Easy Wet Brine for Smoking Meat
If you’re looking for the best way to brine meat for smoking, this simple wet brine recipe is a great option for everything from whole chicken and pork chops to chicken pieces and even beef brisket.
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Servings: 0
Ingredients
- 2 gallons cold water
- 1 ½ cups sea salt table salt or I prefer Himalayan salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- Meat of choice
Instructions
- In a large food-grade container or brining bag, add a few cups of water and stir in the salt, sugar, Worcestershire, garlic, and pepper until everything is fully dissolved.
- Pour in the remaining water to reach full volume and ensure the brine is cold.
- Submerge the meat fully in the brine. If necessary, weigh it down to keep it covered.
- Seal the bag or cover the container, then refrigerate for the appropriate time based on the cut.
- Once done, remove the meat, rinse it thoroughly with cold water, pat dry, and proceed with smoking or roasting.
Notes
💡 Notes
- Always rinse brined meat to avoid overly salty flavor.
- Discard used brine — do not reuse.
- For best results, use kosher salt, not table salt (or reduce amount if substituting).
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Brining times vary by meat. For example:
- Turkey: 12–24 hours
- Chicken pieces: 2–6 hours
- Pork shoulder: 12–24 hours
- Fish: 15–30 minutes