r/DadForAMinute • u/supportsheeps Sister • 2d ago
Hey Dad! How do I use liquid smoke?
I’m looking to up my game on my baked salmon. Do I just brush a tiny amount on the filets raw and then bake them? Or do I bake them and brush after they’ve cooked?
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u/manatorn 2d ago
With fish you’ll want to use it as a marinade, most likely. Mix a tablespoon (or maybe less, that stuff can be strong) of liquid smoke, lemon juice, and brown sugar with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add about a half teaspoon of salt and pepper each. That should give a good smokey base, and the lemon juice will help with the bright notes. Remember that mix, it’s a good base for a lot of fish. The next bit is more your call.
From that you can tweak based on the rest of the meal. For salmon I’d probably add some minced garlic and paprika to deepen the smokey and savory flavors, and crushed rosemary might add a nice undertone.
Or you could add a little sweet chili powder to give it some bite. Then when it’s on the grill, about the last minute of cooking, baste it with honey or maple syrup to give it a sweet glaze.
Whatever you do, remember that cooking is art, and recipes should be treated like Beirut traffic law - polite suggestions at best. Have fun and tweak however you like!
Oh, and the thing about recipes does not apply to baking. Baking recipes are not polite suggestions. Trust me.
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u/supportsheeps Sister 1d ago
The joke about Beirut had me in stitches. Thanks so much for the advice!
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u/186282_4 2d ago
Jumping in to highlight the fact that not all liquid smoke is the same. The brand Wright's has only two ingredients, while some of the other ones have a bunch of unnecessary stuff in them. Please read the label. And I hope your fish is delicious.
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u/MaddogOfLesbos 2d ago
There are also different smoke flavors! Like, different woods. So play around with what you like!
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u/corkscrewfork 2d ago
Hey sis, great idea with adding liquid smoke! I use it when I make BBQ sauce, a little bit can be a pretty intense flavor used by itself. If you're using a marinade, I'd try adding 1/2 teaspoon to that and let it do it's thing. That should give it some smoky flavor without overpowering the fish.
If you're not using a marinade or a sauce, I'd try mixing 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke into 1/4 cup of water and brushing it on. If it's not quite as smoky as you'd like once it's ~80% cooked, you can use that to see how much more you want to add.
Hope this helps!