your favorite brine for smoking?

just wonderin what some your favorite brine recipes are. or where i can go to get new recipes. thanks

Buds,

I usually use a dry brining technique. Simply smear/rub 2 parts salt and 1 part sugar all over,amount depends on fish size, then rinse and smoke 12 hours later. Turns out Great!

For a wet brine, I use 1 1/2 cups salt and 1 cup sugar for each gallon of water. Soak for 12 hours, no longer.

Sky-Guy

i also use a dry brine cosisting of a layer of brown sugar,and then cover with rock salt leave it on for about 4 hours rinse lightly,let it dry and then smoke it up

im doin some big time brine testing, i got about 4 different brines goin now, 2 dry and 2 wet. my smokers gonna be workin overtime tonight!

Bud's,Try one pound of dark brown sugar to 1/8 cup of kosher salt,the stuff for margerettas.Blend together layer on fish fillets,put in fridge for twelve hours.Take fish out of brine,Stir left over juice and sugar,salt till disolved.Put fish back in brine for another twelve hours' with skin side up this time.Take out and rinse.Smoke with alder chip's.Good luck, STRIKE ZONE

ThisBuds4U;
There is a really good thread with about 10 recipes in it (including mine!) Search "smoking salmon tips" it is from 6/27/2000.
Smoke It!
Fishguts

------------------
I Wish I were standing in a River,
In the Rain,
Catching Steelhead.

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.

My favorite brine:
1/2 gallon water
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 cloves
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
5 dried red peppers
3 bay leaves
1/2 medium onion, cut in rings
12 pepper corns
You can also add:
Soy sauce (careful, can get too salty quick)
Honey
Fresh ginger
Lemon zest
Orange zest
Brandy or J.D.

Recipe can be doubled.

Bring to a boil then cool.
Cut fish in chunks not more than 1 1/2 inch thick.
Soak for 2 to 3 days.(refridgerated)
Remove from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
Put on preoiled racks.
Let air dry until cuticle(shiny glaze)forms.
Smoke with cherrywood. If "Little Chief" 3 pans then 12 hours just heat. Check and make sure its not drying out to much. If the product is too soft for your liking; finish in a 200 decree oven until desired firmness is reached.

The basic recipe is what I use 90% of the time.(It even works on Chums; not a black one though) And is outstanding with sturgeon. It has served me well for 25+ years.

R. Ridgeway, try that same receipe but substitute the soy with 1/2 soy + 1/2 Yoshidas gourmet sauce. Then add 1/2 tsp dry mustard. I think you'll like it! I have found brining the fish 24-48 hrs works great.

Thanks for your brine Bruce; I got over 30lbs of king fillet to smoke. I tried four different brines and yours is excellent.

Hey Bud WaaaaaSuuuup!?!??!??! Lots of good recipes here guys!!! Here's one more for Ya Bud if your not sick of smoked salmon yet. This ones my grandfathers recipe; (One of the old time Skagit river guides)
-2 cups brown sugar
-1/3 cup salt
-2 tbsp. garlic salt
-2 tbsp. onion salt
-2 tbsp. celery salt
-2 tbsp. dry mustard
-3 tbsp. coarse ground black pepper
Mix ingrediants together (Dry Brine) Use salmon thats been frozen and thawed out as this will break down the enzimes in the fish and help the brine take better. Cover fish with brine and refrig. for 12 hours. If you like your salmon salty leave brine on when smoking, just remove crust of brine. If not rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Then smoke until done. J---<")(\(\(\)>{

i see a lot of brines with brown sugar and soy in them, one of my favorites is yosheta as already pre mixed being as though thats the main ingredients in yosheta mix a little white wine garlic fresh or the stuff that comes in the little jars you can add just about any thing to your likeing soak for at least 1 day and as many as 3or 4 let stand in open air till for a couple hours then smoke i prefer alder, refridgerate till cool then dig in and enjoy

[This message has been edited by DOUG KELLY (edited 09-27-2000).]

I agree with R Ridgeway about the deluxe salmon brine from the Little Chief recipe book. The only thing I do different is to glaze the pieces with maple syrup just before you put it in the smoker.

Good Luck
Beezer

You guys are making me hungry..

O.K, I have one that we have been working with for a couple of years that started out as a white fish recipe and we have found that it works great on other fish. It goes like this. In a large tupperware container mix-

1> pint kikioman soy sauce
2> 3/4 cup brown suger
3> 3 oz real lemon juice
4> garlic powder ( some)
5> 1/4 cup salt
6> 1 can frozen apple juice- 3 cans water
the apple juice is the key here.

soak in brine at least over night. Then, allow to dry on the racks for at least a couple of hours before you put it in the
smoker. I use a little chief, and alder wood seems best. Very tasty.. I use two pans of chips right away and another about
half way thru. Enjoy!!