I have a good recipe from Waterfall Resort in SE Alaska that calls for coating the entire fillet with Kosher salt for 8 hours. I was sure I wasn't going to like this because I like moist smoked fish, not jerked. After the 8 hours, rinse it all off under the faucet. The meat will have turned leathery on the outside. Then brine it in any solution that appeals to you. My brine uses *alot* of maple syrup and *alot* of garlic. I usually cut the salt by 1/3 because sometimes the fish sits in the brine for more than a day if I get sidetracked and it can get too salty. When you cut the salt content, you cut the keeping time; but if you made good fish, it isn't an issue, is it?
Let the fish surface dry for a couple hours before firing up the smoker. It shouldn't be glistening wet when it goes in the smoker.


I like to use alder chips, but apple and cherry are good, too. I, also, in agreement with the above person, do not care for hickory. And do rotate the shelves or the ones nearest the heat get jerked. I use 3 pans of chips in a Little Chief.
A friend loaned me her vacuum packer ( $140 from costco ) and I packed up some smoked salmon in it and froze it for several months. We took some out at Christmas and you could not tell that it was ever frozen. Amazing. When I have to give it back to her I'll go buy one of my own.
Good smoking!
diana