Anyone have some salmon smoking tips or brine recipes that are easy for a first timer? Thanks!

Reel Time

I have tried many recipies for smoking fish over the years. The one that I find the easiest,and maybe the best is one most people ignore.

1. Catch a fish or two
2. Fillet the fish and cut into strips about two inches wide
3. Place fillets skin down on some butcher paper.Keep the fish in the shade.
4. Cover generously with Rock Salt. Leave salt on the fish for 1 to 2 hours.The thickness of a 8 to 10 pound fish would require a little over an hour of soak time.
5. Rinse fish in cold water an air dry for 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with some fresh ground pepper,and a light to medium amount of brown sugar.The brown sugar will melt off some, this is normal.Wait another 30 minutes and place fish in the smoker.It usually takes 8 hours until fish is done.
7. Hichory wood chips are a good choice.

i downloaded a smoked salmon recipe off one of these fishing bb's ( can't remember which one. it worked really well
It is easy!!!!

-2 cups salt (possibly more)
-1 cup brown sugar
-1 gallon water
-1 potato
-coursely ground peppercorns. (the more the spicier!) I use 2 tblspns

this is enough for 4lbs+ of fish.
put salt into the water. toss the potato into the water also. When you have enough salt the potato will float!

mix the water, brown sugar and peppercorns into the water. (dont forget to take out the potato!)
-soak in this brine overnight. After the filets have been in the fridge overnight rinse them quickly and they are ready for the smoker.
I have found applewood works really well in addition to hickory. If memory serves me, it only took about 45 minutes to one hour. You can smoke for longer. I like a smoked fish with lots of moisture.

good luck

This recipe produces a hard smoked product that is moist and slightly sweet/smokey tasting. Some call it Kippered. This recipe has also been published and reviewed previously.

Cut the fish into narrow fillets, about 2" wide. Leave the skin on the underside

Brine:
1 part pickling salt. Morton's is a good quality, commonly available salt. Do not used iodized salt.
8 part apple cider (not juice). I prefer Woodring Cherry Apple Cider available at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. But any good quality cider will do.
8 parts water.
For a small batch: 1/2 cup salt. 4 cups cider and 4 cups water.

Brine for 6-18 hours. After brining, pat dry with plenty of paper towels and then place on a rack skin-side down to dry. I sometimes use a fan to speed the drying process and keep flies away.
When it dries the fish's natural oil will rise to the surface of the fish and give it a slightly glistening quality. Drying is an important step. Otherwise a yellowish pellicle will be exuded upon smoking. Next, and optionally, brush on honey. I like Mt. Rainier Fireweed Honey also available at the Pike Place Market. The coating should be as thin as possible yet fully cover all areas of exposed flesh.
Using a custom smoker or one of those stainless steel or aluminum versions (I think Totem and L'il Chief make them). Add apple chips to the chip container provided and pre-heat for at least an hour. Alder is a an alternative. I don't like hickory. Preheating is a very important step to control the temperature and avoid black soot spots that occur from well-seasoned smokers. Smoke for 2-6 hours. Less so for smaller pieces and when outside temperature is above 70 degrees. More so for thicker pieces and in the winter. For most conditions smoking is done in 3-3.5 hours. I do like it moist. If you prefer drier, then smoke longer. You can use this exact same recipe, using thin belly strips from salmon or steelhead and smoking for 12-24 hours to produce Salmon Jerky. Enjoy!

Cut fish into pieces 3/4 of an inch thick then for brine:
For 1/2 gallon of water use,
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
Then to personal taste.
You can add sliced onion,crushed garlic,crushed ginger,bay leaves,allspice,black pepper, red peppers(dried).
I use all of the above.
Brine fish for 24 hours then pat dry. DO NOT RINSE. Air dry on racks until cuticle forms. Then smoke. I use cherry wood. For a Little Chief about 3 pans of chips.

I picked this one up from Mountain Man off of the steelheader.net BB. It is damn good!!!
Fillet your slabs so they're boneless. Cut them into strips, head to tail, about an inch wide and the length of the fillet.

In a large bowl mix the following:
1/2 cup coarse salt
2 cups demerrera sugar (darkest brown sugar)
1 cup terriaki
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 cup apple juice
1 cup water
Mix 'er up good. Put your strips in there and make sure they're well covered. Soak about 6 or 7 hours, take them out and you'll see they're colored and firm. No need to rinse them.
Place them on sprayed racks (Pam or similar) and put the smoke to them for about 4 hours. Then put the heat to them moving the racks around so they get done evenly, and dry them till they're how you like 'em. Enjoy!
Tight lines, Jeff

This is probably the most basic brine that I know of for smoking salmon,
to a quart of water add,
1/2 cup "non" iodized salt,
1/2 cup sugar,
1/4 cup brown sugar,
crushed garlic clove.
I heat it so everything melts ,then cool it before adding the fish. Brine overnight and pat dry before placing on smoker.
I like basting with "pure" maple syrup or honey as it`s smoking, it adds a gorgeous glaze to it and helps it to retain it`s moisture.

Quick and easy

1 cup rock salt
3 cups brown sugar

mix together thoroughly then layer 1" wide strips of fillets in a bowl with mix (dry-don't add water)let set for 5-6 hours, rinse and pat dry. Air dry on rack for an hour then smoke. Works great for chums

Here is a recipe we have been using for 30 years with very few changes. We originally used it for large rainbow trout but now use it for salmon.

In a five gallon bucket;
1 Gallon Water
2 Cups Salt (I use regular table salt)
2 Cups Brown Sugar
(heres where it gets wild!)
4 tablespoons Garlic Powder
8 Tablespoons Onion Powder
2 ounce bottle of Mapeline
1 1/2 cups Karo Corn Syrup (We picked this up from some old man on the Columbia)
Mix it all up real good. Add filets. I have found that cutting to the skin (not through) about an inch apart really gets the brine in. The longer you leave em in the saltier they get. 6 hours is the minimum and 12 the max. Air dry one hour. Braise with honey if you like and then pepper heavily. Smoke til done, 6 to 12 hours depending on wind and weather. I've been using cherry for smoke as I have a friend who is lathing a lot of bowls.

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Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend the rest of his life drinking beer on a boat.

This is what I like its simple and taste great
2 gallons water
1lb salt
1lb brown sugar
20 ground pepper corns
soak for 24hrs place in smoker DO NOT dry.I like to add some ground pepper after it is on the grill.Smoke for10 to 14hrs.I use green alder off my property it has a great flavor.