Well it's been ages since I originally made this post. I still use exactly the same basic brine ratios, but I constantly tinker with new ways to improve things. The biggest change I've made recently is I'm no longer using the heating element in the smoker to burn the chips. I am using self burning smoker pellets in a home made smoke ring to add the smoke. This keeps the internal temperature in the smoker much lower, and results in a true cold smoke.
Here is the link to my cold smoker mod:
http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/index.php?threads/my-2-cold-smoker.64765/
I'm always trying different things, most of my experiments turn out well. I'm currently working on a batch of Chum. I gave this batch a pre soak in wine and rum for 40 mins before brining. I'm also trying out Beet root powder and Prague Powder #1 in this batch of Chum. I'm done brining except for the thicker pieces. I'm soaking the finished thinner brined pieces in a novel finishing glaze right now. The glaze is a can of Cherry pie filling, Maple Syrup, and Honey. Guess I'll have to see how that glaze turns out, and report back as I've never used the Cherry pie filling before.
Here is some updated notes on my recent smoking procedures.
It is a long read, but there is lots of good info.
HANDLING, PREPARATION, BRINING, SMOKING, & STORAGE TIPS (REVISED)
Bleed, ice, & clean your fish asap for the best quality product.
Rigor mortis causes the tissue to shorten and therefore get stiff, resulting in a bent fish if it was not laid flat before rigor sets in.
If fish is handled roughly during rigor the muscle tissue can be pulled apart and can lead to undesirable muscle tears.
Leaning on a bent fish to straighten it for cleaning will lead to unsightly muscle tears in the fillets.
This is true when the fish is in rigor, or when the meat is still semi frozen. Do not bend to straighten as it tears the tissue.
Freeze your fish for an entire month to kill any parasites, before cold smoking.
Use a curing agent such as Prague Powder #1 to prevent botulism if cold smoking.
When making jerky it is best to cut the thin slices required while the fish is still semi-frozen.
Cutting with the grain is best when making salmon jerky, which requires being sliced into very thin pieces.
For salmon jerky & Salmon candy strips, cut the salmon with the grain (tail to head) to ensure the pieces will not break apart easily.
If making nuggets & jerky I skin the salmon, for salmon candy strips I sometimes leave the skin attached.
Prior to covering the salmon with the dry cure you may wish to soak the salmon pieces in red wine with some dark rum added.
Soaking the salmon in an alcohol bath helps remove any excessive fishy or unwanted tastes from extended freezing.
Marinate the salmon in the alcohol bath for 30-40 minutes. Then remove pieces from the alcohol bath and leave the salmon to drain in a colander.
You may keep the alcohol used for marinating the salmon in the fridge until later in the brining process.
Place the used alcohol from the alcohol bath in a sealed jar in the fridge so the particles in it can settle to the bottom and clear.
Begin the dry curing process
SALT- SUGAR CURE
1 kilogram bag of dark brown demarara or best brown sugar (2.2 lbs)
7/8 cup coarse non iodized kosher or pickling salt
Cover the bottom of a tupperware container with 1/4 inch of salt/sugar cure mix.
You can drizzle molasses between the layers of salt/sugar cure, if you like that flavoring.
Put larger pieces on the bottom layer. Cover bottom layer with another 1/4 inch of cure mix.
Continue layering salmon and cure mix until all salmon is covered.
Place salmon in refrigerator (preferably covered) while brining process continues.
The dry cure mix will quickly begin to draw liquid out of the salmon.
This will form a thick liquid brine that will cure the fish to a very firm consistency.
Once the thick liquid brine has formed, spices and flavorings and any or all optional ingredients may be added to the brine.
You should stir the fish every four hours or so, to ensure even brining.
Leave the fish in the brine until the meat is well jelled.
Once the salmon has firmed up, you may add rum, red wine or any other alcohol flavoring to the liquid brine.
You may now add the liquid from the prior alcohol bath into the liquid brine if you wish to reuse it, or save it for another alcohol bath if you wish to rinse your Salmon after brining.
Pour only the clear alcohol from on top of the jar into the brine, if you want to reuse it. Discard any discolored portion that has settled to the bottom of the alcohol.
If you do not wish to reuse the old alcohol, add 4 ozs of fresh red wine and 4 ozs of dark rum to the liquid brine.
You may also add some honey or maple syrup in small quantities to the brine if you wish, or reserve these for coating the salmon with later.
When fully brined the meat should no longer be squishy, but you don't want it to get too hard either.
You are looking for about the texture of a cured boneless ham that is used for baking.
Very thin slices, such as jerky should be left in the brine approximately 12-24 hrs.
Thick chunks can be left in the brine for up to 2 days.
Each piece may be ready at different times depending on it's thickness.
Check each piece regularly to ensure that each piece is not becoming over brined and hard.
Remove individual pieces when they are firm, and no longer feel soft & squishy when pressed between your fingers.
Brine time is dependent on the species, fat content, thickness of fillets, and if the meat was fresh, frozen, or skinned.
Thickness of the salmon pieces will have the greatest bearing on the brine time required.
Average brine time is approximately 24-48 hours for 1 1/2- 2 1/2 inch thick pieces. Very small thin pieces may be done in 12-18 hours.
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
2 entire orange rind - slice orange into wedges, cut orange away from the rind, then remove the orange skin from yellow pulp as with skinning a salmon.
Molasses (to personal taste)
Crushed fresh garlic (8 cloves)
Aprox 5x2 inch piece of fresh ginger cut into thin slices
1 tsp to 1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp to 1 tbsp cayenne powder
1 tsp to 1 tbsp garlic powder (if you don't use fresh garlic)
Hot pepper sauce (to personal taste)
Prague powder #1 (1 tsp to 5 pounds of fish) - research it's use carefully (to prevent botulism, also known as Instacure #1).
1 tsp beet root powder - if you desire to add a darker red colour to a paler colored fish.
Dark rum & red wine 4 oz (either or both)
Honey and/or Maple syrup - can be added to brine, used for a post brine soak, or as a glaze before, during, or after smoking.