I've used a brine variation from the Little/Big Chief booklet for the past 15 years. Everyone I give it to says it's "the best ever". It's not very salty. 2 cups soy sauce, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup brown sugar (plus a pinch), 1/4 cup pickling salt (a fine non-iodized salt-in all stores), 1/2 teaspoon each of pepper, onion powder, garlic powder & tabasco. Let mixture stand at least 4 hours at room temp. prior to putting salmon/steelhead in brine. I use paper toweling strips to separate fleshy sides from touching anything(the brine will not take-in properly where fish flesh touches sides of container/other salmon pieces, etc) I brine whole sides of 4-6 lb. salmon (brining takes about 20 hours for a whole side in refrig. - less for pieces) and it will just fit in my Big Chief smoker. Vacuum pack with my FoodSaver and they look professional...taste even better with only natural preservatives. The sides/pieces freeze great and retain at least 95% of their quality for at least 6 months. When I tell gift recipients I caught it, smoked it & packed it...their jaws drop. It costs a little more but I feel well worth the results. Good luck.