Sorry, but I have to say that is the worst advice I have seen in quite some time on smoking fish.
You have different degrees of salinity because you have no control over the system and brine too long.
You expect people to poke around in the fish tasting different pieces until they find one they like?
Shaking my head...
I think you need to pay more attention. Re-read what I wrote. A dry brine allows you to control salinity by how much you apply.
When you use a wet brine, you have no control other than time. Time is the only control you have with the wet method. A dry brine allows you to control salt and time.
And, what "you" like and what "I" like isn't necessarily what the "OP" likes. There's some experimentation until the beginner finds what they want. After a batch or two, he'll figure out what "he" likes, not what you tell him to like. Just make a batch and see what is preferred. You must have assumed that I suggested that every batch be made willy-nilly.
Sitka, I've enjoyed many of your posts. But why you're getting spun-out over smoked fish is beyond me. Anyway, try a dry brine and it'll take care of your over-brining issues
As I have posted before I dry-brined salmon for a long time. And to do that I can tell you exactly how much salt I used per pound of salmon and the differences between species when doing it. If you do not know exactly how much salt you are using you are guessing and that does not produce good fish.
You started out saying it was "tough to screw up." I disagree because I have seen so much that was awful. Making a good batch of smoked salmon once by very specific directions will give a new smoker a stating point with reliable standards which can be adjusted if desired.
I went to wet brine because I have far more control and every bit of surface area gets the same amount of salt, every time. Adjusting the sugar is easy if you want sweeter fish. Adding other flavors is also easy with a little attention. I suspect my smoking salmon history is a bit deeper than you realize...
And more than one poster on this thread has had my smoked fish...
Why does it matter to me? Because there are a bunch of folks here that just have to give advice that is going to cause others grief. And I am not going to let it go without explaining what is wrong with their plan.
Sorry if I stepped on your toes, but if it saved someone from some wasted fish it was worth it. At least to me.
