I have and use both the Hickory and Mesquite powders. I got them both from The Spice House in Chicago. I use them sparingly in sauces, gravies, rice dishes (very good in spanish style rice), sauteed veggies. Basically things I wouldn't be smoking, but want a hint of smoke flavor. It is a little different than actually smoking because it's a different process. I likem' for what I do with them. They are not intended to take the place of the real thing and I think that's where people get put off, because they are using this stuff on a butt they cook in the crock pot expecting it to taste like the real thing. Ain't gonna happen. If it was that easy everybody would be doing it. I say use this stuff on what you don't smoke. I've even put it in grits, that's pretty good too.
Here's what it says on the bottles: Hickory - The natural smoke from a hickory burning fire is spray dried onto a malt-sugar base. Mesquite - Pure mesquite smoke flavor taken from fire smoke, spray-dried onto a natural corn flour base.
