Brine Your Way to Juicier Meat

Updated May 23, 2014

We're taking the brine way past your holiday turkey! Get the juiciest, most succulent bite of meat from your grill with these recipes that begin with a good brine.

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Clinched and Planked Chicken Thighs

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Clinched and Planked Chicken Thighs Recipe

The basic brine for these chicken thighs includes plenty of spices and lemon for added flavor.

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B-Side Brown Sugar Smoked Brisket

Credit: Thomas J. Story

B-Side Brown Sugar Smoked Brisket Recipe

The bourbon in this brown sugar brine adds flavor and helps tenderize the meat.

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Grilled Pork Chops with Brown-sugar Brine and Onion-Peach Marmalade

Credit: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Dan Becker

Grilled Pork Chops with Brown-sugar Brine and Onion-Peach Marmalade Recipe

Because modern pork is very lean, the meat can easily dry out when cooked. Using a brine adds moisture and flavor to the chops.

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Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Karin Olsen

Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken Recipe

For the tastiest chicken ever, brine a whole cut-up chicken in the South's signature beverage—sweet tea with lemon.

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Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Grilled Apples

Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Grilled Apples Recipe

Grilled pork chops benefit dramatically from a hard cider brine that penetrates right to the middle of the meat and an apple-brandy glaze that coats the outside of the pork with a tangy sweetness.

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Grilled Shrimp with Sangrita

Credit: France Ruffenach

Grilled Shrimp with Sangrita Recipe

Marinating shrimp in a seafood brine ensures moisture retention and enhances the flavors of this exquisite hors d'oeuvre.

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Barbecued Chicken

Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Barbecued Chicken Recipe

From chef Tyler Florence, everything you could want in a piece of barbecued chicken: moist meat, crisp skin, and tangy sauce. See his step-by-step tutorial on brining chicken at the end of the gallery.

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Coffee and Molasses-Brined Pork Chops

Credit: Karry Hosford

Coffee and Molasses-Brined Pork Chops Recipe

Coffee adds a background flavor that helps bring out the sweet yet bitter undertone of the molasses. This brine is also excellent with chicken thighs and drumsticks, and pork or beef ribs.

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Chai-Brined Shrimp Skewers

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Chai-Brined Shrimp Skewers Recipe

A brine made with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves is infused with black tea leaves before hitting the shrimp.

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Charcoal-grilled Pork Shoulder with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Garlic

Credit: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Randy Mon

Charcoal-grilled Pork Shoulder with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Garlic Recipe

Brining the pork shoulder for at least one day prior to cooking on the charcoal grill gives the meat a melt-in-your-mouth tender finish.

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Brown Sugar-Brined Chicken

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Brown Sugar-Brined Chicken Recipe

This brown sugar brine is enough to season 12 chicken breasts. Pair it off with some fresh vegetables for the perfect meal.

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Buttermilk-Brined Grilled Chicken

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Amy Wilson

Buttermilk-Brined Grilled Chicken Recipe

Buttermilk-Brined Grilled Chicken is soaked in a mixture of buttermilk, brown sugar, and hot sauce to ensure flavor and juiciness.

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Mackerel with Herb Salad

Credit: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Victoria Granof

Mackerel with Herb Salad Recipe

Brining the fish in water with salt and sugar heightens its natural flavor, but it also provides a little added insurance that the fish will remain moist.

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Video: How to Brine Chicken

Learn how to make a brine for grilled chicken with Food Network star Tyler Florence.

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