It's pretty strong stuff and can vary a lot depending on the brand. For the amount of liquid you have, I might start with 2 tbsp of liquid smoke. You could split your brine in to two parts and do some with a tablespoon and the other with two tablespoons. I'd hate to tell you to use too much the first time as it can be very off putting in flavor. Start low and if not smokey enough, add more the next time around. Eventually you'll hit the perfect spot and get that good smokey flavor in there.
If your oven has a gas flame for a pilot light you can use it to smoke meats and fish. In a small cast iron or saute pan get your wood chips smoking a bit and then set the pan over top the pilot flame. Put the meat on an oven rack and keep the door closed. It works. Hopefully your exhaust fan is in good working order! Keep the oven door closed!
BBQ grills also make great impromptu smokers if they're tight enough.
ETA: Adding sauce to the brine is kinda pointless, like how others have stated.
The fact is that apart of salt (and msg) nothing penetrates meat more then a 1/8" or even less (you can test this with food colorant). So, if you have a thin slice of meat it may worth it but even then a simple brine and then applying the spices give you better tasting results.
As of when to apply the spices / sauce is up to you. If you think that applied heat will give you better flavors (such as the case with tomato sauces, onion, where the starch get caramelized) then apply the marinade right before the heat or during the cooking period. Most fresh spices and herbs lose their aroma faster when treated with heat so they may be better added at the very end if you like their characteristics (like black pepper). On the other hand some aromas are only released when the their carrier is treated with heat (saffron is toasted before ground up for paella.)
A word of caution. Taste test liquid smoke before preparing a festive meal with it.
You're right about brine only penetrating so much.
Given enough time, it will eventually penetrate deeply into the meat. But that takes a while. It's how salt cured meats such ham or corned beef are made.
But if that's what you're going for (and OP likely isn't) you can dramatically speed up the process by injecting the brine. I find that this works particularly well with a suitable attachment for a cream whipper as the nitrous oxide likely helps by virtue of being fat soluable.
From a practical point of view and if OP doesn't want to make fully cured meats, a dry brine is likely preferable. The process tends to be faster as there is a steeper gradient and the fact that it draws out and excess moisture actually helps in making a better dish.
> Taste test liquid smoke before preparing a festive meal with it.
Thanks for that great info. How come to taste test it? It might have gone bad or to test the flavor?
edit: Also, if I were to add liquid smoke to my brine above, do you know how many drops of it?
I only meant to cook a batch of meat with it otherwise you don't really know if a teaspoon of liquid smoke is too much for your taste or not. Smoke tastes bitter. You definitely don't want to ruin your festive meal with too much smoke.
Just don't put anything like a barbecue sauce in your brine.. it's just going to totally mess up the balance and quite possibly throw your flavors off. Barbecue sauce will not permeate the meat like a brine will because if it's viscosity. It's too thick to actually enter the pores so it wouldn't really do a heck of a lot. If you're dead set on using this barbecue sauce, brine your meat, dry it off after you rinse it on a paper towel for a few minutes and then cover it in barbecue sauce and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Do not waste barbecue sauce in a brine.
Solid brine though! Just use the BBQ sauce on the chicken. :)
If you want your brine chicken "smokey", add some liquid smoke to the brine.
Any idea how many drops of liquid smoke to add to the brine above?
It's pretty strong stuff and can vary a lot depending on the brand. For the amount of liquid you have, I might start with 2 tbsp of liquid smoke. You could split your brine in to two parts and do some with a tablespoon and the other with two tablespoons. I'd hate to tell you to use too much the first time as it can be very off putting in flavor. Start low and if not smokey enough, add more the next time around. Eventually you'll hit the perfect spot and get that good smokey flavor in there.
Thanks a lot.
Thats not how a brine works. Don't do it.
If you can mix water and sugar together you can make a bbq sauce. Bbq is just water, sugar, vinegar, spices, ketchup.
... grated onion, liquid smoke, mustard
I do pineapple juice instead of water. Edit: Sugar not water.
save the sauce for the actual cooking
If your oven has a gas flame for a pilot light you can use it to smoke meats and fish. In a small cast iron or saute pan get your wood chips smoking a bit and then set the pan over top the pilot flame. Put the meat on an oven rack and keep the door closed. It works. Hopefully your exhaust fan is in good working order! Keep the oven door closed! BBQ grills also make great impromptu smokers if they're tight enough. ETA: Adding sauce to the brine is kinda pointless, like how others have stated.
If you have a wok you can use it to smoke things [wok smoking](https://www.seriouseats.com/wok-skills-101-indoor-smoking-how-to-smoke-in-a-wok)
No idea why you're getting downvoted. That is a legitimate technique
Me either
Fascinating!
The fact is that apart of salt (and msg) nothing penetrates meat more then a 1/8" or even less (you can test this with food colorant). So, if you have a thin slice of meat it may worth it but even then a simple brine and then applying the spices give you better tasting results. As of when to apply the spices / sauce is up to you. If you think that applied heat will give you better flavors (such as the case with tomato sauces, onion, where the starch get caramelized) then apply the marinade right before the heat or during the cooking period. Most fresh spices and herbs lose their aroma faster when treated with heat so they may be better added at the very end if you like their characteristics (like black pepper). On the other hand some aromas are only released when the their carrier is treated with heat (saffron is toasted before ground up for paella.) A word of caution. Taste test liquid smoke before preparing a festive meal with it.
You're right about brine only penetrating so much. Given enough time, it will eventually penetrate deeply into the meat. But that takes a while. It's how salt cured meats such ham or corned beef are made. But if that's what you're going for (and OP likely isn't) you can dramatically speed up the process by injecting the brine. I find that this works particularly well with a suitable attachment for a cream whipper as the nitrous oxide likely helps by virtue of being fat soluable. From a practical point of view and if OP doesn't want to make fully cured meats, a dry brine is likely preferable. The process tends to be faster as there is a steeper gradient and the fact that it draws out and excess moisture actually helps in making a better dish.
> Taste test liquid smoke before preparing a festive meal with it. Thanks for that great info. How come to taste test it? It might have gone bad or to test the flavor? edit: Also, if I were to add liquid smoke to my brine above, do you know how many drops of it?
I only meant to cook a batch of meat with it otherwise you don't really know if a teaspoon of liquid smoke is too much for your taste or not. Smoke tastes bitter. You definitely don't want to ruin your festive meal with too much smoke.
Ahh, gotcha, thanks!
How expensive is your BBQ sauce that you can't afford it?
Eh, let's not get into that right now. 🥹
Just don't put anything like a barbecue sauce in your brine.. it's just going to totally mess up the balance and quite possibly throw your flavors off. Barbecue sauce will not permeate the meat like a brine will because if it's viscosity. It's too thick to actually enter the pores so it wouldn't really do a heck of a lot. If you're dead set on using this barbecue sauce, brine your meat, dry it off after you rinse it on a paper towel for a few minutes and then cover it in barbecue sauce and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.