Smoked Salmon

Put the water on to boil, adding the entire 1/2 lb of salt, stir until salt is dissolved. Add sugar and stir. Add the pickling spice and paprika. You may not be able to get the sugar to dissolve, but if you can, add more salt. Irrespective of the amount of water, you want to achieve a super-saturated saline solution with the salt and sugar. The mixture will be super-saturated when you have salt granules on the bottom of the pot at a boil. Boil the mixture covered for five or so minutes, and either set it aside to cool, or put it in a sink of cold water (change the sink water several times as it gets hot). I cut my fish in fillets and then in pieces about two to three inches wide. Brine the pieces for 3.5 to 5.0 minutes, depending upon thickness. Don't brine longer than 5 minutes, I consider that the absolute upper limit, no matter the thickness of the meat. This brine time imparts salt/sugar/pickling spice flavors to the outer tissues, that then diffuse through the meat as it dries. I've tried the products of people who leave the meat in brine for so long, all you taste is salt. Don't make that mistake, too little salt is MUCH better than too much. Take the pieces from the brine and place on a paper towel-covered board. Allow to dry at least until a pelicle (hard outer surface) has formed. I like to dry mine longer, but you at least want the excess moisture to evaporate off. Smoke the pieces, skin side up; alternating the ones on the lower racks with those on the upper racks between chip loads. If your smoker is warm, the paprika will cause the meat to darken without your having to smoke the heck out of it. Too many hobbyists impart a creosote flavor to their meat in the attempt to make it LOOK like it's smoked. Paprika is a great way to make it look really well-smoked without having to leave it in too long. If your smoker is cool, the cooking will turn it dark. I hate to have to freeze mine, but I do anyway out of necessity.