Broiled Smelts

A camp-fire recipe of the barest kind: small oily fish, high heat, minutes. The instructions assume you know what a smelt looks like and that the fire is already right.

• Fire and grill heatSmelts want a hot, clean grate over glowing coals with no flame. A cool grate is what makes small fish tear when you turn them.
• Buttering matters more than it soundsThe single instruction to lead with is the well-buttered grill. Smelt skin is thin and sticks instantly; butter or oil the bars, then oil the fish as well, and leave them alone until the flesh releases on its own.
• Size and the five minutesFive minutes suits small fish split flat; larger smelts will want a little longer, though smelts overcook quickly and dry out if pushed.
• BoningSplitting a smelt and lifting the backbone is easiest with the thumbnail from the belly side, working head to tail. The fine pin bones can stay — they soften and are eaten.
• Season"Season" here most likely means salt and pepper, applied shortly before the fish go on.
• MayonnaiseMayonnaise of this date was often made by hand with raw yolk. If you are cooking outdoors, use commercial mayonnaise, which is made with acidified or pasteurised egg and keeps far better in warm weather.