How Is Liquid Smoke Made?
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About Liquid Smoke
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Liquid smoke is a bottled substance designed to give foods a smoky flavoring without actually going through the smoking process. It is added to barbecued foods like fish or meat, and provides a variety of different flavors based on the woods the smoke is created by burning. While many people believe that liquid smoke is made from synthetic compounds to imitate the correct flavors, liquid smoke is in fact derived from real smoke.
Process
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First wood chips are harvested from the correct woods, which include apple, pecan, hickory and mesquite. These woods are thoroughly soaked in water and then heated at high temperatures in carefully enclosed spaces. The high temperatures and tight spaces cause the chips to burn slowly, releasing smoke particles into the air.
The smoke is then channeled out of the combustion chamber and into a condenser, which cools it, along with other gas particles, until it changes from a gas to a liquid. It is usually combined with water at this point. The liquid is then carefully refined to make it more usable and passed through a filter to strain out large or unhealthy particles. The resulting solution is allowed to mature for a set time, then bottled and sold.
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Application
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There is discussion on the safety of using liquid smoke, and whether it can be dangerous to the heath of consumers. Opponents say that carcinogenic materials and other dangerous particles that are trapped in the liquid smoke can enter the body more easily. Proponents claim that liquid smoke, no matter how it is made, is healthier than the regular smoking of meats or vegetables because most of the smoke particles are strained out either through filters or by passing the smoke through water.
Users of liquid smoke should also be careful of the amount they use on foods. Unlike real smoking effects, which only penetrate part way through the food and have a wide window of maximum effectiveness, liquid smoke is highly concentrated and must be applied sparingly. A small amount can add the desired flavor, but too much can easily ruin the food.
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