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Simple Smoked Chicken Brine Recipe

Using a rub or marinade is a great way to pack flavour into your smoked chicken, but using a smoked chicken brine can actually help keep the meat moist while cooking and add flavour at the same time.

Because cooking with smoke can be a lengthy process, be sure that your smoked meat won’t dry out by soaking it in a brine prior to smoking. Our garlic herb brine will get you moist and mildly flavoured chicken straight from the smoker.

Ingredients

7.5 litres water
1 whole chicken
10 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons peppercorns
2 cups salt
½ cup vinegar
1½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons thyme

Preparation

Tips for Smoked Chicken Brine

  • Place the brine in a container that will be large enough to hold all the brine and the chicken comfortably.
  • Be sure to rinse excess brine off before smoking. The flavour will stay soaked in, but rinsing the meat will remove any large clumps of spices that may have gathered while resting.
  • Discard the brine after use. It has been in contact with raw meat and is no longer safe to be used again.

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, garlic cloves, peppercorns, salt, vinegar, rosemary, and thyme.
  2. Mix over low heat until combined and sugar is dissolved.
  3. Let cool completely by using ice or placing in refrigerator.
  4. Place chicken in brine so that it is completely covered and place in the fridge from 4-6 hours.
  5. Remove chicken from brine and rinse before smoking.
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