What is Liquid Smoke?
- Written By: Michael Pollick
- Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
- Last Modified Date: 12 May 2013
-
Copyright Protected:
2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
Many cuts of beef, pork, or seafood benefit significantly from exposure to the smoke of smoldering hickory, mesquite, pecan or apple wood. Achieving this effect indoors without a smoker, however, can be quite a challenge. A concentrated seasoning known as liquid smoke is often used to duplicate the appealing flavor and aroma of real smokehouse wood without the need for a real smokehouse. This seasoning is derived from actual smoke generated under controlled conditions from popular woods used for outdoor barbecuing and smoking.
The production of commercial liquid smoke begins with the proper wood. Mesquite or hickory have both been associated with meat barbecuing for decades, while regional woods such as pecan or apple wood have recently grown in popularity. To make liquid smoke, a supply of wood is placed inside a large oven known as a retort. The wood itself is not burned to create the smoke, but intensely heated by another source to create a slow smolder. This smoke is then drawn out of the retort for further processing.
The smoke at this point is composed of tiny particles held in water vapor. A refrigeration unit rapidly chills the surrounding air, which causes the smoke particles and water to condense and fall as a liquid. This is then piped into oak barrels for aging, much like a distilled bourbon whiskey or oaked wine.
Following the aging process, the concentrated liquid smoke is filtered to eliminate any impurities, then bottled for shipping. Bottles can usually be found near other liquid seasonings and condiments such as Worcestershire sauce and Angostura bitters. Much larger containers can also be purchased for commercial use in restaurants and meat processing plants. Liquid smoke is also a common ingredient in many barbecue sauces featuring hickory or mesquite flavor enhancements.
Because liquid smoke is so concentrated, most recipes only call for a few drops to taste. It is usually added to a meat marinade or sauce, rarely on the meat itself. Certain varieties may be better suited to specific types of meat, as in the case of apple wood with cured ham, or hickory with pulled pork. Pecan liquid smoke often works well with seafood, for example, but may not be strong enough to enhance a beef tenderloin. Some recipes may suggest a specific flavor, while others may make the addition of this seasoning optional.
There is some debate over the use of liquid smoke in place of a real wood smoker. Barbecue purists generally dismiss it as a poor substitute for real hardwood smoke, while others see very little difference between the two sources of smoke flavor. Too much seasoning can indeed overwhelm or even ruin the flavor of barbecued or grilled meat, but too much time in a traditional smoker can also be problematic. Liquid smoke does not usually contain any other ingredients besides natural smoke and water, but some diners can still tell the difference between natural and added smoke. When in doubt, cooks might find it helpful to buy the highest quality seasoning available and use it sparingly to enhance a sauce or marinade.
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Discuss this Article
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anon334149
Post 22 |
I have a problem with liquid smoke. It makes me sick every time I eat something containing it. It gives me bad heartburn and I feel ill the next day. Yuck. I can't stand it. If it contains liquid smoke, then it's not real BBQ. |
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anon312508
Post 21 |
Salt Meat Cheese in Alexandria (sydney, nsw) sells liquid smoke - hickory and mesquite. I'm working on him getting the other two in! |
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summing
Post 20 |
Where can I buy liquid smoke? I don't think I have ever seen it in the grocery store before.
Does anyone have a brand that they think works particularly well? |
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ZsaZsa56
Post 19 |
Does anyone have any good BBQ recipes that incorporate liquid smoke? I only have a gas grill, and while it is great for cooking stuff up quickly, it doesn't really give it that smoky flavor that you associate with true BBQ. |
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anon275686
Post 17 |
This is in response to bizcut Post 6: It's the wood. He is allergic to the wood used to make it. Tree pollen and wood allergies, especially to hardwood, are very common. Also, any type of smoke makes allergies much worse. If you've ever seen an allergist, the top of the list is to avoid smoke. Try buying different kinds and see if it's a specific wood, but generally if you are allergic to one, there is a good chance you are allergic to all. Also lots of allergies run in families. I hope that helped. |
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bbqjunkie
Post 16 |
@solomonh: You have to dilute your liquid smoke. Depending on the food, use four or five drops into 1 ounce of water. We use CedarHouse brand liquid smoke. It is an all natural concentrate and a blend of hickory and mesquite. We haven't used Colgin since we tried CedarHouse. |
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anon272016
Post 15 |
@anon38531: You are absolutely correct. I also find that not all liquid smoke is the same. Hickory seems so much better than mesquite. Also, adding a few drops to a tablespoon of water will allow it to mix in better. We like CedarHouse all natural liquid smoke. It's pretty amazing and is mainly hickory with a hint of mesquite. |
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anon210171
Post 14 |
The list of ingredients may not specifically mention liquid smoke, but if the product is promoted as "barbecue" or "mesquite" or "smoky" flavored, there's every chance the manufacturer has included a little liquid smoke in the mix. There's really no other practical method for adding smoke flavor on a commercial level. Specialty items like smoked hams or smoked pork may contain natural smoke flavor from a real smoker, but mass-produced items like barbecue sauces, snack chips and marinades are more likely to contain liquid smoke. If the package says BBQ flavor or Smoked and you didn't barbecue it or smoke it yourself, assume it was made with liquid smoke. It should be easy to find liquid smoke products which only contain smoke particles and water. Vinegar or other ingredients may be mixed in to form a marinade or mopping sauce, but the essential liquid smoke process described in the article only uses wood smoke and water. |
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anon161863
Post 13 |
Is there a liquid smoke that does not contain vinegar? Thanks. |
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anon138619
Post 11 |
Who invented liquid smoke and is there more than one patent/inventor? When did it first appear in commerce? An email to Colgan has gone unanswered. |
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anon131007
Post 10 |
What are the ingredients in liquid smoke and how to tell if it is in other foods? I cannot eat it. It causes me to choke. |
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Frank Toves
Post 9 |
Heck! I put a little dab a two drops or three on my V8 juice bottle with tabasco then cover it up and shake it good! It's like having a good V8 Bar-BQ drink and it tasted great! |
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anon104352
Post 8 |
Does anyone know where to get liquid smoke in Australia? |
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anon84242
Post 7 |
I have been using liquid smoke for years. We are not allowed to barbecue where we live at. Liquid smoke saves the day. |
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bizcut
Post 6 |
If liquid smoke is nothing more than captured smoke and water why would someone be allergic to it? My husband is highly allergic to anything that has it in it. We're taking hives, vomiting and swelling of the throat. My mother-in-law is the same way. |
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anon69299
Post 5 |
yeah liquid smoke has a really strong taste.
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anon58531
Post 4 |
My husband used too much liquid smoke in bean soup. My son added vinegar and saved the day. |
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anon38531
Post 3 |
not all liquid smoke is the same. hickory seems so much better than mesquite. also, add a few drops to a tablespoon of water, will mix in better. |
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anon30620
Post 2 |
I used liquid smoke for the first time a few days ago and it made such a difference in the pork we roasted...Yum! I also put a dash in my homemade mac and cheese and it was awesome! |
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solomonh
Post 1 |
I have found that liquid smoke has a really strong taste that I absolutely cannot stand. If it is not really barbecued, then it should NOT taste like smoke! Yuck! |
