How To Make Mozzarella Taste Smoked Without A Smoker

Smoky slices of mozzarella cheese can bring an added depth of flavor to recipes, but you don't need to fire up your smoker or get the grill going to achieve the same smoky taste. Admittedly, smoking cheese in a smoker or grill comes with its own set of complications, like choosing the right kind of wood and maintaining the proper temperature. Cheese can melt and requires your attention to ensure the quality of the smoke, but J. Kenji López-Alt shared an easier way to mimic the flavor without having to strike a match with Serious Eats. 

You'll need to submerge slices or balls of mozzarella in liquid smoke and either a milk-based or liquid amino or soy-sauce broth well in advance of your intended recipe. The longer you let the ingredients get to know each other in this smoky-flavored bath, the stronger flavor the cheese will develop. Keep in mind you won't need much of the liquid smoke to impart flavor, only one half to one teaspoon added to the marinade you have created for your mozzarella.

Though you'll need to plan in advance for this creative approach to making smoked cheese — pieces of mozzarella cheese need at least one hour in its smoky bath to absorb these added flavors — you'll be rewarded with a smokier homemade pizza and more satisfying spoonfuls of mac and cheese. We suggest soaking more cheese than what you think you'll need for tonight's menu and setting aside the leftovers to use throughout the week on sandwiches or grated on top of plates of soft and fluffy scrambled eggs.

If you don't already have liquid smoke stocked in your pantry, take this opportunity to fill your pantry with the stuff as soon as possible. Aside from using the ingredient to add a smoky taste to the buffalo mozzarella you picked up from the store, you can also use liquid smoke to flavor vegan dishes and bring extra vibrancy to store-bought hot sauce.