There is nothing better than some naturally smoked barbecue. However, while it helps to preserve meat and its antibacterial properties makes it safe (and very tasty) to eat, one thing is for certain, smoke dries out meat. It takes a very talented pit master to have meat that is both smoked and juicy, but they have a little secret – brining.

Brining is the act of giving a piece of meat a long soak in a solution of salt and water. This, in turn, provides for a juicer piece of meat by letting the meat drink up the liquid. It is also a good way to season meat as the salt penetrates nicely with the water. Unfortunately, it takes a true master to season meat that has been already brined.

When placed in a brine, meat sops up liquid, gaining up to eight percent more weight in water. By starting off with more liquid in the smoking process, it still loses the same amount, but still ends up juicier because it had more liquid to begin with. Brining also tends to break down and denature protein in a piece of meat, turning it from a solid to a liquid so that it turns solid, but is still juicy as it smokes. This is why if you leave a piece of meat in a brine long enough, it turns a bit alien looking.

Brining is typically best for meat that doesn’t have a large fat content like chicken or pork shoulder. However, when smoking, because so much liquid is lost to get the beautiful smoke ring, even fatty meats can benefit from it.

At Mild to Wild Pepper and Herb Company, we offer a full range of products from sauces for private labeling and retail sales, to bulk chile peppers for the largest of industrial accounts and everything in between! With an extensive selection of hot sauces and barbecue sauces, you are sure to find something that fits your tastes. To place your order today, visit our website and read about all the ingredients that go into our specialty sauces.