# Liquid Smoke or "The Real Deal?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Anova Precision® Cooker\ **Created:** [September 18, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412 "2017-09-18T01:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlyssaWOAH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/alyssawoah/32/2946_2.png) [@AlyssaWOAH](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AlyssaWOAH)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/1 "2017-09-18T01:37:41Z")
**No, not this kind of smoking…** ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/anova/original/2X/3/33bd59a219ab44c7ea37faf8951cd51b58d7f0c9.gif) _(omgahh a GIF in a forum.Why!?)_ In all seriousness, I am really curious about your thoughts on the two. I recently tried steak that had a smoky flavor, but the traditional smoking method was not used. Not gonna give away my thoughts on this (at least not now). Wanted to know what you guys think about the two. ---
**Author:** ![john.jcb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/john.jcb/32/7269_2.png) [@john.jcb](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/john.jcb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/2 "2017-09-18T14:41:57Z")
I have never tried liquid smoke. I have a nice smoker in the back that I have always used. I have heard that it does work pretty well if you follow the directions. ---
**Author:** ![AlyssaWOAH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/alyssawoah/32/2946_2.png) [@AlyssaWOAH](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AlyssaWOAH)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/3 "2017-09-18T17:55:22Z")
I also tried sous vide tri-tip that was seasoned with dry rub that gave off a very distinct smoky flavor. It was the first thing I picked up at first bite. Last week we were talking in the office about everyone’s preference, seems like nobody could agree. This made me curious to what everyone else thought about this and their experience. ---
**Author:** ![Ember](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/ember/32/729_2.png) [@Ember](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/Ember)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/4 "2017-09-19T02:33:14Z")
I’ve used a smoked butter, or a compound butter with smoked preserved lemon in it to impart some smoke and tang post sear or even smoked salt for steaks. I do have a smoking gun, but haven’t been enthused to date by the outcome. Large pieces of meat will go in the smoker cabinet. Not tried liquid smoke. ---
**Author:** ![kentatas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@kentatas](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/kentatas)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/5 "2017-09-19T09:14:13Z")
> [@john.jcb](#): > > I have never tried liquid smoke. I have a nice [smoker](https://smokerreviewsratings.com/) in the back that I have always used. I have heard that it does work pretty well if you follow the directions. What type or brand of smoker that you have now? > [@Ember](#): > > I’ve used a smoked butter, or a compound butter with smoked preserved lemon in it to impart some smoke and tang post sear or even smoked salt for steaks. > > I do have a smoking gun, but haven’t been enthused to date by the outcome. Large pieces of meat will go in the [smoker](https://smokerreviewsratings.com/smoker/9/) cabinet. > > Not tried liquid smoke. I saw some people also use liquid smoke. It seems to give some special flavor, but don’t know if it is good for health or for taste. ---
**Author:** ![john.jcb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/john.jcb/32/7269_2.png) [@john.jcb](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/john.jcb)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/6 "2017-09-19T12:40:11Z")
I have a Traeger pellet smoker and a Brinkman that I won at an outing. Both do a good job but the Traeger is a lot less work especially on a long cook like pork shoulder or brisket. ---
**Author:** ![acs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/acs/32/855_2.png) [@acs](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/acs)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/7 "2017-09-19T13:33:07Z")
I’ve used both. Liquid smoke sucks. There is simply no comparison between it and what you get from actually smoking meats or any other foods. The worst smoker I’ve owned turned out better tasting smoked foods than any brand of liquid smoke, or even home made liquid smoke (easy to do, look up the Alton Brown Good Eats episode) ever could. I get it why some people have to use it because of situations like being somewhere that you can’t have a smoker (apartment complexes for example). Smoked salt isn’t bad, but it’s hard to find one that actually has decent smoke in, or rather on, it. The other problem with smoked salt, is well, that it’s salt. You have to be careful not to overuse it. ---
**Author:** ![AlyssaWOAH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/alyssawoah/32/2946_2.png) [@AlyssaWOAH](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AlyssaWOAH)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/8 "2017-09-19T15:48:44Z")
> [@kentatas](#): > > I saw some people also use liquid smoke. It seems to give some special flavor, but don’t know if it is good for health or for taste. What about liquid smoke might be bad for health? ---
**Author:** ![AlyssaWOAH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/alyssawoah/32/2946_2.png) [@AlyssaWOAH](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AlyssaWOAH)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/9 "2017-09-19T15:51:35Z")
It seems like from the conversation going on elsewhere on this very topic is that liquid smoke can yield great results - when used carefully. Too much, and you’ve got something that doesn’t taste right. A little off topic, but I did enjoy the steak I had that was made with a smoky rub. Very good, couldn’t tell the difference. But I think it would be worth doing a side-by-side test with multiple methods at the same time to really pick out the subtle distinctions. ---
**Author:** ![Ember](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/ember/32/729_2.png) [@Ember](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/Ember)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/10 "2017-09-19T20:57:46Z")
The current health scientist talk is that ANY smoke is bad for you, liquid, real or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![acs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/acs/32/855_2.png) [@acs](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/acs)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/11 "2017-09-22T02:45:24Z")
> [@AlyssaWOAH](#): > > It seems like from the conversation going on elsewhere on this very topic is that liquid smoke can yield great results Can’t argue with the internet. ---
**Author:** ![AlyssaWOAH](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/alyssawoah/32/2946_2.png) [@AlyssaWOAH](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/AlyssaWOAH)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/12 "2017-09-22T17:45:28Z")
The internet is always right. Always. ---
**Author:** ![acs](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/acs/32/855_2.png) [@acs](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/acs)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2017, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/13 "2017-09-23T21:38:06Z")
And it’s the home of the emulsified sausage! ---
**Author:** ![wapretorius](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.anovaculinary.com/wapretorius/32/516_2.png) [@wapretorius](https://community.anovaculinary.com/u/wapretorius)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.anovaculinary.com/t/liquid-smoke-or-the-real-deal/9412/14 "2017-09-24T19:17:55Z")
The real deal. I find liquid smoke to have a chemical taste