What Does Mesquite Actually Taste Like?

Summertime and backyard grilling are pretty much synonymous. Yet, grilling can sometimes be intimidating, with all the different grills and tools, and then there's choosing the right type of wood for smoking meat. One such grilling term you may have seen on menus, bags of wood chips, or barbecue marinades, is mesquite.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is mesquite, what does it taste like, and how does it differ from other grilling ingredients like hickory? Here are the answers you need. Harvested from mesquite trees that grow in desert regions throughout the Southwestern U.S. and Central and South America, mesquite typically comes in two main forms: mesquite wood, or a powder ground from bean pods that grow on the trees. 

Though Indigenous populations have long ground mesquite pods into flours to make foods and medicinal teas, today mesquite is mostly known for making flavorful barbecued meats and veggies. The powdered form, when added like a spice to make a rub, basting sauce, or marinade, has a flavor that's smoky, sweet, and slightly nutty, with notes of caramel.

Mesquite wood, on the other hand, is best for imparting flavor when grilling, and can be quite intensely smoky and earthy, compared to more mild woods like hickory. While this intensity is a great thing for the hearty flavors of red meat (ask any dedicated Texas beef brisket aficionado), mesquite can sometimes be too robust for foods like fish, where it can be too bitter and overpower more nuanced flavor profiles.

Even though mesquite wood can add quite a pronounced flavor, don't let that hold you back from experimenting with this flavorful ingredient in various formats and grilling applications. When using mesquite wood to smoke meat, it's important to keep a close eye on the wood as it burns — or combine it with other types of wood — since it can burn out quickly and impart bitterness instead of the desired subtle smokiness. Grill with whole pieces of mesquite wood, chunks, or pellets, to give your barbecued food its characteristically smoky sweetness. 

Mesquite sold in powdered form is great for incorporating into seasoning blends, and is particularly flavorful when combined with brown sugar and used as a rub for meats, veggies, or mesquite chickpea burgers. The bold, molasses mesquite powder flavors are ideal for grilling foods that go well with a hint of sweetness, like a marinade for moist chicken drumsticks. 

Make your own mesquite marinade with the powder, or buy one to spice up your food. McCormick and other spice brands sell mesquite marinade mixes and even mesquite liquid smoke that can be used in recipes like freshly-made salsas. Dry mesquite seasoning blends often consist of sugar, salt, and natural flavors extracted from mesquite smoke, along with other spices. You can simply hydrate them in water and oil (or even beer) to make a marinade or a flavorful sauce for grilled mesquite beer brats.

The best way to get to know the depth of the savory, smoky, and sweet flavor that mesquite imparts is to experiment with it on the grill, or in other cooking applications throughout the year. To make your own mesquite seasoning, combine mesquite powder with brown sugar, smoked or sweet paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, and hearty herbs like rosemary. Compliment the sweetness of mesquite with some flaky salt.

You can also make a mesquite marinade by combining water, oil, soy sauce, and spices with the ground form, adding a bit of maple syrup or molasses to boost its warm, slightly saccharine flavors. Or play around with adding a few dashes of liquid mesquite smoke to your marinade blend. Note that liquid smoke varieties made with natural flavors can vary in taste and are more likely to focus on the smoky notes of the wood, as opposed to the more nuanced spice hints you'll get cooking with the powdered form.

Sear mesquite-seasoned beef burgers, zucchini, or gamey meats like duck or turkey while slowly burning mesquite wood. Smoke ribs over a wood-fired or electric smoker using mesquite, or a blend of mesquite and milder woods like hickory from walnut trees or oak to balance out the intensity of mesquite smoke. Once you know the strong, flavorful world that mesquite can bring, you'll want to keep infusing your meals with its complex, smoky taste.