# Making Liquid Smoke. Need Advice.



## smokin-aces (Jan 9, 2013)

I am wondering if any of you make liquid smoke and if so how do you do it? I have attempted this and was semi successful.

I tried several different ways before finding one that seemed to work. First I boiled some dripping "tarrish" cresote in some water, NOT Good!

Next I tried to harvest exhaust liquid in a bottle similar to how moonshine is distilled, Also NOT good!

Last I put a pot of water in the smoker for about 3-4 hours and that was the trick. After I let it sit in the house, covered, for a couple weeks I filtered it and tried it on food. The only problem is I am kind of afraid that I let it sit too long and it may have bacteria in it. I have read that liquid smoke manufacturers age the product before bottling.

So how do any of ya'll make liquid smoke? I have a feeling that boiling it after it ages is necessary, however I didn't want to make the entire house smell of smoke.

I appreciate any input. I realize that I could buy this at the store, but why would I if it is basically a waste product everytime I smoke. Just add water. 

By the way, I don't know if this topic belongs here, but I didn't see any forums labeled "liquid smoke" so I decided "Sauces, rubs, & Marinades" was the next closest thing.


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## kathrynn (Jan 10, 2013)

SA....I have never tried that before. I do have a cookbook for sauces and the like. I will look at it tonight and get back to you if I find anything. I looked in the past posts..didn't find anything either.


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## bama bbq (Jan 10, 2013)

I saw Alton Brown do it on TV once.  I imagine if you search Food Network you'll find the video.

The principal is the fire causes smoke which travels up the chimney though the hole in a bunt pan, hits the cold pie plate (cooled by a ziplock bag of ice), and condenses into a liquid which is collected in the bundt pan.


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## goinforbroke (Jan 10, 2013)

I heard somewhere that the way the liquid smoke people make "liquid smoke" is by aerating water with smoky air.  Now, don't quote me on this cuz I didn't look it up or anything (yet).. but I immediately thought.. ok..  a) make some smoke.   b) get a fish aquarium pump or some other air pump device and put it in a smoke chamber.  c)  pump smoky air bubbles through a column of water.    Liquid smoke.    d) please tell me you're also smoking some actual meat too while going through all this trouble in the mean time!


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## linguica (Jan 10, 2013)

Just watched the video on You Tube. The principal is simple, just condense the moisture in the smoke. The rub, he didn't say what kind of wood and how much. He just threw a handful of shredded wood into one of those outdoor ceramic fireplaces. A little shy on procedure, even for AB.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 10, 2013)

GoinForBroke said:


> I heard somewhere that the way the liquid smoke people make "liquid smoke" is by aerating water with smoky air.  Now, don't quote me on this cuz I didn't look it up or anything (yet).. but I immediately thought.. ok..  a) make some smoke.   b) get a fish aquarium pump or some other air pump device and put it in a smoke chamber.  c)  pump smoky air bubbles through a column of water.    Liquid smoke.    d) please tell me you're also smoking some actual meat too while going through all this trouble in the mean time!


This should work as this is similar to how it is done commercially. Here is the segment from Good Eats. It is at the end of segment one and the beginning of segment two, link below the video...JJ


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## alien (Jan 10, 2013)

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Liquid-Smoke


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## alien (Jan 10, 2013)

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Liquid-Smoke


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## smokin-aces (Jan 11, 2013)

GoinForBroke said:


> I heard somewhere that the way the liquid smoke people make "liquid smoke" is by aerating water with smoky air.  Now, don't quote me on this cuz I didn't look it up or anything (yet).. but I immediately thought.. ok..  a) make some smoke.   b) get a fish aquarium pump or some other air pump device and put it in a smoke chamber.  c)  pump smoky air bubbles through a column of water.    Liquid smoke.    d) please tell me you're also smoking some actual meat too while going through all this trouble in the mean time!


Looks good! And yes I am only doing this while I am smoking meat.. I just am trying to maximize the smoking process and get a product that will allow me to smoke food while not around my smokers.

Thank you for the input... By the way, the way I have done it is by putting a large pot of water in the smoker and let it "cook" for a few hours, filter and bottle. It produces smokey water. My biggest concern is how to boil the water without smoking up the whole house. The boiling process is to kill bacteria and what not.


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## goinforbroke (Jan 11, 2013)

cool..   

I assume there's some sort of reduction in the process to concentrate the flavor.  Maybe you can put that smoky liquid in a sauce pan on the outdoor grill to evaporate, and leave the scents outside, or maybe there's a camp stove laying around waiting for some love.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





    Sounds like a fun cooking experiment.   Might try it myself.


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## smokin-aces (Jan 11, 2013)

GoinForBroke said:


> cool..
> 
> I assume there's some sort of reduction in the process to concentrate the flavor.  Maybe you can put that smoky liquid in a sauce pan on the outdoor grill to evaporate, and leave the scents outside, or maybe there's a camp stove laying around waiting for some love.
> 
> ...


When I did it (the one and only time I've done it) I left the smoked water in the same pot, covered and in the house for about 2 weeks, which concentrated the smoke somehow. That is why I think there could be some bacteria living in it. I like the camping grill idea By the way.


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## donr (Jan 15, 2013)

Use a baking sheet with a lip and use a very thin layer of water.  This would maximize your surface area to volume ratio.  Less reducing required.

The thinner the layer of smokey water you have in the pan the quicker it would evaporate.  If you put said baking sheet on a gas grill when warming it up for other use, it should evaporate fairly quickly.

Don


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## cliffcarter (Jan 15, 2013)

smokin-aces said:


> I am wondering if any of you make liquid smoke and if so how do you do it? I have attempted this and was semi successful.


What advantage do you expect to gain by making liquid smoke? For less than $2 you can buy it at WalMart, no muss, no fuss and Mama's pots and pans don't need a special scrubbin'.


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## smokin-aces (Jan 15, 2013)

cliffcarter said:


> What advantage do you expect to gain by making liquid smoke? For less than $2 you can buy it at WalMart, no muss, no fuss and Mama's pots and pans don't need a special scrubbin'.


Just thinking about it being a waste product. I am not trying to save money, I am just trying to challenge myself and be able to make it myself. Just a curiosity of mine that's all


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