First Time Smoking Cheese! (with Photos)

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brentczech

Fire Starter
Original poster
Dec 26, 2011
46
10
Las Vegas, NV
Hello All,

 I am new to this forum and hope to gain some great knowledge.

12/21 was my first attempt at smoking cheese.

I make a cardboard box design. I used my Chargriller Smoker to produce the smoke for the box. I ran a NEW dryer hose from the chimney of my Chargriller into box. This allowed the smoke to cool before it entered the cardboard box.

I used only apple wood for smoking. I used Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese which happens to be my favor cheese.

I maintained a heat temp in the box between 60-70 degrees. I live in Las Vegas so I smoked the cheese at night to help keep the temp low.

Total smoke time was 1.5 hours. Now the cheese is in vacuum sealed bags and in the frig. I have been reading in this forum I should let it age at least 2 weeks.

Any input or ideas?

Thanks and I look forward to being a part of this forum.

-BrentCzech
28556c30_cheese_setup.jpg
aa51d0b7_Inside_of_box.jpg
790d65c8_cheese_in_smoke.jpg
 
Thanks for all the quick replies.

The design came to my head last year after too many IPA's and smoking salmon in the fall in Las Vegas and wondering how I could do cheese.

The temp of the smoke leaving my Chargriller smoker was 110 degrees. The outside temp was 43 degrees. The "smoke box" temp ranged from 60-70 degrees. I didnt really have a noticeable smoke ring on the cheese but the smell was sure there.

The amount of smoke was pretty heavy, that why I didnt leave cheese in smoker too long. I will be using this design (a little modified) again this week sometime with more cheese.

Thanks for the comments.

Also I dont know what QVIEW means.  This photo is a test I did during the day to see if the design would work. I am pretty please with my efforts but it could be all for not if the cheese doesn't taste good.

-BrentCzech

 
17e7cda2_smoke_stack.jpg
 
Big Casino,

Yeah that would be great. I wanted to try this to see if I like smoking cheese and enjoy the end product.

Any type of wood I should use if building a small box like this?

thanks

BrentCzech
 
well I would think since there is little to no heat you could use just about anything, but I would probably try and find  some tongue and groove planks, I think it would look nicer,

find some metal racks or screen type racks first so you know what size to build it to, and incorporate some type of adjustable flue so you can control how much smokes in your box

I think you got a good idea going... roll with it!
 
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Quite interesting for sure. Now I'll be awaiting the results to.
 
Hello Smokers......

Here is a follow up of the modification I did on the "smoke box".

I used picture hanging metal cables to support the grate.

I have 7 pounds of weight on the grate and its holding up no problem. I plan on smoking an additional 5 lbs of cheese this week (hopefully).

thanks

BrentCzech

4ddaf0bc_mods.jpg
 
Brent, Q-Veiw is nothing more than taking pictures of the process as you do it. Then posting them so we can drool all over our key boards.
biggrin.gif
 
Smokin Al,

I am still waiting the "2 weeks" to taste test. It is in the frig and happy. When my wife opening the bottom drawer (where i have 7 lbs of smoked cheese) she always comments that is smells smokey!!

Thats a good sign i guess.

Spare ribs on Tuesday! Can't wait. Never used 3-2-1 method but I'm ready. I have also never trim spare ribs but watched some great stuff on here and youtube.

Thanks

BrentCzech
 
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