PW - Some anwsers and a receipe.

Never, never, never reuse your brine. Batceria from your fish will grow quickly and spoil it. Always pitch it after brining your fish.

I always cut out the belly strip and the thin portion where the ribs are. Smoke these seperately on a middle racks in your smoker. These are the coolest racks so the fish won't dry out too much. I use a Luhr Jensen "Big Chief" smoker.

I always fillet all my fish and leave the skin on. So whether I'm grilling or smoking, there are only a few bones. My wife appreciates this more than I.

Here's my receipe and directions. Use this and you can't go wrong. Let me know how it comes out.

Southwest Washington's Best Smoked Salmon

Brine

One quart water and one quart apple juice (or two quarts of water)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup white wine (chardonnay)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non iodized salt
1 Tbl Old Bay Seafood seasoning

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Place fish in a large bowl, cover with the brine. Brine for 10-12 hours in the refrigerator. After brining, remove fish from the brine and rinse gently but thoroughly in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Set the salmon on smoking racks or cookie sheet. Dry for several hours (or overnight) in refrigerator.

Smoking

Remove fish from refrigerator, place on racks in cold smoker. Turn on heating element and cook for 60 minutes without wood. After 60 minutes, add wood to the heating element. Applewood is my favorite but most hardwoods are okay (alder, maple, cherry, oak, walnut). Never use a softwood such as pine, fir, spruce, or cedar. Apply smoke for 6-7 hours. You should go through about three pans of wood. Total cooking time should be around 8-10 hours depending on the thickness of the fish. Baste with warm honey immediately after the first and second pans of wood has burned out. That way you avoid basting while smoke is billowing from the smoker. After smoking, cool the fish, wrap in plastic, and store in refrigerator or freezer.