Since I wasn’t going to be heading out in the boat this past week, I decided it would be a good time to load the smoker. I have a good number of sockeye fillets from the Lake Wenatchee season this summer. So, my wife pulled out the big crockery bowl that I use when brining the fish and I gathered the sugar and spices that I use to prepare the fish. I put a layer of fish in the bowl and then sprinkle the fillets with kosher salt. Then I cover them with a generous amount of dark brown sugar. I don’t know when I started doing it, but for years I have then added basil flakes. I layer the fish and spices into the bowl until it is near the top. This is a “dry” brine, but by the time I transfer the bowl to the refrigerator, there is already a good amount of liquid forming in the bowl. I rinse and dry the fillets and it took about three hours to finish the fish in the Bradley smoker; keeping the temperature between 150 and 180 degrees. My wife says this might be the best batch ever!