Author Topic: Liquid Smoke  (Read 20865 times)

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Liquid Smoke
« on: October 10, 2009, 08:29:52 PM »
Does anyone use liquid smoke?

I am curious where it is best to buy, or if there are differences between a cheese smoke and other food smokes.

My curiosity comes from an amazing gouda I made a month ago.  It has the texture and flavor of a store purchased smoked gouda called DUTCH STYLE.  I figured I would like to try and match that cheese by adding the smoke.

GBoyd

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2009, 12:40:15 AM »
It might work, but I've had a bad experience with it.

Be very careful with the amount you add. Even a tiny bit can overpower all other flavors. Also, experiment with brands because some just don't have a good flavor to begin with.

Were you planning on adding it to the brine or to the cheese itself?

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2009, 10:59:55 AM »
Baby Chee, I've seen many different bottles in the local large grocery stores here in Houston, TX but have never used. In addition to GBoyd's ideas you could wash the rind with it. I don't know how concentrated it is but I assume you would dilute first?

Also, liquid is while easier, there are many posts here on natural smoking cheese. Let us know if you go for it.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2009, 11:24:51 AM »
Hey guys, my idea was to add it to the milk before or with the starter so it gets a very even distribution in the curd.

I'll definitely try it in about a month when I do a large cheese making fest, mostly gouda in 3.5 to 4 gallon batches.  Natural smoking seems far more consuming and expensive while the liquid seems very easy and inexpensive. 

Stuff on line has a wide variety of cost vs. volume, so I assume something like Wright's smoke (sold by the gallon for the price of others selling 100ml) is fairly diluted.  I'll go to the grocery store and check out the smokes they have there, as well as studying liquid smokes online.

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2009, 03:22:38 PM »
As far as I know there is only one brand that is actually labeled with the trademark "Liquid Smoke".

I have used it several times now, primarily with Goudas. But I have also used it in Havarti and Cheddar. The first time I added WAY too much to a Gouda. Fresh curd was just awful. However, after aging for 60+ days the smoke flavor mellowed considerably. Still not a great cracker cheese but it was a fabulous grating cheese.

I now pour off most of the whey and add 2 teaspoons of Liquid Smoke to the remaining curds & whey. I then scoop up the curds and press under whey as normal. I have thought about adding the L.S. in the beginning so it would be trapped in the curd matrix, but I'm not sure how/if that would effect curd formation.

I understand cold smoking but I don't have access to a smoker. When you're smoking meat, the smoke permeates throughout the meat. But it seems to me that smoke can't possibly penetrate as well on a hard natural rind cheese.

If you are doing a waxed rind cheese, Liquid Smoke seems to be the only practical way to get a smoke flavor unless you want to remove the wax, smoke, and then re-wax.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2009, 07:26:31 PM »
SCQ--what brand did you use?

I'll try a run with the smoke in the milk prior to starter and rennet and let you know if it works or kills the chemical reactions.  That will be a month away though when I have a visitor helping me do a lot of cheese.

My thoughts on smoking were the same: real smoke probably doesn't permeate as well.

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2009, 09:23:11 PM »
Wright's Concentrated Hickory Seasoning - Liquid Smoke. Only one in the local grocery stores.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2009, 09:38:20 PM »
Good to know.  I am worried about having to go through 5 or 6 brands to find one which isn't horrid, but I can start with Wright's.

How big of a batch were you adding 2 teaspoons to? 

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2009, 10:20:03 PM »
Baby Chee, like your thinking!

So hit the local grocery store here, no Wright's Brand Liquid Smoke available, Wright's is a product line of New Jersey based B&G Foods.

What was available was Colgin's brand of Liquid Smoke, I bought Hickory instead of Mesquite for USD1.19. I was expecting a chemical product but ingredients say not and Colgin's website says it's smoke that has been distilled, their process flow picture here. B&G Food's says theirs is made similar way.

Will post here when use it.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2009, 10:52:47 PM »
Excellent!  Let us know where you added it in the process.

Hopefully they have some Wright's here; this land is a big game and smoking region.  It'd be nice to have a soft smokey flavor in my goudas.

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2009, 01:30:58 AM »
How big of a batch were you adding 2 teaspoons to?

I make 4 gallon batches that fit a 7-1/4" mold.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #11 on: October 17, 2009, 11:09:20 PM »
Yesterday I found some liquid smoke in Walmarts, but it is a different make.  It smells terrific, but I'll have to play around to get the dosing right when I begin using it.

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2009, 07:55:32 PM »
Do you have a soldering iron? Throw some fruit or nut wood chips in a tin can and put a soldering iron in the can. Put the cheeses on a rack and put a box with a few holes punched around the sides and top, on top of the rack. Wait about 30 minutes and check you cheese.

Baby Chee

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2009, 08:34:08 PM »
I'm trying to get my head around that idea.  Wouldn't the wood burst into flames and the fruits just fizzle?

Yesterday I was at another supermarket and they had Wrights, so I got Wrights.  Got two bottles of smoke now.  If they don't work for me, I can use them on cooking items.

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2009, 10:08:03 PM »
I'm trying to get my head around that idea.  Wouldn't the wood burst into flames and the fruits just fizzle?

Yesterday I was at another supermarket and they had Wrights, so I got Wrights.  Got two bottles of smoke now.  If they don't work for me, I can use them on cooking items.

I think DejayDebi meant wood fruit fruit trees or nut trees. So apple, cherry, pecan, walnut, etc. If you use a low heat like a 25W soldering iron, the wood wouldn't really burst into flames. The can also prevents good air circulation, so there's not enough oxygen for the wood to really ignite.