Howdy ,Andi . Sorry to distract you from the moose right now,but about midweek ,I'll be doing 10 lbs of fresh Alaskan salmon fillets, about 1 in. thick......I've used dry and wet brines and both are pretty good....What do you suggest is working well for you in your smokette now ? Thanks.

I am smoking for canning, so I only do it briefly. The canning finishes the cooking, and I must say, I am cranking out the Worlds Finest! I started with a dry brine, which I prefer, but is too expensive for the amount of salmon I'm doing. Now I make 5 gallons of wet at a time. Are you going to can, or smoke for eating soon? You cannot believe how delicious salmon is warm out of the CS.

Let me know what your plan is. I have a recipe for a dry brine you will love!

Also, Tom, what species of salmon do you have? The fat content makes a diff for brining...

Hey,Andi.....Dealing with supermarkets down here,they only know what we tell them ..I know they are whole in wet packs and they think they are reds....They have the Alaska shipping labels,so at least they are not farm raised....Getting late for Reds?..Maybe pinks?...I grill a bunch,and like them hot out of the smoker ,also.....I won't be canning any....Thanks for the input.

If the meat is really Red, they are Reds...and it's not too late. What did you pay? If you have Pinks, the meat is light and the tails have black spots on them. I've got Reds brining right now...as soon as I rack them to dry, I'll come in here and give you a brine recipe and method for smoking. See ya in about an hour or less...

OK, Tom, here is a great dry brine:

1 lb. canning salt
1/2 lb. brown sugar
1 tbs. saltpeter (optional)
1 tbs. white pepper
1 tbs. crushed bay leaf
1 tbs. allspice
1 tbs. clove
1 tbs. mace

Make sure your fish is free of any blood. Rinse fillets and dredge them in the above mixture, making sure all are coated well. Cover and reef for 3-12 hours. Rinse and scub lightly to get rid of all traces of salt. Dry with paper towels and set on your smoker racks on cans to let air circulate. Dry with a fan on them (Never in the sun) or outside in a breeze until a pellicle is formed. This can take up to 6 hours or more or less, but it is THE most important step to smoking fish. When you touch the fish, your fingers remain dry and the fish is shiny. I brush with maple syrup about halfway thru the drying time. Then smoke with hickory until your fish is as dry as you want it. I go at 150 degrees w/3 oz. wood and start the smoke going before I put in my fish. Any questions?

PS: This brine will smell to high heaven like cloves. Do not be put off thinking your fish will be cloven. Ha! It's a really tasty brine.

Thanks much,Andi.....They are about $4.50/lb. or a little less for skinless fillets,if that is how I want them.....They ran out of Reds last week so I had a shark festival....They were great and we just finished all of it.

Like THAT answered my question. If they ran out of Reds and you had a shark festival, then you have no salmon? I don't get it!?

Huh? What? I gave you my top secret brine for naught?

I don't think it was for naught, Andi . . . I think it was for shark!

And for someone who claims to eat anything that has had a recipe made up about it, where does the prejudice against shark come from? It ain't salmon, but it ain't chicken, beef, pig or moose either!

If it lies still . . . prod it with a stick. If it still lies still . . . smoke it!

Hey,Andi....The shark was last week.....I pick up the salmon tomorrow.

Ha ha, Cogster! I love the prod thingy! Funny! I have no predjudice about any food, except maybe boiled okra. Yuck!

Ok, Tom, ya gonna do that brine or do you want my wet one? Wet one is easy, except my amounts are for a five gallon bucket. Actually for 10 lbs. of salmon, it's perfect.

Thanks,Andi....I'm going dry....I mixed it this afternoon.

"Going dry"? Well, I guess I have to crack a beer for ya...LOL!

Are you using my recipe?

Andi,I'll follow it to the letter and see where it leads me.Thanks.