Homemade liquid smoke recipes. liquid smoke at home

Mushroom lovers know that the beginning of autumn is a great time to pick these wonderful plants. During this period, all mushrooms give a huge harvest. At the beginning of autumn in the forest you can find a lot of porcini mushrooms, honey mushrooms, boletus, chanterelles, etc. Admirers of this product go to the forest with great pleasure, and then make mushroom preparations.

It is very convenient to salt them, because later they can be consumed both raw and fried or stewed. In general, salting is the best way to preserve this product. The most important thing here is to strictly follow the rules of salting and then the dish will be tasty and fragrant.

They mainly salt mushrooms, greenfinches, chanterelles, milk mushrooms, butter, boletus, honey mushrooms and mossiness mushrooms.

When salting, it is very important to follow all the recommendations exactly, because jokes are bad with this product.

How to pickle food at home

Before salting, the following procedures must be performed:

  1. Training. To begin with, all types must be sorted by variety, since it is not recommended to salt different types together. In extreme cases, you can pick up those that have approximately the same taste. For example, mushrooms, russula and milk mushrooms.
  2. Cleaning. After you have carefully sorted through everything, you can start cleaning. It is necessary to carefully rid them of dirt by rinsing under cold water. Then soak in water overnight and put in a cool room.
  3. Slicing. After soaking, the mushrooms must be cut. In lamellar species, the legs are cut off, but, for example, in mushrooms, they are left. Large mushrooms should be cut into pieces so that the length of one piece is no more than 6 cm.

Directly salting is carried out in three ways:

  • cold;
  • hot;
  • dry.

Only agaric mushrooms are salted cold. Tubular, as a rule, are not salted in this way. For them, hot pickling is ideal. So, it is not necessary to boil lamellar species before salting. These mushrooms include volnushki, milk mushrooms, valui and some others. Before the procedure, they are soaked in cold salted water for several days. For example, mushrooms and russula can not be soaked. Water needs to be changed several times a day. After soaking, rinse again under cold running water.

Prepared products are laid out in layers no thicker than 5 cm with hats down in clean enameled dishes. It is advisable to put currant leaves on the bottom of the container. After that, the mushrooms should be well salted. You can also add garlic, dill, bay leaf and allspice here for a more aromatic smell. Then cover with a clean cloth, put a circle on top according to the shape of the dishes and apply oppression. Mushrooms should be kept in this form for several days in a cool room.

It is very important to ensure that they are always covered with brine. You can eat such mushrooms no earlier than 1-1.5 months after salting. In no case should you risk trying a pickled mushroom earlier, because you can get poisoned, and, as you know, mushroom poisoning is very serious and dangerous. You should not risk your health, it is better to wait a bit, and when the time comes, calmly eat salty food.

Further actions

In a hot way, you can salt lamellar and tubular mushrooms. The processing of lamellar species in this case is identical to that carried out with the cold method. Tubular just needs to be cleaned. Oils are recommended to be blanched in a solution of citric acid and salt, and then cooled. After that, the ingredients ready for salting are put into a clean spacious dish, poured with water and put on a small fire. From time to time they need to be stirred and remove the foam that forms on top. At the end of cooking, the mushrooms should settle to the bottom.

Then they are thrown back on a sieve so that the water is glass. Then they spread it in layers no thicker than 5 cm in a clean dish, salt it well and add various spices and spices. From above, the dishes should be covered with a clean cloth, put a circle and oppression, and then put in a warm place. After a few days, the mushrooms are transferred to a cool place. You can use them only after 1-1.5 months.

In the dry way, only mushrooms and pods are salted. First, the mushrooms are cleaned, and then simply wiped with a clean cloth. You don't need to wash them. After that, they are laid in rows in clean dishes, salted, covered with a cloth and oppressed. It is necessary that the juice comes out from under the oppression and covers the mushrooms on top. In such mushrooms, a fresh natural aroma and spicy taste are preserved. That is why they do not need additional spices. Already after 7-10 days, this pickle can be eaten.

