SMOKED MACKEREL OR RAINBOW TROUT

Steps:

• In a thick-bottomed pot, combine the water, salt, soy sauce, and maple syrup and bring almost to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt. Take it off the stove and chill it in the fridge.
• Lay the fish in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, cover with the cold brine, and cover with the lid. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
• When you are ready to smoke, start your smoker. It should be barely warm when you start, and it should take about 30 minutes to reach 85°F (30°C)-inside the smoker that is. It is now that the fish take on that distinctive crust that makes them look smoked. After 1 1/2 hours, the smoker should be at 150°F (65°C). At the 2-hour mark, it should reach 200°F (95°C). At this point, the internal temperature of the fish should read (on a good-quality, well-calibrated electronic thermometer) about 140°F (60°C). Make sure there is always a good cloud of smoke. (I suggest taking readings at 20-minute intervals to make sure you don't overshoot that 140°F mark.)
• You can store the smoked fish in the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze it for up to a month.