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The BEST Smoker Marinade

November 7, 2018 by [email protected] 8 Comments

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A smoker is a great way to have amazing barbecue right at home. This marinade for smoking meat is easy and leaves whatever meat you are smoking so tender and tasty!

A few years ago I got my husband a smoker for Christmas.  It ended up being a great purchase because we use it a lot!  Weekends are spent slowly smoking pork or beef for a great dinner and then we have plenty of leftovers to get us through the rest of the weekend.

ingredients for pulled pork marinade on a countertop.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to make the smoker marinade step-by-step
  • What ways are best to use this smoker marinade in the smoker?
  • What should you serve with smoked meats?
  • The BEST Marinade for Smoking Meat
pulled and shredded pork in tin foil in a pan.

This marinade is one that I’ve been using since we got the smoker.  A great marinade is a key to tender meat, so don’t miss this step.

Ingredients

This marinade for the smoker has-

  • Dark cola
  • Water
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Dark molasses
  • Spices like kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper
  • Ice to cool down the hot liquid

How to make the smoker marinade step-by-step

To a pan add the cola, spices, apple cider vinegar, water, then the molasses.

Over medium-high heat cook for 5 minutes, stirring as it cooks.

steps for making stovetop marinade for a meat smoker with step direction text overlay.

Turn off the ice.  Let the marinade cool.

In a dish add the meat then pour the marinade over it. This recipe marinates up to 6 pounds of meat.

pork roast in a pan and covered with plastic wrap with step descriptive text overlay.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, flipping the meat about halfway through.

Smoke meat as you like.

What ways are best to use this smoker marinade in the smoker?

  • Low and slow – My husband made this pork roast below by just letting it go low and slow over 9 hours.  It fell apart and had some amazing burnt ends on it.
  • Texas Crutch – This involves smoking the meat for a time than wrapping it with foil.  Check out this great article about it here.

What should you serve with smoked meats?

  • The Best BBQ Sauce
  • Avery’s Potato Salad
  • Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
pan with marinade in it with descriptive text overlay.

From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!

ingredients for pulled pork marinade on a countertop.

The BEST Marinade for Smoking Meat

This is the best marinade for smoking meat! From pork to beef, this smoker marinade leaves whatever meat you choose to smoke full of flavor.
4.86 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Sauces and Seasonings
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • whisk
  • 9×13 baking dish
  • plastic wrap

Ingredients

  • 16.9 ounces cola or any dark soda, try to stay away from diet
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup dark molasses
  • 2 cups ice

Instructions

  • To a pan add the cola, spices, apple cider vinegar, water, then the molasses.
    16.9 ounces cola, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup dark molasses
  • Over medium-high heat cook for 5 minutes, stirring as it cooks.
  • Turn off the heat and add the ice. Let the marinade cool.
    2 cups ice
  • In a dish, add the meat then pour the marinade over it.
  • Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, flipping the meat about halfway through.
  • Smoke meat as you like. Enjoy!

Notes

Tips for making this recipe:

  • If you do not prefer to use ice cubes, add 1 cup of cold water to the pan.
Tried this recipe?Mention @mittenmommy or tag #mittenmovienight!

Originally published in November of 2018. Updated post in April of 2022 with new photos, same great recipe. 

*Affiliate links are included in this post. Please read my Discloser Policy.

Last Updated on February 14, 2023 by [email protected]

Filed Under: Mitten Meals

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dan Bjerky

    December 4, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    Recipe sounds good, but not amount of meat is specified.

    Reply
    • [email protected]

      December 8, 2020 at 10:33 am

      Thank you! This recipe marinates up to 6 pounds of meat.

      Reply
      • Joy Cruz

        May 26, 2021 at 3:20 am

        Looking forward to making this marinade. However, recipe instruction does not indicate what to do with the 1 cup of water. Please clarify.

        Reply
        • [email protected]

          May 26, 2021 at 9:01 am

          Hi Joy, thank you for pointing that out I have updated the post. The water is to be added after the coca-cola and molasses cook for 5 minutes. You can also add ice cubes instead to cool it down quicker.

          Reply
  2. melanie walker

    June 27, 2021 at 10:58 am

    What temperature was your smoker for the 9 hours and what kind of chips did you use for smoke?

    Reply
    • [email protected]

      June 27, 2021 at 7:56 pm

      I use cherry wood chips. Then set it low and slow at 225-250 degrees. I then use the Texas Crutch (wrapping with aluminum foil) for the last hour.

      Reply
  3. TammyJ

    April 24, 2022 at 9:19 am

    Erin
    Have you ever used this on ribs?

    Reply
    • [email protected]

      April 24, 2022 at 10:29 am

      I have not used it on ribs, but I imagine it would be just as good as on pork roast. I have used it on beef roasts & steak as well and it’s really good!

      Reply

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