Salting mushrooms: the subtleties of the procedure

There are some subtleties of the procedure that require salting mushrooms for the winter. It is advisable to take them into account so that the product turns out to be tasty, fragrant and piquant. Of course, every housewife has her own salting recipes, proven over the years. However, there are some points that are important with any technique:

  1. It is best to salt agaric mushrooms, for example, mushrooms, russula, milk mushrooms, etc.
  2. When salting in a dry way, it is necessary that the ratio of salt and mushrooms be 6%. When salting in a hot and cold way, it is desirable to observe a ratio of 3.5-4.5%.
  3. Pre-blanching should be done with the cold pickling method in hot weather.
  4. With hot salting, it is advisable to boil the mushrooms several times, and in different waters.
  5. Before eating salty foods, be sure to rinse and soak them in cool water.
  6. It is best to use barrels or tubs for salting.
  7. Food should be stored at a temperature of 0-4 ° C.

Liquid smoke is a flavoring that mimics the smell of smoked foods. It is produced in the form of a liquid, powder (concentrate), as a component in ready-made marinades based on wine, juice or vinegar. Products treated with liquid smoke acquire a completely reliable smoking effect, indistinguishable from natural. However, there is no actual smoking as a process, so the often used expression "smoking with liquid smoke" is inaccurate. There is an imitation, a feeling of processing in a smokehouse, nothing more.

For most food manufacturers, the use of liquid smoke is beneficial as it reduces time, reduces costs, and eliminates the labor-intensive and unstable natural smoking process.

What is liquid smoke made of?

The manufacture of liquid smoke is carried out by sublimation of the smoke obtained by smoldering sawdust of hardwood. Conifers are not used because of the large amount of resin combustion products. There is synthetic iron, which is a combination of chemicals (phenols, acids, carbonyl compounds). Synthetic HD is considered to be less safe and may pose a health risk, although no evidence of harm has been documented.

Harm of liquid smoke

The opinions of experts on the medical indicators of liquid smoke differ. Some argue that all the most harmful substances are concentrated in it, and the use of liquid smoke is an extremely dangerous step. Others, on the contrary, recommend preferring HD to natural smoking due to greater safety. How dangerous iron is depends on the quality of cleaning during manufacture, but it should be borne in mind that natural smoking introduces a complete list of combustion products without exceptions. That is, even not the highest quality cleaning of the hard drive gives a much safer result. In addition, we must not forget that natural smoking and pickling are completely different processes, in the first case, heat treatment with conservation takes place, in the second, pickling, which gives flavor and aroma.

While the sensations are similar, the results are different. Philistine ideas often depict iron oxide as an extremely dangerous and harmful chemical compound that threatens with all possible troubles, but such fears are based on ignorance of the composition and production methods. An excessive amount of ID is certainly unhealthy, but an overdose will spoil the taste of food and simply no one will eat it.

liquid smoke application

Liquid smoke is used as a flavoring and flavoring additive in marinades, in brine for lard or fish. By itself, HD is not used, as it has a too pronounced concentration and in large doses can spoil the taste of food. The average amount of HD is about a teaspoon or tablespoon per several liters of brine or marinade. There are many recipes for preparing this or that product with the participation of ZhD, realistically simulating smoking, but practical application requires skill and the correct dosage.

With the widespread use of iron in the mass production of food products, it is used much less frequently in everyday life, and the reason for this is the lack of awareness of people about the properties and possibilities of seasoning. Nevertheless, it is in home cooking that the railway most fully reveals its capabilities.

Liquid smoke how to make for smoking

To prepare lard, you need to make a brine at the rate of 6 tbsp. HD and salt per 1 liter of water. You can add your favorite spices, peppercorns, bay leaf, etc. to it. A piece of 0.5 kg of lard is placed in the brine, brought to a boil, and then cooked over low heat for about an hour. Then the fat is taken out of the brine, dried and rubbed with red pepper.

A marinade made from mayonnaise, garlic and DD is often used to prepare various chicken dishes.

All that is required is to spread the chicken wings, thighs or breast with marinade, stand for some time (at least half an hour), cook in the usual way in the oven or on the grill. The result is a complete analogy of smoked chicken.

natural liquid smoke

Natural iron is a condensate of smoke released during smoldering of sawdust from an apple tree, bird cherry, beech, pear and other hardwoods. This method of production provides an imitation of the smell and taste of traditional smoking without the use of smokehouses. This type of hard drive is much preferable to the alternative - synthetic hard drive, which is a combination of chemical elements, since the accuracy of maintaining proportions is a matter of technology and responsibility of the manufacturer, and smoldering and condensation is a physical process that flows stably and predictably.

