This is my( Bob R) recipe for cold smoked salmon as promised. I use a gallon and a 1/4 , maybe a gallon and a half of water for a big chief load, I can fit 3 good sized kings or silvers or chum(10 to 15 lbs.each) on 5 racks but this is a variable for amount of fish as I skin, bone, and chunk fish prior to brining, it's less fish or more depending on size of fish and method of butchery.I use this same recipe on trout but leave the skin on unless they are more then 3 lbs.If skin is left on or off I use a tight slanted "V" cut for pin bones. if skin is left on (but scale fish first, important!).I carefully remove large areas of grey fat under skin as well.

I chunk fish as follows, after filleting , boning and skinning I cut tail roughly at end of ribs, separate belly from bottom to about 1/3 of way up fish,cut thickest part of back into a 2 or 3 inches wide by remaining length of side of fish. , this is where a lot of grey fat is, it can be trimmed at this point.Now you have 4 pieces per side, tail, belly, middle strip, and top strip. My slanted cut for pin bones separates the top strip.Cut into size to fit rack.
1/2 cup sea salt or canning salt, 1/2 cup raw type honey (NOT clover type honey processed and heated) in a blender, it takes a three blender loads of water, I mix salt in first blender, honey and spices in second, and make up remaining water as blenders hold a 1/2 gallon at most and it's messy to fill them all the way up..I use minced garlic 1/2 cup, soy sauce 1/8 or so cup, a little toasted sesame oil (1 tablespoon, it's strong)1/4 or more cup coarse ground black pepper and that's it. I put it in a cool place (I use a medium cooler for brining) for 6 1/2 to 7 hours. I don't rinse brine off (a benefit of skinning fish), rack trying to fit strips up and down on racks vs. lengthwise so they won't fall through. I oil racks with veg. oil lightly to make flipping easier after 24 hours or so in the smoker.I sprinkle a little pepper on each piece after placing them on a rack prior to insertion in rack holder to personal taste. I dry prior to smoking in a cool place to form a pellicle on surface of fish(fish will slightly cling to finger after 5 to 7 hours of drying).

After 6 hours of smoking I rotate racks from top to bottom to evenly heat, I take each rack and tip it to drain water which will come off for 1st 24 hours or so. after 24 hours or when most obvious water has come off I take fresh oiled racks( buy a 2nd set of racks, it's worth it), placing rack of fish to be flipped on surface of rack holder, place 2nd rack on top and holding them together flip 180 degrees. Repeat with remaing racks, every 2 loads of chips do one 6 hour cycle without chips, at 40 hours you should only need 1 or maybe loads of chips to finish, too much will make it bitter. I use three kinds of chips from big chief, apple, alder, and cherry, misquite and hickory are pretty strong for fish. Flipping keeps oils distributed throuout the fish and top and bottom are done equally. I use a thin sharp knife to help separate fillets from rack when flipping, avoiding covering center rod part of rack with fish, Makes it easier to free fish,this helps with proper aireation (im-portant, do NOT crowd pieces together) and makes cleaning racks a lot easier, this section rusts fast from salt unless soaked right after use, cleaning racks promptly with hot soapy water and a stainless steel brush will give years of life.It should take 40 to 60 hours depeding on thickness of fish, weather, and internal temp. of smoker. I use voltage regulators (reostats that cover from 70 to 110 volts a.c.) and your temperture on rack holders shoud never be too hot to touch your lips to ( 105 to 110 degrees inside).

I only use really firm, fresh (when poss., we do freeze trout or salmon and save them up for large loads)fish, I've used frozen but there is a noticable diff. This is extremly labor intensive but no waste from skin and no bones plus long shelf life makes it worth it.It will last 6 months to a year vacuum sealed under refrigeration, freezing will affect texture as cell walls are broken down and water remaining in fish crystalizes.It will mail very well overnighted and recomend early week mailing to insure prompt delivery. Any questions ask away. Good Luck, enjoy,

Bob R