Recipe(tried): Brine for Pork

Dawn, the brine recipe I regularly use contains no beer or alcohol of any kind. I'm quite sure you can replace the beer with an equal amount of water and it will work fine.

In case you'd like to try the one I use, here it is. I use it primarily for pork; for chicken, I don't add garlic, but that's personal preference:

This will make enough to brine 4 to 5 pounds of pork.

Mix 1/2 cup kosher salt, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 2 cups of very warm water in a zippered plastic bag. Shake or stir to completely dissolve the salt. Add 4 cups of cold water, plenty of coarse-ground black pepper, and a smashed clove or two of garlic.

The amount of time to let the meat brine depends on the cut. For boneless, 3/4-inch thick pork chops let soak in the brine for one hour, refrigerated.