Mesquite is a hardwood with a sweet taste and rich aroma used in cooking and furniture. It produces edible seed pods and is grown commercially. However, it can also suffocate other species and is considered a weed. Native Americans used the seeds to make flour, wine, and jelly. Mesquite is available in chipped and plank form for cooking, but food-grade mesquite should be used.
Mesquite is a form of hardwood that is distinguished by its aromatic wood. In the smoke, wood is used to create a sweet taste and rich aroma; it can also be used in the barbecue. In addition to producing culinaryly useful wood, trees and shrubs also produce edible seed pods that can be used in a variety of ways. The flavor is so distinctive and sought-after that many markets carry mesquite chips for grilling and smoking, along with artificial flavors meant to mimic it.
The word comes from the Spanish mezquite, which in turn is taken from a Nahuatl word, mizquitl. More formally, the plant is known as a member of the genus Prospis, in the pea family. Several commercially valuable species are grown, including Honey Mesquite and Velvet Mesquite.
Depending on one’s point of view, mesquite is either a commercially valuable plant or a weed. It is adapted for the hot, dry conditions abundant in Central America and has a specially engineered root system that is designed to target groundwater. As a result, the plant can endure conditions that others cannot, potentially suffocating other species. Because mesquite is quite prickly, farmers and gardeners often find themselves struggling to contain it.
Like other legumes, these plants produce distinctive pods. Native Americans ground the seeds into a flour that was typically mixed with other flours in baked goods for a nutty taste and aroma. The pods can also be fermented to make wines and can be specially treated to create a distinctive jelly. The leaves were historically used as animal fodder, while both the branches and roots can be burned as fuel for aromatic cooking.
In addition to being used in cooking, mesquite can also be used in furniture. Plants sometimes develop very intriguing grained woods that can take a high polish and a lot of abuse as home furnishings. Mesquite furniture is sometimes available in regions where the plant grows wild, as is untreated wood for the purpose of making craft projects.
If you plan to use mesquite in cooking, you can purchase it chipped, which is ideal for smoking and grilling. It also comes in the form of grilled planks; be sure to use food-grade mesquite, as wood for carpentry is sometimes treated with chemicals to make it resistant to water and insects. For best effect, soak the chips and planks before using, making sure they heat up slowly and impart their flavor over a long period of time.
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