Hunsicker's BRINE RECIPE

Another reader helped us out by supplying this quick and easy brine recipe for smoked salmon. This one is a favorite among the 962nd AWACS' fisherpeople on Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage and was provided by Rob and Stephanie Casagrande.

• In a large bowl or pot mix the following until the sugar & salt has dissolved as much as possible:

  2 C. 	Water
  3 C. 	Apple Juice
  1 C. 	Brown Sugar
  1/2 C. 	Honey
  2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  1/2 C. 	Salt
  1 Tsp. 	Accent
  3 	Bay Leaves
  

  (I usually use 4 cups of apple juice to one cup of water. But keep the ratio close to the recipe no matter how big a batch you are using.)

• Fillet your salmon and cut into chunks, 2-3 inches long by 2-3 inches wide. Once you try a batch you will figure out the right measurements for your strips.

• Put the salmon in the brine and let soak completely covered at least 6 hours but longer is better, usually overnight.

• When the brining is complete, take your salmon out of the brine and let air dry on some paper towels meat side up.

• Prepare your Smoker
  Before putting the salmon on the racks of the smoker, put tin foil under the each rack letting it sag a little to catch the drippings and keep the drippings from creating a huge mess of your smoker.

  Preheat your smoker without smoker chips.

• Once the smoker is hot, take the salmon and toss them in a bowl of brown sugar to coat them, then lay them on the racks with a little separation between pieces.

• I usually use smoking material/chips for the first 2-3 hours, usually about 2-3 pans of material or what ever your smoker uses to hold the chips.

  Continue to smoke for about a total of 12 hours. The smoking time depends on how cold it is outside; my father-in-law used to place the smoker back into the box it came in to keep the smoker warmer. You can tell when the salmon is done by breaking apart apiece. Personal taste dictates how dry you like it. Good luck!

Thanks to Rob & Stephanie who at this very minute of posting this recipe are on the Russian River hitting the late run of sockeye. Save a few for spawning!