I use a basic brine made from the following: 1 kg brown sugar, 1 cup pickling salt, one 1.2 jug of Kikkomans terriyaki and 4 1.2 jugs of water. I also put in 6 minced garlic cloves and 1.5 T of cayenne. You could increase the heat by adding more cayenne to suit your taste. 12 hours in the brine, 3 or 4 hours drying the strips with a fan on and then into the smoker. I do sprinkle fresh ground black pepper, minced fresh rosemary, and ground dried juniper berries on to the strips when they get to the tacky stage on the drying racks. Caution: consumption of these strips leads to the drinking of beer!
Yes. I find if I leave the skin on the strips hold together better, both during the brining/smoking process and also packaging and serving too. When you eat them the skin easily peels off.
