Sarasota's Smoked Salmon

Step 1: Brine ... Add all the water except 1 cup to a large roasting pan with the sugar and mix well. Add the remaining cup of water to a small pot along with the salt and bring to a boil, stir to dissolve; then remove from the heat and cool completely. This can also be done in the microwave in a large measuring cup. Add to the brining liquid and mix well. Add the salmon and top with 4 cups of ice cubes. Let the salmon sit in the brine for 4 hours. Not necessary to refrigerate since it is covered with ice. After a hour or so, add another 2-3 cups of ice to keep the water cold.

Step 2: Rub ... Mix the sugar, lemon pepper, salt and all purpose seasoning together; brush the top of the salmon with olive oil and add the seasoning, rubbing it in well.

Step 3: Smoke ... Set up your smoker as you normally would. For the wood, I prefer hickory or a mesquite. I try to keep the temperature around 200-220 which seems to work best for salmon. The salmon takes approximately 3 hours until firm to the touch, but still pink and moist.

Step 4: Serve ... ENJOY! It is such a sweet smoky. The salmon is delicious served warm or cold, on a salad, in a sandwich, omelette or scrambled eggs, as an appetizer, a quesadilla, or in pasta.