What can replace liquid smoke

Making liquid smoke at home is too complicated, it's easier to buy ready-made. However, there are several hard drive replacement options that can be applied at home. These ways can be:

  • A mixture of curry seasoning, mayonnaise, garlic and soy sauce. Coat with mixture, marinate for several hours.
  • A mixture of green and black tea and rice with sugar. Wrap in foil and place under the cooking meat to create smoke that causes a semblance of smoking.
  • Foil and matches. Wrap a dozen matches tightly in foil, wrap one end of the resulting tube tightly, leave the other open. Freeze the glass, place the tube in it so that it does not touch the bottom. Set fire to the wrapped end to ignite the matches. With the right actions, a lot of smoke is released, and all harmful substances settle on the walls of the glass and are cut off from the composition.
  • Cigarette smoke. A method similar to the previous one, only cigarettes are used as a source of smoke. Not suitable for everyone.

All methods give only an approximate result, and it is impossible to predict in advance how well everything will turn out. Therefore, it is more correct to buy a ready-made hard drive in a store.

Liquid smoke production

The smoke released during the burning of hardwoods condenses and is passed through the water, forming a solution free from tar particles and ash. Then the solution is purified from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in other words, from carcinogens. It turns out a semi-finished product, which is brought to full readiness by distillation, creating the desired concentration and mixing with food additives and additional flavors.

After that, the product is kept for a certain time to complete all current processes, and is poured into containers for sale. It should be noted that the composition of liquid smoke is medically much safer than those substances that enter products during natural smoking, in particular, this concerns the presence of carcinogenic combustion products.

Where is liquid smoke sold?

You can buy liquid smoke in most grocery stores in the departments for various sauces, ketchups, etc. There is no shortage, railway is always available. The product does not have any landslide demand, so sometimes you have to look for it on the shelves of the store, but you can buy it almost everywhere.

Liquid smoke is an aqueous extract obtained from the incomplete combustion of wood. With it, you can get a taste of the product, similar to smoking. Liquid smoke can be used concentrated or diluted for all kinds of dishes. Producers of meat delicacies, sausages, smoked meats have long since switched to this method. You can get fragrant meat no worse than barbecue, you can season the soup at home.

A few drops of liquid smoke can be added to hodgepodge, pea soup, fish soup. At the same time, the first dishes acquire a barely noticeable taste of smoked meat. Fish is fried with the addition of this extract. 10-15 grams of smoke is taken per kilogram of fish. You can also smoke herring by rubbing with salt, 40 grams of liquid smoke, pepper. Place tightly in an enamel bowl and keep for 2 days. Shish kebab at home will turn out no worse than on wood, if the concentrate is diluted in water and used as a marinade. The meat is then roasted in the oven or in a frying pan.


Fried chicken will turn out with an exquisite taste of smoked meat when it is sprinkled with brine, consisting of half a glass of water, 40 grams of liquid smoke, and salt.


Smoke extract can be added to any main dishes to taste. Even steamed vegetables will be spicier with a few drops of liquid smoke.


With the help of liquid smoke, you can diversify your table and give ordinary dishes a new taste and aroma. It will also simplify the process of smoking fat, meat, fish.

Liquid smoke is a special food seasoning that is made from concentrated natural smoke and water. A flavoring agent is added to meat and vegetables in order to give the products a characteristic taste and special aroma. It is usually used on a large scale. However, to create a unique characteristic smoky taste, everyone can use liquid smoke at home.

seasoning composition

Natural dietary supplement contains only smoke and water. However, depending on the manufacturer, it may also be seasoned with vinegar, various flavorings, dyes or salt.

In addition, the smoke has different aromas, which may differ slightly in taste depending on which wood was used to make the seasoning. For example, pecan smoke goes wonderfully with seafood, and apple tree smoke is a great addition to smoked ham.

Liquid smoke is added as a sauce or barbecue marinade before, during or after cooking. In addition, food seasoning is used for dressing snacks and fried vegetables.

