Liquid smoke impregnated peelable fibrous food casing article

A fiber-reinforced cellulosic casing article having between about 40% and about 65% moisture content based on the dry cellulose weight, a first ketene dimer peeling aid coating on the casing inner surface with said ketene dimer having two alkyl groups of at least eight carbon atoms, a second wood-derived tar-containing liquid smoke coating superimposed on and impregnated into the first ketene dimer peeling aid coating in sufficient quantity to provide a casing absorptive index of at least about 0.4 at 340 nm wavelength, and said tar having a single mode mass spectrometric distribution below about 400 atomic mass units precipitated in the first and second coatings and within the casing wall, said tar-containing liquid smoke having a light transmittance at 590 nm of less than 50%.