Prior to smoking, all of the fish at Acme is cured with salt for preservation, flavor, and quality. The salt allows the fish to preserve its moisture and tenderness during the drying, smoking, and cooking process. At Acme, wet brining and dry salting are methods employed to cure fish. Brining in a solution of salt and water is generally the method of choice when curing whole fish or bigger fish fillets. Dry curing or dry salting is a process used mostly for smaller salmon fillets. Curing times can range from a couple of hours to several days, depending on the size and fat content of the fish.