Brine Recipes for Fish

Basic Brine

Ingredients

1/2 cup non-iodized salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 qt. water

Fill a large container with 1/2 quart of warm water. Add salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the remaining 1/2 quart of water.

Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, ½" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours.

After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process.

Brine for oily or strong tasting fish

Ingredients

1 cup non-iodized salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
2 qts. water

Fill a large container with 1/2 quart of warm water. Add ingredients. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the remaining 1 1/2 quarts of water.

Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, ½" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours.

After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process.

Brine for Salmon

Ingredients

1/4 cup non-iodized salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups soy sauce
1 T onion powder 1 T garlic powder
1/2 T black pepper
1/2 T tabasco sauce
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water

Fill a large container with water. Add ingredients except white wine. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved. Add the white wine. Mix again.

Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, ½" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours.

After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process.

When smoking salmon, use alder, or mix different fruit woods such as cherry and apple.

Beer Drinker's Brine for Fish

Ingredients

1 cup non-iodized salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T onion powder 1 T garlic powder
1/2 T black pepper
1 T paprika
1 T chili powder
3 cups water

Fill a large container with water. Add ingredients. Mix thoroughly until well dissolved.

Immerse prepared fish chunks, filets or small whole fish completely in brine solution. Refrigerate fish in brine solution. Brine chunks of fish of fish 1" thick for about 5 up to 8 hours, ½" thick for about 4 hours, and for thinner filets or pieces 2-3 hours.

After brining, always rinse your fish with plenty of fresh water. Pat the fish dry, and allow them to air dry for about 1 hour. This will cause a "pellicle" (a tacky glaze on the fish) to form indicating that it is ready for the drying and smoking process.

Try using Hickory or Mesquite wood chips with this brine when smoking your fish.