no big fancy place, but what they got inside is all the fish you could want, smoked to perfection. You can even grab a few other things like some fish spreads and snacks to go along with that fish. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a little somethin’ extra to munch on while you’re headin’ back home.

Bottom line: If you ever find yourself up by Lake Superior, you best stop by Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse. Don’t let that small building fool ya. There’s some of the best smoked fish you’ll ever taste in there. The fish is fresh, it’s smoked slow, and it’s made with love. Can’t get better than that, I’d say.

Tags：[Russ Kendall’s Smokehouse, smoked fish, Minnesota smoked fish, smoked salmon, Nova lox, Lake Superior fish, slow smoked fish, family-owned businesses]