The Ultimate Guide To Liquid Smoke + Liquid Smoke Recipes

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The most popular variety of liquid smoke is hickory. Hickory liquid smoke is the distinctive, intensely smoky flavour of American BBQ. It’s wonderful paired with slow-cooked pork butt, added to a marinade for oven-cooked ribs, or brushed onto a steak before grilling. With this smoke, a little goes a long way!

Pecan liquid smoke is a little softer flavour-wise than hickory. Pecan has an intense sweet-spicy smoke flavour, and is great with beef, chicken and pork. It is also a firm American favourite with turkey. Try using the pecan liquid smoke to balance against sweet caramel in desserts.

What can I use instead of liquid smoke?

Liquid smoke is the way to achieve a true, smoky flavour in seconds. It’s a versatile ingredient as it can be used in marinades and sauces as well as being brushed onto food directly.

Another key benefit of liquid smoke is its concentration. A little goes a very long way.

Instead of using liquid smoke, you can follow a traditional cooking method and slow-smoke on a BBQ, or cold smoke. 

Another way to achieve a smoky, American BBQ flavour is to use smoked chipotle chilli powder. The powder is easily absorbed into sauces, and can also be used as a seasoning, with a pinch adding great depth to stews, burgers, and spiced vegetables or in dry-rubs for barbecued food. 

It’s also worth considering smoked oils. These are best used in sauces and drizzles, or as a dip for bread, however they offer a warm, smoky flavour. 

Liquid smoke recipes

To cook with the liquid smoke, brush onto steaks, chicken, burgers, or hot dogs for a tangy outdoor smoky flavour. Or add a few dashes to marinades, sauces, baked beans, dips, seafood, eggs, or poultry - to create instant campfire warmth, even when cooking in an oven, or on an indoor stove.

Below are some of the ways we cook with liquid smoke:

Kalua Pork Belly

Traditionally kalua pork is made using pork shoulder, which is cooked slowly in an underground barbecue pit, before being shredded. Our recipe uses pork belly, cooked until juicy and tender, in a low oven before being finished under the grill to provide the added bonus of crisp crackling. Using liquid smoke gives the pork traditional barbecue flavours. Try our kalua pork belly recipe here. 

Easy Smoky Pulled Pork

Pulled pork is a great American classic. It’s an instant crowd pleaser, as well as being an easy and economical way to feed large groups. This recipe uses the US cut, ‘pork butt’ (or 'Boston roast') which quite literally falls apart after cooking. Traditional American barbecue dishes are rich with wood smoke flavours, and we’ve achieved these by using hickory liquid smoke diluted with white wine vinegar. Try our smoky pulled pork recipe here. 

Smoked Gin Martini Bacon Cocktail

For this elegant cocktail, we’ve paired aromatic gin with vermouth, a few drops of pecan liquid smoke and a streaky bacon garnish. The smoky warmth of pecan sits well against salty bacon and citrusy spirits. Try our smoked gin martini bacon cocktail recipe here. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe With Pecan Smoke Caramel

Classic sticky toffee pudding is sweet and warm from dates, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. We've used pecan liquid smoke to create a tangy, outdoor smoky flavour with a hint of nuttiness. Just a few drops of liquid smoke transform the sticky toffee sauce with a sweet-spicy smoke flavour. Try our sticky toffee pudding with pecan smoke caramel recipe here. 

Shop all liquid smoke, and try our best BBQ and smoking recipes.