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Ingredients to Add a Smoky Flavor

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If you’re in a rush, it’s too cold outside, or you don’t have access to a smoker, don’t worry! Try these quick and easy ingredients to add a smoky flavor to your dishes.

Ingredients To Add A Smoky Flavor

Smoky Ingredients

Smoked Paprika

Smoked paprika, also known as pimentón, and is made from dried and smoked red peppers, providing a distinct smokiness. The peppers are typically smoked over an open flame, which imparts a distinct smoky flavor to the spice.

How to Use Smoked Paprika

  • Dry rubs and seasonings
  • BBQ sauces and dips
  • Soups, stews and chilis
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Rice dishes
  • Sausages

Smoked Olive Oil

Infused with smoke, it’s perfect for drizzling over meat, fish, vegetables, and cheeses, adding to dressings or marinades, or sauteing.

How to Use Smoked Olive Oil

Use it as a “finishing oil” similar to how many restaurants drizzle oil on foods.

Smoked Peppers & Powder

A variety of peppers such as Chipotle, Ancho, Ghost Pepper peppers can found smoked and in powder form. There are also many smoked pepper blends that combine pepper varieties.

The most common smoked peppers are Chipotle Peppers. These are smoked and dried jalapeño peppers with a mix of smoky, sweet and fruity flavors, with a moderate to hot level of spiciness. Chipotle peppers are used in several forms including dried whole peppers, in canned adobo sauce and powder form.

How to Use Chipotle Peppers & Powders

  • BBQ ribs and other meats and seafood
  • Mexican recipes such salsa, rice, tacos and burritos
  • Meat marinades and dry rubs
  • Dips, sauces, glazes, and marinades
  • Soups, chili, and stews
  • Salads
  • Pastas
  • Spiced vegetables and potatoes

Smoked Salt

Smoked salt is smoked slowly until the salt crystals have captured its uniquely woody flavor. Varieties vary based on the type of food wood used and common types of wood include hickory, mesquite, applewood, and alder.

How to Use Smoked Salt

Smoked salt is best used to finish a dish.

  • Roasted Vegetables
  • Meat rub
  • Steak, chicken, burgers and fish
  • Pasta sauce
  • Egg dishes
  • Popcorn and nuts
  • Desserts
  • Cocktail glass rimmers

Smoked Cheese

Smoked cheese is a delicious ingredient that can add a rich, smoky flavor to a variety of dishes. Any cheese can be smoked but more popular smoked cheeses include smoked cheddar, gouda, chevre, or mozzarella.

How to Use Smoked Cheese

Smoked cheeses are ideal for grating or melting over dishes for added smokiness.

Liquid Smoke

Liquid smoke is produced by capturing and cooling the smoke from burning hardwoods, such as applewood, mesquite, or hickory and then condensing it into a liquid form. It’s a quick and easy way to add a smoke flavor without the need for traditional smoking methods. Most commonly you’ll find apple, mesquite, or hickory liquid smoke but there are also other types of smoke flavors plus creative combinations such as hickory with hints of habanero, chipotle or jalapeño peppers.

How to Use Liquid Smoke

Smoke Flavor Seasoning

Smoked flavor seasoning, also referred to as smoked flavor powder, is a convenient powdered blend designed to infuse your dishes with a natural smoke flavor, all without the need for a smoker. It is typically made by condensing and drying the smoke from burning wood or other sources, such as hickory, mesquite, or applewood. There are also smoke seasoning blends and all-purpose seasonings such as Trader Joes South African Smoke Seasoning Blend, Kingsford Original All Purpose Seasoning, plus many more.

How to Use Smoked Flavor Seasoning

  • Dry rubs
  • Dips, sauces and marinades
  • Seasoning
  • Smoked snacks
  • Jerky
  • Barbecue

Black Cardamom

Unlike green cardamon, black cardamon is roasted over a fire to dry it out resulting in a unique and smoky flavor. The pods are typically used whole, ground into powder, or lightly bruised to release the aromatic seeds.

How to Use Black Cardamom

  • Curries and other Indian recipes
  • Tibetan, Nepali, Vietnamese, and many other Asian dishes
  • Spice blends
  • Yogurt sauces or pasta sauces
  • Marinades, pickles, and braised dishes
  • Baked goods such as cookies
  • Chai teas and lattes
  • Lentil or daal recipes
  • Rice pilaf
  • Stews

Smoked Bacon

Smoked bacon is a type of bacon that has been cured and smoked to impart a distinct smoky flavor.

