brine solution

Use this versatile pork and poultry brine for smoking chicken wings, turkey breast, pork shoulder, bacon-wrapped pork loin, and even duck.

Pork and Poultry Brine

water

apple juice

salt

maple syrup

brown sugar

red pepper

garlic powder

onion powder

Combine all the ingredients of the brine solution, in a large bowl. Whisk the solution until all of the salt dissolves. Using a glass bowl helps to you see whether or not the salt dissolves. Another way to check is to use a spoon and scoop up the brine from the bottom. There should be no salt in the spoon.

Place the meat in a zip-top bag large enough to hold whatever it is you are brining. Pour the brine solution over the meat. Make sure the meat is submerged completely. If you do not have enough to cover the meat, then make another batch.

Seal the bag squeezing as much air out of the bag as possible. Place the bag inside a bowl (to ensure no messy leaks inside the refrigerator).

Refrigerate and brine for 1 hour per pound of meat.

Applewood Smoked Chicken wings take on flavor from a nice smoke over applewood coals brined in all natural ingredients. Tons of flavor in these Naked Wings!

Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Wings

chicken

Applewood chunks for smoking

Brine Solution ((recipe to follow))

BBQ Sauce

If buying whole wings, cut the wings into drumettes and wingettes. Reserve the tips for making broth; set aside. Place the drumettes and wingettes into a gallon size zip-top bag.

Combine the brine solution, in a large bowl. Whisk the solution until the salt has dissolved. Pour the brine solution into the zip-top bag with covering the chicken wings. Seal the bag squeezing as much air out of the bag as possible. Place the bag inside a bowl (to ensure no messy leaks inside the refrigerator). Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Set up the grill or smoker for indirect heat using the three-zone split fire charcoal setup. Preheat to 250 degrees F and add some apple wood to the hot coals.

When the smoker or grill is the ideal temperature range, you are ready to smoke, place the chicken wings in the center (indirect) portion of the grill. Add more applewood to the coals, if needed, and cover the grill.

Smoke for about 2 to 2 ½ hours at 250 degrees F. During this time, monitor the temperature and only open the grill or smoker to add more applewood. You can tell when more wood is needed when there is very little smoke coming out of the grill vent. There is no need to turn the wings when using indirect heat.

The chicken wings are ready when they are a rich reddish brown color and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the grill or smoker and serve warm.

I’ve spent most of my adult life snagging recipes online and never thinking about providing feed back. That officially ended today. This recipe with the brine and the smoke is so f***ing good I’m never making another wing recipe again. Personally, I make the recipe, then portion and vacuum pack the wings for the deep freezer. Anytime I’m craving wings, I can thaw out a portion in no time, then blast them in the air fryer to crisp up the skin and warm them back through. Absolute game changer and your friends will be asking you to make wings for every tailgate for the rest of your life.

Wow! The wings were phenominal. I have also used the brine recipe to smoke chicken thighs, and I used it to brine and grill a pork loin. This will be my go to recipe for brining and grilling.

looks so delicious.. i definetly gonna made this with my mum.. thanks !

Great recipe! Also, FYI, as someone from the wing world, "naked wings" means no flour or breading. A sauced wing with no breading would still be called a naked wing. Just thought I'd clarify on behalf of us wing herds. :-) One other tip, cooking to 165 is good, but a wing expert once taught me to kick it to 175/180 to really give it a good bite. It's changed the way I cook wings.

The wings turn out fantastic Everytime I make them on the kettle grill!!  I use lump charcoal and apple wood for extra flavor. I appreciate that the brine really doesn't mask the smokey meat flavor but does add just a bit of something that compliments the smoke very well. Thanks for the recipe!!

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Pork and Poultry Brine

Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Win...

Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Win...

Top 3 brine solution recipes from across the web

The most viewed brine solution recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Pork and Poultry Brine

Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Win...

Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Win...

The most viewed brine solution recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine