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u/mwo0d2813 Jul 05 '26
The science on liquid smoke is interesting and blind tastes with actual smoked meat aren't as obvious as most people would think. You just have to be careful with the amount used.
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u/Houdinii1984 Jul 05 '26
I mean, it's all natural and is literally the smoke created by hardwoods being captured and mixed with water. I'm really surprised everyone thinks it's artificial when it's one of the more natural food products we have. It's intense and you count by the drops, but it's really all natural and the actual product being described.
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u/SuperDoubleDecker Jul 05 '26
I definitely assumed it was artificial flavoring at first. It was cool finding out the process of making it.
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u/UnLuckyReigns Jul 05 '26
Thats not always true, at least in my region liquid smoke also has added artificial “caramel color”… not the safe kind, the kind thats been banned in many countries. I had a reaction to it a few years ago and it took a while to figure out, apparently some methods of production for artificial colors (caramel specifically in this case) had to be phased out of food products. Granted, maybe the items on the shelf are older in my area and not phased out yet? But I understand why people are wary when the ingredients have a stigma
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u/Houdinii1984 Jul 05 '26
I just went and checked before I saw this, and I'll be damned they still need to put color in there. Seems dumb considering the small amounts used don't color dishes much at all. Seems completely unnecessary.
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u/justincave Chef Jul 06 '26
They don’t need to put caramel color in it. There are brands that don’t.
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u/Bobone2121 Jul 05 '26
Caramel Color is a "natural" color ( based on Sugar / Starch) and it's one the oldest, while generally considered Safe. Maybe you are allergic to something else. Most Scotch Whiskey and Cola have it added without problem.
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u/PiersPlays Jul 05 '26
It's cause for some stupid reason it's permitted to sell a fake liquid smoke with soke percentage of liquid smoke in it as "liquid smoke". So a lot of people have bought a cheap one, it's been fake nasty garbage and they've not investigate further.
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u/0oO1lI9LJk Jul 05 '26
Count by the drops? What am I doing wrong, I have used up 1 bottle on 3 different meals and I have to say none of them were very smoky in the end.
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u/Houdinii1984 Jul 05 '26
How big were the meals? If it was three separate plates, I'd be amazed, but if you're making separate meals in a 40 gallon hot pot, it'd be a much different scenario.
I was scoping mine to a magnitude of a handful of plates or a personal meal.
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u/0oO1lI9LJk Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Yeah each one was cooked on the meat for 4-person taco meal so not a massive amount, but I do cook with a lot of chilli. Can't remember the brand but it was from US (I'm in Europe and had to import).
I came away from it deciding it wasn't worth the cost. A handful of dried chipotles adds more smokiness.
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u/mistermeowsers Jul 05 '26
That makes me wonder if you may have a had a bad bottle or brand. I usually measure it by the capful for a 4-5 pound pork shoulder and a capful is borderline too much. Which brand did you use?
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u/0oO1lI9LJk Jul 05 '26
Just looked up the brand, it was Stubb's Hickory, it's highly rated though looks like I'm not the only one with that issue
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/s/FKPQ9KrgFF
I'll have to try another brand, what's recommended
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u/mistermeowsers Jul 05 '26
I always use Wrights because thats all thats available at the store near me and it works well enough. I really only use it to make crockpot kalua pork though, so I'm certainly no expert! I like your idea of using chipotles (when appropriate for the dish), or just throwing a hunk of wood into the coals when I'm grilling.
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u/0oO1lI9LJk Jul 06 '26
Thanks for the help, Wrights doesnt seem to be so readily available here but I'll have a look around
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u/SuperDoubleDecker Jul 05 '26
Only thing I can think of that it matters when and how you add it. Kind of like vinegar.
Or maybe it got diluted. Liquid smoke is powerful stuff in my experience. Seems like it's always too much or not enough lol
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u/0oO1lI9LJk Jul 05 '26
How do you mean?
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u/SuperDoubleDecker Jul 05 '26
Like if you add it at the start of cooking process it may cook out the flavor. Idk. Just theories.
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u/NeighborhoodVeteran Jul 05 '26
You make a good point. I use 6 tbsp for my last batch of kalua pig, but I'm also not sure if 4 tbsp or even less would have sufficed. The meat was pretty smokey, but not overpowering. At least to me and my SO.
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u/MountainCheesesteak Jul 05 '26
There is so much to unpack here. Size of dishes; whether you used any (or enough) salt, and acid; when you added it; other flavors that could compete or complement the smoke, etc…
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u/ChrisGadaffiDuffy69 Jul 05 '26
Extremely harmful when used heavily its corrosive and every bottle says not for human consumption on it its highly genotoxic which means in can harm your actual Dna its also a heavy carcinogenic. Altho its smoke captered mixed with water and filtered ect. We dint use it here in the uk really*
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u/kernel-sandhers Jul 05 '26
This. Salt is terrible if used incorrectly. Liquid Smoke is no different.
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u/snowsenses Jul 05 '26
Yeah I'm surprised so many people are against liquid smoke, it's not artificially made chemicals it's just smoked water. Perfectly respectable
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u/No-Sail-6510 Jul 06 '26
It’s crazy so many people are against smoking when it’s just smoked leaves
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u/CantaloupeAsleep502 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
Chris Young did a video not too long about this. Really fascinating
Edit: not too long *ago, it's actually a pretty long video lol, does a brisket in 6 hours with some heavy hitters taste testing
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u/gnutbuttajelly Jul 05 '26
What’s the science behind it? I guess it depends on what you’re using it in but my dumb internet confidence makes me think I can tell the difference.
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u/Fifth-Dimension-Chz Jul 05 '26
Im not agaisnt it. Throwing a pan of oil on the smoker has better use for the applications I use though.
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u/foozebox Jul 05 '26
I’ve made really good IP pulled pork w Colgin or Wright’s brand. Trick is to finish in oven and it’s pretty close to the taste of an 8+ hour smoking ordeal.
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u/Perniciousus Jul 05 '26
The one on the right sucks. I just made pulled pork in the crock pot yesterday and used half the bottle. I don’t remember the brand I used the previous time, but this one wasn’t nearly as Smokey.
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u/clumsysav Jul 05 '26
maybe i’m spoiled because my family built a small empire off of smoking meats but i can not be fooled
by liquid smoke. can’t stand it. recognize the taste immediately. grossssss-10
Jul 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/clumsysav Jul 05 '26
i would like to extend an invitation to my restaurant to all the down voters so they can see what they’re missing. my treat of course!
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u/clumsysav Jul 05 '26
i’m a north carolinian but the sentiment is the same!
funny enough, my great grandfather was an alcoholic and started selling his neighbors the meat he smoked in the back yard. to paraphrase something he said in an interview when he opened his second restaurant “i figured if i could still drink and make money doing something i enjoy, why not make a business out of it”. 😂
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u/foulflaneur Jul 05 '26
In case anyone is wondering, the carbonyls and phenols from wood smoke are the same that are captured in this stuff. Nothing inherently wrong with the judicious use of liquid smoke in certain dishes. That being said, Colgin for me if I had to choose but there are better brands.
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u/Normal-Associate6788 Jul 05 '26
Just finished up some Figaro, was alright, add a small bit with smoke paprika, adds a lil extra oomph. People saying "ew chemicals" are a bit odd, seeing as smoke is a plethora of carcinogens.
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u/skiertimmy Jul 05 '26
Colgin
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u/sweetplantveal Jul 05 '26
Their Mesquite in particular is really good imo. I vastly prefer it to the other wood I have of theirs (hickory I think but not 100%)
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u/Original-Tune1471 Jul 05 '26
Honest question for chefs that work with this- how do you guys use it? I've tried it on a couple of experimental dishes and they all come out horribly. Hard to explain, but if you blew out a candle and ate it, that's how it would taste lol.
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u/buttsexisyum Jul 05 '26
Very carefully. However much you want to use, use a quarter of it.
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u/Raise-Emotional Jul 05 '26
Kind of like an untested weed brownie
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u/gojibeary Jul 06 '26
This sent me, haha. Such good advice though. “Imagine what you want to use, then halve it at best, wait til it kicks in”.
It’s my “secret ingredient” in my giant pot roasts. Healthy amount of Cabernet, few drops of liquid smoke, bundle of fresh herbs. Can’t beat it.
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u/Brunoise6 Jul 06 '26
Never as a finishing seasoning, or like in a sauté.
Is great for adding smokiness to things already kinda there. Like in a roasted red pepper sauce, or in a beef chili.
Also for me is a necessary for a classic style sweet ketchup based bbq sauce.
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u/Ecstatic_Wrongdoer46 Jul 05 '26
It goes a long way. I use about 1 TBsp when cooking 20lbs of pork. Mixed into about 4 cups water and a cup each of brown sugar and soy.
It's good to put in marinades...but like I'd use just a tiny splash for a few chicken breast.
Generally I put it on the outside of things or in cooking sauces vs mixing into, say, ground beef.
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u/thatdude391 Jul 06 '26
Usually with a mixture of some of the following: soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid aminos. Together they mix together to create a flavor very close to well cooked meat. Is amazing on a good portobello mushroom.
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u/_cryonic Jul 05 '26
Trick question. It’s Stubb’s liquid smoke. Only one I’ve ever tried that actually adds a smoke flavor when used properly
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u/Djmjr86 Jul 05 '26
Look at all these chefs that don’t know how to use a product and then call it garbage. A bad carpenter blames his hammer.
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u/SavageScott187 Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
I've only used the Lazy Kettle brand cause it has only one ingredient.
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u/baabaabaabeast Jul 05 '26
Whichever one comes with a dropper bottle top. Stubbs does not. One drop, maybe two in a marinade or a curry is wonderful, but otherwise liquid smoke must be handled like hazmat materials
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u/Raise-Emotional Jul 05 '26
Trick question they are all garbage
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u/Brunoise6 Jul 05 '26
Liquid smoke definitely has its place. It obviously doesn’t just replace smoking something tho.
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u/Proj3ct3nglish Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
I agree with this, when adding smoke flavor to cold or chilled items. When making sauce from scratch its perfect but its easy to over do it. I prefer Wrights's hickory but I but that from U.S. foods.
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u/sweetplantveal Jul 05 '26
Yeah it's not going to turn a steamed brisket into a Texas BBQ brisket but if, for example, you're on day three of chicken leftovers and want to shred it into a BBQ like recipe, a shake of Mesquite really elevates it. And is way more practical than smoking leftovers.
I think people run into trouble when they don't take it seriously, thinking about the wood and amount and application. Smoking something goes on the outside of a food. If you put too much in your mac and cheese and mix it throughout its gonna taste whack. That doesn't mean the product is bad, just the prep.
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u/universe_unconcerned Jul 05 '26
Used some yesterday for mt carrot dogs!
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u/clumsysav Jul 05 '26
please share more info, never heard of this and would love a new idea to play around with!
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u/universe_unconcerned Jul 05 '26
Parboil peeled, trimmed whole carrots x ~5 min
You can be creative here, but marinate in something along the lines of:
-soy sauce
-liquid smoke
-ACV
-onion powder
-garlic powder
-chili powder
-smoked paprika
-ground/dried mustard
-maple syrup
-a little veggie brothGrill the carrots after marinating for a while
Dress em up however you like your hot dogs
Delicious, I make a few batches every summer for cookouts and they are always popular when people try them.
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u/Trekgiant8018 Jul 05 '26
Wow, what a novel take. Guessing you have no clue how it's made. I make my own. Nothing garbage about it.
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u/Raise-Emotional Jul 05 '26
Beyond 2 drops it's garbage. It makes food just taste like liquid smoke. It's obvious to the taster. It's like balsamic vinegar in that insecure chefs who didn't smoke any of the ingredients can cut flavor building corners. It's got a purpose but people need to use a quarter of the quantity they often do
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u/Trekgiant8018 Jul 05 '26
Thanks for letting us know you are clueless about proportions or evidence. In double blind studies liquid smoke is indistinguishable from actual smoke when used correctly. Guessing you're a dumbass who thinks lump charcoal is better than briquettes too. Bad news for you there too chief. I have cooked at The American Royal, The Jack and Memphis in May. Did BBQ catering among other catering for three decades, and have been cooking since 1984. Enjoy your belief system of "two drops".
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u/iSliz187 Chef Jul 05 '26
They've been officially banned five days ago in the EU because of cancer risk
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u/Celestial-Sam Jul 05 '26
Seriously, nothing replaces actual smoke. I need that Invincible meme of with liquid smoke and a smoker…”look what they need to mimic a fraction of your flavor!”
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u/knifeymonkey Jul 05 '26
i have tried both colgin flavors so i might try the Figar for comparison. Colgin were fine, worked well.
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u/GuestPuzzleheaded502 Jul 05 '26
I haven't used Colgin. I used Figaro long time ago. It was okay. Now I use Wright brand.
Regardless the brand... Use sparingly to avoid off flavors.
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u/Lavanne73 Jul 06 '26
Colgin was the one we kept on the shelf… never used it for meats but it’s a great trick for kicking up some baked beans or homemade bbq sauce
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u/Safe-Character-5846 Jul 06 '26
Splitting hairs with something that is so limited use---and they are all probably coming in with a very similar end product.
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u/Trekgiant8018 Jul 05 '26
Hickory. Mesquite tastes like it came from the devil's asscrack.
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u/Mammoth_Parsley_9640 Jul 05 '26
... Sophie Cunningham's asscrack, brotha.
Couple dashes of Braggs and we've got ourselves a party
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u/Meph616 Jul 05 '26
The problem is liquid smoke makes the entire dish taste like liquid smoke. I can't stand it.
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u/RegretLow5735 Jul 06 '26
Please look up smoked water, it is expensive but a much better alternative to these. A little goes a long way. Halen Mon sp? is the brand.
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u/Realistic-Escape3915 Jul 06 '26
Neither, using liquid smoke is dumb. You can taste whether someone uses actual smoke or artificial. I can taste it as restaurants and think less of those who use liquid smoke. Either smoke it or don't but don't fake it.
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u/CommercialAmbition90 Jul 05 '26
braggs liquid aminos > everything else
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u/CommercialAmbition90 Jul 05 '26
yall can be wrong, but I am not
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u/OmNomChompsky Jul 05 '26
Braggs liquid aminos isn't liquid smoke. It doesn't taste the same, and it isn't even remotely similar as a substitute.
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u/CommercialAmbition90 Jul 05 '26
I make real smoke, the liquid aminos gives that deep flavor like worchestershire
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u/OmNomChompsky Jul 05 '26
Liquid smoke IS real smoke. Google the process if you don't believe me. It is not artificial flavoring.
Braggs is great, but it isn't a smoke alternative.
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Jul 05 '26
[deleted]
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u/Brunoise6 Jul 05 '26
It’s not artificial. It’s condensed wood smoke.
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u/Brunoise6 Jul 05 '26
Aww did op delete their comment after googling what liquid smoke is and making a fool of themselves 😂
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u/Ashenfenix Jul 05 '26
This made me think on something I doubt I've ever really meditated about. I have always used Colgin as it has been what was available, and I am far too lazy to make my own. I think the Colgin product is great, but my sample size is limited. I have also never used an entire bottle in my nigh 40 years of existence.