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.
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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.
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.
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?
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
The BEST Marinade for Smoking Meat
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.
Originally published in November of 2018. Updated post in April of 2022 with new photos, same great recipe.
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Last Updated on February 14, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
Recipe sounds good, but not amount of meat is specified.
Thank you! This recipe marinates up to 6 pounds of meat.
Looking forward to making this marinade. However, recipe instruction does not indicate what to do with the 1 cup of water. Please clarify.
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.
What temperature was your smoker for the 9 hours and what kind of chips did you use for smoke?
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.
Erin
Have you ever used this on ribs?
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!