How to Use Smoked Bacon

Chopped bacon added to the recipe is one of the best ways to transfer the smokiness from the bacon to the dish.

Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

Lapsang Souchong is a Chinese black tea that is smoked over pinewood fires and is known for its distinctive smoky flavor. The smoky flavor comes from the drying process, where the tea leaves are withered, rolled, and then roasted or smoked.

How to Use Lapsang Souchong

Lapsang Souchong can be used as a base for sauces and marinades, ground into a powder or combined with other spices, or used as a broth or brine.

  • Flavoring liquid for broths and sauces
  • Rubs and brines
  • Soups
  • Infused (cooked in) grains or beans
  • Hummus
  • Baba ghanoush
  • Flavored Butter or oil
  • Chocolate desserts and cookies and cakes
  • Infused into cream or milk for custards, ice creams, or panna cotta
  • Cocktails

Black Strap Molasses

Black Strap Molasses is a thick and dark syrup that is not only sweet and bitter but also has a hint of smokiness. It is made from boiling sugarcane juice or sugar beets, resulting in a concentrated, viscous sweetener. Due to its high mineral content such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium and vitamins and antioxidants, it is often considered a more nutritious sweetener option.

How to Use Black Strap Molasses

With its strong and distinctive flavor, start with small amounts and adjust according to your taste preferences.

  • BBQ sauce
  • Baked beans
  • Sauces and glazes
  • Salad dressing
  • Stir-fries and roasted vegetables
  • Peanut butter cookies and gingerbread cookies
  • Cakes, pies, muffins, and breads
  • Coffee, tea or hot chocolate

Smoked Ham

Smoked ham is cured with a mixture of salt, sugar, and sometimes other seasonings and then smoked. Similar to smoked bacon it’s a versatile ingredient to add to many dishes where a touch of smokiness is desired.

How to Use Smoked Ham

  • Soups, stews, sandwiches and sliders
  • Side dish with breakfast or brunch
  • Frittatas and quiche
  • Pizza and flatbread
  • Casseroles and hash

Smoked Sausage

Smoked sausage is seasoned, cured, and smoked and comes in various forms and varieties, often shaped by regional and cultural influences. Popular smoked sausages include kielbasa, bratwurst, European style and Cajun style andouille, chorizo, and smoked polish sausage. Smoked sausage is a nice addition to a wide range of dishes, adding depth and richness to the overall flavor profile.

How to Use Smoked Sausage

  • Stews, soups, jambalaya, or gumbo
  • Pasta and rice dishes
  • Stir fry
  • Pizza, sandwiches, or wraps
  • BBQ smoked sausage
  • Skillet recipes
  • Shrimp and grits
  • Dips
  • Cajun and creole dishes such as jambalaya

Smoked Bourbon or Whiskey

Smoked bourbons and whiskeys are variation of traditional whiskeys where they are infused with smoky flavors. It is made by aging whiskey in charred oak barrels during the aging process. These smoked liquors can be a delightful addition to many culinary creations including glazes, marinades and sauces.

How to Use Smoked Bourbon or Whiskey

  • BBQ sauce
  • Caramel sauce
  • Glazes on salmon, chicken and other meats
  • Chocolate truffles
  • Meat marinade
  • Hot sauce
  • Infused syrups
  • Bourbon and whiskey cocktails
  • Neat or On the Rocks

Mezcal

Mezcal is a type of tequila made from agave plant but a key distinction between the two liquors is the distinctive smoky flavor. The smokiness comes from the production process mezcal that includes roasting the agave hearts over an open fire.

How to Use Mezcal

  • Grilled shrimp
  • Salsa and guacamole
  • BBQ sauce
  • Steak marinade
  • Margaritas and cocktails
  • Mezcal infused desserts
  • Sip it neat or in a traditional clay copita

More Smoked Ingredients

Here are a few additional ingredients and foods you can already smoked and ready to add to a recipe.

  • Smoked Peppercorns
  • Smoked Oysters
  • Smoked Nuts
  • Smoked Salmon

Discover more ways to add a smoky flavor without a smoker.

Monique McArthur
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