Benefit and harm

Since liquid smoke has appeared on the market relatively recently, before using it for food, you should understand and find out its pros and cons.

The positive qualities of dressing include the fact that it does not contain fat and calories. Thus, it automatically becomes useful for those who monitor the state of their body weight.

Sawdust-derived smoke has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that, when added to meat ingredients, significantly reduce bacteria and increase shelf life. This happens due to the content in the smoke of various organic acids that lower the pH and destroy the cell walls of bacteria that are in the meat product.

The negative qualities include the lack of vitamins, nutrients and calories in the composition. In this regard, the smoke does not bring any benefit to the body and does not represent any nutritional value.


Side effects that occur when eating a special food seasoning are still being studied by scientists. Despite the fact that liquid smoke is cleaned of tar and tar, people have serious allergic reactions to it.

How to prepare and serve

Before buying a liquid, you should carefully read the label to make sure what additional elements are present in the dressing and whether they will affect the taste of the prepared dish as a result.

To avoid various incidents, food seasoning can be prepared independently. For this, the following recipes are used:

  1. Liquid smoke is prepared using spices. To do this, mix soy sauce, curry dressing and mayonnaise. Mix everything until a homogeneous consistency is obtained, add chopped garlic and mix thoroughly again. In such a marinade, as a rule, fish, meat or other products are soaked.
  2. The liquid smoke effect can be created using foil. To do this, it must be folded in several layers, add a teaspoon of rice cereal, tea and sugar. Mix everything and cover with foil. When preparing a dish, a foil roll should be placed under it. The smoke emitted from the package will be able to smoke meat or fish, giving the prepared product a pleasant aroma and an unforgettable taste.

In addition to the above recipes for preparing food seasoning, you can use another method that is not very useful and not acceptable to everyone. Let's explain why. Cigarette smoke should be released into a glass cooled in the refrigerator. Harmful resins settle on its walls, and the smoke itself, with which the ingredients are processed, remains inside and gives the products a rich aroma.


Received or purchased smoky liquid must be used by adding a few drops to cooked dishes. Natural smoke is very concentrated. In the event that the consumption of foods with food seasoning becomes a regular procedure, it can lead to peptic ulcer disease or various other diseases.

Mode of application

Food seasoning is quite simple to use. As a rule, there is an instruction on the packaging label, which should be read before using the smoke. In order to create a dish with a smoked flavor, you need to add a couple of drops to the marinade, and then lightly fry the meat product. The result is a delicious kebab that is almost indistinguishable from meat cooked over a fire.


In addition, smoke can be used to cook fish. To get mouth-watering smoked pieces of herring or mackerel with liquid smoke at home, just add a few drops of food seasoning to the fish, after a short period of time the product will acquire a light smoked flavor. It doesn't take much effort to do this. In addition, you do not need to spend extra money on a smokehouse.

smoked fish recipe

Fish prepared according to this recipe is a favorite dish of many gourmets. It goes wonderfully with both beer and any side dish.

For this, the following ingredients are useful:

  • fish - 1 pc.;
  • liquid smoke;
  • potatoes - 1 pc.

Practical part

The cooking process should begin with careful preparation of the fish. It must be washed, cleaned and, if necessary, gutted. Then you should do the preparation of the marinade. Place pre-peeled potatoes in a separate container, pour water, add salt and constantly stir the water. Do this until the potatoes float. When this happens, fish can be put into the solution and left for a while in a cool place under pressure.


When the fish is well salted, it must be washed and left to dry for several hours. After that, you can start smoking. The prepared product must be completely filled with smoky liquid. If large fish is used for smoking, it should be held in smoke for a couple of minutes. For small fish, one minute is enough. The final stage in cooking is hanging the fish in a cool place. This procedure takes about a day.

Salo cooking

To prepare lard with liquid smoke, you first need to pickle the product. To do this, pour 100 g of salt, a little spices and parsley into one liter of water. Bring the brine to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes. After that, add 6 tablespoons of smoky liquid. Place the lard in a separate container, pour over the brine and close the lid tightly. The smoking process lasts for 12 hours.


The next step is wiping the fat with a dry cloth and rubbing the product with pepper and garlic. It is better to store smoked lard in a refrigerator, packed in cellophane.