shelf life for smoked cheese?

[dale5351]

I am waiting for the daytime temps to get below 95F to try some more smoked cheese.

In the meantime, I thought of a question, namely how long can we keep it after smoking.  We just got a Food Saver vacumn sealer, and can keep the cheese in a spare frig.  Once sealed -- would it still be good a month later? two months? six months?  .....

Opinions please.

 

[scarbelly]

I don't think you are gonna have it very long once you start smoking it but here is my plan for cheese and it was taught to me by Mrs Scar who learned it as an employee of Hickory Farms.

We vac seal it for at least 2 weeks to allow it to age with the smoke then use it as needed. Once opened we use it fairly quickly but we have forgotten it in the fridge a couple of times and it has started to get some mold on it - when that happens we clean off the mold and refill the hole were the mold was reseal the cheese by using some plastic wrap to help keep the air out. Then into a baggie and suck the air out - at that point you need to use it fairly soon or the mold comes back pretty quick.  

Hope this helps - we have had some in the fridge for as long as 6 months with no problems   

 

[dale5351]

 Hope this helps - we have had some in the fridge for as long as 6 months with no problems   

It does help.  I especially like the statement of 6 months -- that means I can smoke from fall to late spring and have some to eat during this sort of hot spell we are having.

Doesn't help me now though :-(

 

[tjohnson]

Hey Dale!

I vac seal all but snack sticks and and place in the fridge to age for 10 days minimum.  I've left it in the fridge for up to 2 months.

It doesn't last long once opened...We Eat It Up!

Some cheese will freeze fairly well too.

Try "Cold Smoking" at night when the temps drop down into the 70's.

Todd

 

[Bearcarver]

Dale,

Thanks for asking that question. I knew right away why you asked it, because I thought about it a few times myself. So we can smoke cheese from about September to April, and we'll be fixed up. Make sure March & April have big enough loads to last until September. We can always sneak a load in the Summer with the A-MAZE-N-SMOKER and a couple jugs of ice.

Bear

 

[dale5351]

Try "Cold Smoking" at night when the temps drop down into the 70's.

That hasn't happened for a while now.  You are further north than we are.  Weather man says we might get a break soon though.

I have a friend who is even further north than you -- Yellowknife, NWT.  He cold smokes when it gets down to 30F, and has smoked at outside temps of -20F.  I told him about the AMNS and after he looked it up, he was impressed.

 

[losyeny]

I tried a small batch of cheddar today -- 103 in North Texas.  I used a MES and cherry dust in the Amaze.  Filled the water pan with ice cubes, started at 8:30 and outside temp 89.  let it smoke 3 and 1/2 hours and still had ice in WP.   took the cheese out  No melting -- and put in bags and sucked out the air.  In the fridge and can't wait.  First time use of Amaze and it seems amazing.   haven't figured out posting yet  

losyeny

 

[solaryellow]

I have been vacuum sealing and freezing mine and haven't noticed any ill effects. I have mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and colbyjack in the freezer right now from a 33lbs run we did back in May.

 

[meateater]

I have some that I smoked back in february. I vacuumed sealed them with a double seal on each end and no problem. I say smoke away.