Instructions: Mix soy sauce, water, wine, red pepper sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, white pepper, dry mustard, salt, lemon pepper, lemon juice and lemon peel in a large plastic or glass bowl (do not use metal) and add the fillets, making sure they are submersed in the liquid.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salmon in the brine for 8 hours.

Remove fish from brine and rinse. Allow the fish to sit in the open air until a dull finish appears on the flesh (about 20 minutes). This seals in the moisture and the true flavor of the salmon. (If you smoke the fish when its still wet, it begins a process that pulls moisture from inside of fish, drying it out.)

Just before putting the salmon in the smoker, you can add a small bite to the taste by shaking a few drops of the red pepper sauce to the nonskin side of the fish.

Prepare the smoker using 4 ounces of dry wood chips, or according to the manufacturers directions (see note). Place fish flesh-side up on the racks and smoke for about 2 hours at 200 degrees. (If youve lost the manufacturers

Serving suggestions: For a great smoked salmon treat, steam a large whole head of iceberg lettuce for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel whole leaves from the head. Open a lettuce leaf on a work surface. Lay down white rice, then canned black beans (preferably Progresso), then boneless smoked salmon and your favorite salsa. Wrap lettuce like a burrito and enjoy.

For a great addition to smoked salmon or as an appetizer for guests, add 2 pounds of unpeeled shrimp, 25 to the pound, 2 hours before taking your salmon out of the brine. Smoke the shrimp along with the salmon.

Notes on smoking: I used the Luhr Jensen Little Chief smoker for several years and it works extremely well for the price, but only when the outside air temperature is above 70 degrees. For more money, a larger commercial smoker will give predictable, consistent results in any weather.

I recommend that you use apple wood (my favorite) to smoke the fish. Alder is my second favorite.

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