I saw a special on Liquid Smoke and how it is made and Andy's right, Liquid Smoke is actual smoke. I don't remember if it is bubbled through water or condensated, but it's pretty pure stuff. I'm not sure where the chemical taste came from. Maybe you didn't like the flavor (which was just hickory back then)? It is strong stuff though. A little goes a long way.
Before I had my smoker and now have wood chips around, I would set a pie tin on one of my grill's burners with water and several drops of LS in it. It added a nice hickory flavor and I even used to get smoke rings on my ribs.
Before I had my smoker and now have wood chips around, I would set a pie tin on one of my grill's burners with water and several drops of LS in it. It added a nice hickory flavor and I even used to get smoke rings on my ribs.