I have read some posts lately that use a wet brine for their salmon. I have never used a wet brine, as the dry one I use produces all the moisture needed to make the salmon ready for cold smoking, and/or kipper hot smoking. Heres my Alaskan recipe:
8-12 Red salmon fillets cut into 1" long strips
4 lbs. brown sugar (I use light)
1 cup Onion powder
1 cup garlic powder
1/2 cup black pepper (fine ground)
2 cups Pickling Salt (needed to produce correct brinning solution, and easily washed away)
mix well in a large bowl, making sure all lumps in sugar are gone.
place salmon in a food safe tote and cover with dry brine.
mix thoroughly with hands to ensure all pieces have a good coating on them.
set aside in a cool place covered for 2 hours; remix with hands to get dry off of bottom of tote.
recover, set aside for 2 hours and repeat above step.
set aside and allow to set another 2 hours--a total of 6 hours in brine. ( can go longer up to 12 hours without a problem)
remove from tote, rinse well in COLD water and towel dry
place on racks to air dry for 12-14 hours, (8-10 with a small fan blowing across them)
warm smoker to 105 and place fish inside. add smoke flavor of choice (most use alder, though its not my choice) smoke between 100-110 degrees for 16-18 hours OR till the desired consistency is achieved. The longer the dryer and harder the salmon, but dam good too.
Let cool for 1 hour--vacuum seal and freeze--(thats if you can leave enough after MUNCHING out to have any leftover to freeze)