Off flavor with Smoking Cheese

coreyshoemaker · Jan 11, 2015

I have a MES 30 with Cold Smoke attachment. I know that some of said that this is too hot. I have been smoking for 2 hours and the temps are being maintained between 60 and 70. I have somewhat of a metallic taste to the pieces that I pulled after and 1 hour of smoke. I am using apple wood for the smoke. Could some please help, I am fairly new to smoking things.

Corey

thomas phillips · Jan 11, 2015

You can't eat smoked cheese right away. Gotta let it age and mellow out in the fridge for at least a month. I wrap mine with wax paper after the smoke and then seal in a ziplock bag with as much of the air pushed out as possible. Lots of people on here have vacumme sealers. Those work even better. Hope that helps a little. You should hear from some of the more seasoned cheese smokers soon.

-Tom

mr t 59874 · Jan 11, 2015

Welcome to the forum. I am not familiar with your unit, but if it produces smoke the basic principles apply.

I suggest that you learn to smoke your cheese to a desired color rather than by time simply because there are so many variables that will result in different types of smoke, even with the same generator.

Grab your notebook and record different colors of the cheese and colors and densities of the smoke along with the taste results. Different cheeses will take on different colors with the same smoke, record these. Try all your different woods and decide for yourself what you like best. Allow different aging periods also and compare.

You may find the following interesting as well. Mr T's "Smoked Cheese From Go To Show" w/ Q- View, Understanding Smoke Management - updated 12/08/14

Enjoy and have fun,

Tom

hillbillyrkstr · Jan 11, 2015

Thomas is corect, you have to let your smoked cheese age. The flavor will mellow out as it ages. i vacu seal mine about an hour after its out of the smoker. Make sure it's dry before you seal it and then let it sit for st least a month.

I smoke about 5 pounds at a time every 3-4 months so by the time I eat mine it's usually at least 3 months old.

As far as smoking to color and not time I can't really say. I don't do that. I smoke meat to temperature and cheese with time. I like to put 3-4 hours of smoke on my cheese. I usually smoke cheddar and Gouda.

Hope this helps.

daveomak · Jan 11, 2015

If your cheese was refer cold when you put it in the smoker, condensate could have formed... smoke and water make "acid rain" in my opinion.... preheat the cheese before adding smoke so condensate does not form......

rpmrn · Jan 11, 2015

If your smoker is new the metallic taste could be coming from not enough seasoning(cooking). The instructions says 3 hours at 275 with smoke for the last 1/2 hour. I let mine roll for well over 3 hours and still had a weird oilly metallic smell coming from it. I think I had it running for the better part of the day before I put meat on it. I know your cold smoking so that may not be the problem but something to think about.

coreyshoemaker · Jan 11, 2015

Thanks for all of the input. From the comments there are some points that I may have not done. This is only the second time I have used my cold smoke attachment and the 6th time I have actually used the smoker itself. I did not let the cheese come to room temp before placing in the smoker, and did get the condensation on it. I let it sit for about an hour before putting it into plastic bags in the fridge. I have started a note book of things I have done and suggestions on how to fix them.

oregon smoker · Jan 15, 2015

I myself always go for color before time , how ever i start looking at 2 - 3 hrs then run from there. some very hard have gone as long as 6 hr +or- with most times ending to my standard. but the regulars (goofy regular testers) always enjoy....must have lower expectation than myself or as wee all discusse here store bought (if your standard) never compares to what we all do here.

thanks,

Tom

wade · Jan 15, 2015

CoreyShoemaker said:
I did not let the cheese come to room temp before placing in the smoker, and did get the condensation on it. I let it sit for about an hour before putting it into plastic bags in the fridge.

Once you take it out of the smoker leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to allow the surfaces to dry before wrapping in plastic. That way it will not be wet when you later unwrap it to eat. Although the cheese may not feel damp when it comes out of the the smoker, the smoker is very humid inside.

oregon smoker · Jan 15, 2015

Wade said:
Once you take it out of the smoker leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to allow the surfaces to dry before wrapping in plastic. That way it will not be wet when you later unwrap it to eat. Although the cheese may not feel damp when it comes out of the the smoker, the smoker is very humid inside.

depending on temps/time of year I will also set on a rack on the counter of if temps are up I rest them in what I call my deep cooler (34.7) steady the bonus is always a cold beer for who may stop by

Tom

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Off flavor with Smoking Cheese

coreyshoemaker

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mr t 59874

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daveomak

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rpmrn

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coreyshoemaker

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oregon smoker

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