How to Build a Liquid Smoke Collector

Bottle the smoky flavor of outdoor cooking with the right tools.

Liquid smoke adds a culinary kick to dishes that you wouldn't normally smoke. From oven-roasted pork shoulder to grilled salmon, a few drops of liquid smoke can change a dish from mundane to marvelous. While most grocery stores carry bottles of liquid smoke, if you make it yourself, you control the strength, the purity and the flavor of the final product. Making your own liquid smoke means having a supply of this concentrated flavor as close as an outdoor fireplace.

Things You'll Need

• Outdoor fireplace with chimney
• 2-foot aluminum dryer vent pipe
• 10-inch aluminum bundt pan
• 9-inch aluminum mixing bowl
• 2 wooden skewers, 12-inch
• Cellophane tape
• Aluminum foil
• Zip top bag
• 2 cups ice
• Charcoal
• Hickory wood chips

Instructions

Assembly

1. Wrap a thick ring of aluminum foil tightly around the vent pipe 6 inches from the bottom.

2. Wrap a thick ring of aluminum foil tightly around the top of the pipe, so it's flush with the pipe's edge.

3. Insert the bottom of the vent pipe into the fireplace chimney. The foil ring should rest on top of the fireplace chimney to prevent the pipe from sliding into the fireplace.

4. Set the bundt pan upright on the top of the vent pipe. The top aluminum foil ring should provide a stable seat.

5. Place the wooden skewers 6 inches apart across the rim of the bundt pan. Tape the skewers to the pan.

6. Lay the aluminum mixing bowl upside-down on the wooden skewers. There should be a gap between the rim of the mixing bowl and the rim of the bundt pan to allow air flow.

Making the Liquid Smoke

1. Soak the hickory wood chips overnight in water.

2. Fill the fireplace with charcoal, then ignite according to the manufacturer's directions.

3. Load the wood chips onto the charcoal.

4. Fill the zip top bag with 2 cups of ice. Seal the bag.

5. Place the bag of ice on the mixing bowl. The chilled bowl will begin to condense the smoke into liquid smoke. The liquid smoke will collect in the bundt pan.

Tips & Warnings

• You can expect 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke per 15 minutes of burning.

• Filter the liquid smoke with a cheesecloth or strainer to remove impurities.

• Try different wood chips to change the flavor. Apple and mesquite are popular choices.

• Never leave a fire unattended. Not only is it dangerous, but it is also illegal in many areas.