cold smoking cheese

[picksbigwagon]

Okay, looking at the weather reports for this week, especially wed-fri. the temps look good for some cold smoking of cheese. Has anyone here ever cold smoked cheese? I plan on using my propane smoker (without the propane) and then using my pellet smoker box to create the smoke. How long should I smoke the cheese for? I am guessing at least 8 hours for the smoking process

I was going to try some gouda, mild white cheddar and some jalepeno jack cheese. If I could get a piece to hold together long enough, I would try some blue cheese but it is a crumbly cheese, maybe if I had a fine stainless steel mesh I could try it....

[pushbutton]

Think you might need an unbiased 3rd party to taste it to see if it needs more time or smoke....so where do you live?....can bring my kid over and he can bother you on your days off from the kids. Also, have never done this and looking forward to the responses.

[picksbigwagon]

I have three kids of my own as tasters, plus another 17 kids in the cul de sac plus numerous adults who eagerly stand in my driveway and make small talk while eyeing the smoker. One in particular will come outside every half hour to see if I am taking the food off yet or not.

[thirdeye]

Okay, looking at the weather reports for this week, especially wed-fri. the temps look good for some cold smoking of cheese. Has anyone here ever cold smoked cheese? I plan on using my propane smoker (without the propane) and then using my pellet smoker box to create the smoke. How long should I smoke the cheese for? I am guessing at least 8 hours for the smoking process

I was going to try some gouda, mild white cheddar and some jalepeno jack cheese. If I could get a piece to hold together long enough, I would try some blue cheese but it is a crumbly cheese, maybe if I had a fine stainless steel mesh I could try it....

Your plan sounds good....Here are the 4 basic things I think are important.... Start with quality cheese, keep your smoker (or smoke chamber) as cool as you can, take it easy on the smoke, and understand what mellowing is all about. I can break these down a bit further.

1. Tillamook brand cheese is my favorite for smoking, and I buy the 2 pound bricks as the are easy to slice into manageable blocks.

2. I prefer cool days and will move my smoker into the shade, or use an ice tray below the cheese to keep the smoke cool. If my cheese gets too warm, I will move it into the fridge to cool it down then return it to the smoker. To much heat will sweat the milk fat to the surface, so after you turn your cheese, look at and smell your fingers... If they are oily and smell strong, your smoker and your cheese is too warm. If you see a noticeable color change, or if the cheese starts to deform.... your smoker and cheese is too warm.

3. My current favorite smoke generator is a A-Maze-N tray which uses sawdust, however I used a Big Chief electric for 25 years. My secret with the Big Chief was using the small chips in amounts of a couple of tablespoons at a time..... unplugging the smoker every 15 or 20 minutes..... and either rigging a box smoke chamber on top.... or using blocks to keep the the top lid open about 1/2". I have not tried the tin can and soldering iron method.

4. Cheese is dense and needs time to take on smoke. If the smoke is too heavy you will get a bitter layer on the outer surface. You want a light smoke for several hours.

5. Mellowing allows the smoky flavor to even out and become smoother. However, you should be able to sample your cheese throughout the smoking time, and it should be edible without any mellowing. and remember the outer layer will have a stronger flavor. Most importantly, different cheeses have different absorption rates, and the size of the blocks will make a difference. Mellowing can be from 2 days to 2 weeks or longer, so about 12 hours after smoking I will sample it and make a mental note of the flavor. This allows me to guesstimate a reasonable mellowing time. Sometimes after the sample it's not smoky enough... no bid deal, give it another smoke session. Shelf life is in your favor, smoked cheese lasts a long while.... well, sometimes it does.

6. I keep good notes including, outside temps, smoking wood, smoke time, and flavor observations at 1 day, 3 days and 5 days. I also jot down comments from folks I give some to.

[OnAFly]

I've never done it, but that sounds awesome. I used to get smoked sharp cheddar once in a while. That stuff was outstanding. Let us know how it worked when you get done. I might have to give this a try.

[Jim Uran]

look at and smell your fingers...

[picksbigwagon]

thirdeye, I am using an amazen pellet tray, not the sawdust tray. I think they are well, amazing

I will have it set in the shade next to the house or, if I am lucky, use it while it is overcast out, but I can always shade it with a tarp too.

[picksbigwagon]

Okay, started at 11:30. Using sharp cheddar, aged gouda and something called Lake cheese. I am figuring a 4 hour smoke for all this cheese.......

[OnAFly]

How do you like the pellet tray? Do the holes clog up like the dust tray ones do? How long of a smoke do you get out of it?

[picksbigwagon]

If I light one end about 7-8 hours, 4-5 hours when I light both ends. Nothing clogs at all, smokes great

[OnAFly]

I might have to invest in one of those. I've been borrowing my neighbors dust one a couple times, but it clogs pretty bad, so I end up poking out all the holes afterwards.

[thirdeye]

I might have to invest in one of those. I've been borrowing my neighbors dust one a couple times, but it clogs pretty bad, so I end up poking out all the holes afterwards.

I use a little toothbrush sized wire brush to clean my tray after using. I've never had a clogging problem during a cook.

[picksbigwagon]

5 hour smoke

Now, to wrap it and throw it in the fridge to mellow out as third eye said. The lake cheese bleeded out a little oil and fat...it's still good right?

[thirdeye]

Yes, it will still be good....very good from the looks of it. When the milk fat can be seen (or felt) it just lets you know you got a bit warm. Often I'll take the cheese out and move to the fridge to cool it down, then go back into the smoker. Say, I don't see any sample slices, but be warned that the ends of the wedges will be a hair stronger.

Also, before you wrap... let the cheese sit for awhile and cool off. If you wrap too early you can get condensation in the wrap and you will get small white soft spots on the cheese. Sometimes I'll put a paper towel inside the bag to absorb any moisture. (if you get any spots, just scrape them with a knife)

[OnAFly]

That looks awesome!

[ishy]

Can you say inspiration. Thanks for sharing. Yet another thing to had to my smoking bucket list.. All thanks to this site and the people on it.. Looks fantastic. I am a huge fan of good smoked cheese, not such a fan of the price.. Can not wait to give it a try.

[NEUT6899]

I am smoking White cheddar, Sharp Cheddar and some Gouda tonight.. I have the Masterbuilt 30 electric and also have the AMPNS and i have to say this smoke generator is the best. I dont like the real heavy smoke flavor so i only smoke for about 3 - 3 1/2 hours. Did my first cheese smoke about 2 months ago and let the cheese mellow for 4 weeks.. Opened 2 pounds of white cheddar for some hunting buddies and it was gone in a matter of hours.