Make your own Liquid Smoke? (Alton Brown)

Smoked Signals · June 2005

Has anyone ever tired to make liquid smoke ala Alton Brown?
For an egg it would be a bunt pan (facing up) on top of the chimney opening with a ruler across and a slightly smaller bowl (facing down) on top of that. Cover the entire thing with ice to condense the smoke and ta da ... liquid smoke. I thought this was really cool but wondered if anyone ever tried it.[p]Doug

Essex County · June 2005

Smoked Signals,
I saw him do this on his show last night. While it was pretty neat that he could make a teaspoon or so of liquid smoke with a chimera full of wood, the whole process looked pretty cumbersome. Assuming you already had the chimera, and the bundt pan, all you need to buy is about 6 feet of chimney pipe! This is one product where I think "buy" beats "make". But maybe the liquid smoke you can make is better...let me know if you find out![p]Paul

Smoked Signals · June 2005

Essex County,
I'm gonna skip the pipe and just add more ice and keep the temperature really low on the large. I'll let ya know.[p]Doug

Unknown · June 2005

Smoked Signals, Here is something I use for liquid smoke and you don't have to go through all the hassle ala Alton Brown. [p]Buy some white mushrooms and place them cap down on your cooking grate to start out. Cook indirect at grate level temperature between 250-275ºF. I like to use cherry wood for smoke flavoring, but pecan or hickory will do in a pinch. After 15 minutes cooking time, turn them cap side down. Check them again in ten minutes time. The mushrooms are done when they are soft to touch or "squishy."[p]Once the 'shrooms are off the Egg, place them in a glass jar and refrigerate. There will be some liquid in the jar once the mushrooms have cooled. This liquid is rich in smoke flavor and can be used to give recipes that smoke flavor you are seeking.[p]Now, what to do with all those mushrooms? I like to chop them up add them to Campbells Cream of Mushroom soup along with some chopped slices of cherry smoked bacon. The slices work good in casseroles too. One of my favorite ways to use them is to cut them in half and deep fry them in a tempura batter. That way I get the best of both worlds, smoked and fried.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy[p]

J Appledog · June 2005

Yum, Juggy; thanks! Julie

Unknown · June 2005

You are most welcome, Julie. In my haste to finish that message so I oould get out the door, I made an error in my post...........[p]The mushrooms start cap side and finish cap side UP! I start them cap side down as I feel they catch more smoke this way and finish them cap side up so the liquids stay inside the cap.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

DTM · June 2005

Yo the Juggster,
Looks like another great tasting experiment waiting to happen. Gonna have to do that ramped up soup thing w/ bacon....thinking maybe some enchiladas suizas w/ some smoked chicken....and maybe fire roast the poblanos...and
How strong is the musroom juice compared to the bottled?
Thanks my friend.
Dan

Unknown · June 2005

It is always good to hear from you, Dan! One thing I forgot to mention is you can squeeze the mushrooms to get a little more juice out of them while they are still warm. As for comparing this to liquid smoke, it isn't nearly as strong, but it isn't as bitter either. Still a little will go a long ways in a neutral dish like a casserole that you would not normally associate with having a smoke flavor.[p]Funny thing that you mentioned the bacon. I usually cook the white mushrooms when I cook bacon. Speaking of chicken reminded me of one of my favorite sandwiches that I haven't cooked in a while.[p]Take a cooked boneless/skinless chicken breast and cut in half through thickness of the breast. This way you get two sandwiches that are easier to eat. Top with sliced smoked mushrooms with a slice and one-half of bacon and top with cheese. Then microwave at reduced power until the cheese has melted and the chicken is hot. If needed you can heat the chicken, mushrooms and bacon seperately and then top the chickend with the cheese of your choice. I like mine on a Kaiser roll with a dallop of Griffin's Sweet Deli Mustard.[p]Hope you are staying cool and getting plenty of rain up there in Montana. The only time it rains down here is when I cook at a BBQ contest.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

HolySmokes · June 2005

Smoked Signals,[p]I've made some powder I label that way; simple colored peppers (i.e. yellow, red) with no heat, but smoked until nearly dry absorb HUGE amounts of smoke flavor; if then dried in a food drier and ground, the only discrenable flavor is that of the smoke, not of the peppers.
HolySmokes

Make your own Liquid Smoke? (Alton Brown)

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