Thanks for even more additional info. I can use all the help I can get.
Every time I think I have learned one thing, I find 10 related things that I didn't learn.
Kind of like, "the older you get the smarter your parents become".
Thanks for the boating lessons too.
OK, so my salmon were in weak brine 48 1/2 hours.
Rinsed well and fried up a small piece to taste. Not bad. Just a touch salty, but I haven't died yet. That's good news, right?
So I put the salmon pieces in a stainless pot in cold water and let cold water run at a small trickle over them for about 1 hour.
Removed, squeezed fairly dry with paper towels, and placed skin side down on racks and into bottom of fridge. They will be in there for about 18 hours until I start to smoke them. I plan on starting my smoke right away if they have pellicle formed, at temp around 100* for 1 hour, then slowly raise temp to 140* for an hour or so, and then raise to 180*-200* until 145-150* IT in thickest pieces. Then cool down smoker a bit and continue to dry, or smoke more, if needed.
Question 1: Do I have to hold 145-150* for a certain length of time, or just hit that mark for a couple of minutes?
(I should have asked this next question, before I even started this fish.)
Question 2: If I bring fish to an IT of 150* within 4 hours, is there any reason to use a cure in my brine?
Or should I "only use cure" if I want a longer time than 4 hours between 40-140*? Say extra drying time on counter, or longer cooler smoke. A safety margin I guess.
Thanks again for your patience and help.
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Son just called me today. He and his wife went salmon fishing for the very 1st time. Didn't have a clue, until an older guy talked to them on the bank and showed them how to rig their bait. Then they had a ball!
Beginners luck like I've never had. They have caught 20 salmon (mix of Kings & Choho's) plus 1 Steelhead this past week.
He wanted to know when I could smoke some for him. I told him he didn't need my smoker, he needed a full sized smoke house! LOL
He laughed and said no, only bringing me a few to do.
Just how many salmon fillets can one do on a CG Smoking Pro at a time? I'm guessing maybe 3?