[jfmarkko]

I am trying to replace my refrigerator plug. When I stripped the wires back, I found two wires made of several strands of copper. There is no color coding. In the center is a strand covered in green. I know that green is for ground, but how do I know which to attach to silver and which to brass on the new plug?

[mcad]

You would probably be better off buying a pre made pigtail and installing the whole new line. It may cost a few more dollars, but without electrical experience, it would be worth the cost. You should be able to look on the fridge and see where the pigtail lands on it. I have seen pre made pigtails that have ring terminals already attached to the fridge end. They should be fool proof.
If you must use the wire that is there, then I would trace it back to where it lands on the fridge and use a multimeter to check continuity between the 2 ends of the wires. The neutral and ground may also be landed together at the fridge.
But I would recommend the pigtail. Hope this is helpful.

[ma0641]

Look at the wire. With zip cords, one wire is smooth, one is ridged. The ridged side is neutral and goes to the silver, smooth to brass.