Smoked Paprika Powder
Regular paprika is dried and ground. Smoked paprika is dried over wood smoke first, which gives it a depth that can make a simple roasted chicken taste like it came off a real fire.
What It Is
Smoked paprika comes from Spain, where red peppers are slowly dried over oak wood before being ground into a fine, brick-red powder. The smoke is not added after the fact; it is baked into the pepper itself during drying, which is why the flavor holds up through long cooking.
It comes in sweet, bittersweet, and hot styles. The sweet version is the most common and the most versatile. It brings a savory, campfire quality to food without heat, which makes it useful in a lot of places where plain paprika would disappear.
What To Do
Rub it onto chicken, pork, or fish before roasting or pan-frying. Stir it into tomato-based soups and stews early in cooking so the smoke has time to settle into the broth. It is the key seasoning in classic Spanish chorizo and a natural fit for deviled eggs, hummus, or roasted potatoes. A pinch on top of a finished dish adds color and a whisper of smoke.
Start with half a teaspoon and taste as you go; it is not hot, but the smoke can get heavy-handed fast. Store it away from light and heat, and use it within a year for the best color and flavor.
