Mr T's "Smoked Cheese From Go To Show" w/ Q- View

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Tom, morning.... Those links and other stuff were for folks that skim over stuff... you probably have helped a few that read a post and only read every other word.... This morning on another forum, I was dealing with a person about a very contagious disease.... He had lived in NE India and moved to the states.... I asked where he lived, and another member wrote me and said, "He told you he lived in India"...

Sooo, anyway, that is where that came from..... Someone could have skipped over "HARD" cheese and thought "CHEESE" .... It happens all the time.... Like, I will cure this pig leg in 120 Ppm nitrite and hang it for 6 months.... It's OK for brined bacon so it should be good for a ham leg.... Some folks don't understand the devil is in the details....
 
Mr. T,

     I know that this post has been up for a while.  But I have just decided that I want to smoke some cheese. Your post is inspiring. I have just cleaned up the smoker and with the cooler weather, I'm ready to start the smoke. I'm definitely going to put some limburger in with the smoke. I like your description of the 12 year old. Sincere thanks for the post. I'm going to kick off tomorrow morning.

Bill
 
 
Mr. T,

     I know that this post has been up for a while.  But I have just decided that I want to smoke some cheese. Your post is inspiring. I have just cleaned up the smoker and with the cooler weather, I'm ready to start the smoke. I'm definitely going to put some limburger in with the smoke. I like your description of the 12 year old. Sincere thanks for the post. I'm going to kick off tomorrow morning.

Bill
Bill, Thank you.  Keep the temp as low as you can with the limburger.  Carefully unwrap it and you can put it back in the same wrapper and refrigerate.

Let us know how it goes.

Have fun,

Tom
 
Quick question for the pros.
I understand the rest in slightly open bag over night, but I want to leave a batch for a month.
Do we seal the cheese up after the days rest or leave it slightly open for a few weeks??
 
Quick question for the pros.
I understand the rest in slightly open bag over night, but I want to leave a batch for a month.
Do we seal the cheese up after the days rest or leave it slightly open for a few weeks??
The rest period is to allow any moisture if any to evaporate.  Once there is no longer any moisture present, it may be sealed.

Tom
 
Anyone know a good pairing guide for smoked cheese? Including various chunks of the cheeses I smoked a couple weeks ago in gift baskets to family for the holidays, and would like to have a card suggesting good wine pairs if possible.

1 lb Colby

1 lb Pepperjack

1 lb Mozzerela

1 lb Sharp Cheddar

1 lb Monterey jack

1 lb extra sharp cheddar

Thanks in advance
 
Hey guys. Have a small question.
When I was doing my first batch yesterday I noticed the cheese i pulled after the 2 hour mark was remarkably more oily then the 1 hr and 3hr smokes.
Is this something I should be concerned with or is it all ok..
 
Hey guys. Have a small question.
When I was doing my first batch yesterday I noticed the cheese i pulled after the 2 hour mark was remarkably more oily then the 1 hr and 3hr smokes.
Is this something I should be concerned with or is it all ok..
You are fine.  The internal smoker temp may have gotten a little high causing the sweat before settling down and the moisture evaporating.

Enjoy,

Tom
 
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I have a question. Once the cheese is smoked and you leave it in a bag with a slight opening. Say you get a bit of moisture on the cheese. Should you wipe it off or air dry it? Once it is dry, and you vacuum seal it, can you put it in the fridge or should you leave it at room temp still?
 
 
I have a question. Once the cheese is smoked and you leave it in a bag with a slight opening. Say you get a bit of moisture on the cheese. Should you wipe it off or air dry it? Once it is dry, and you vacuum seal it, can you put it in the fridge or should you leave it at room temp still?
The opening does not require to be slight,  we do want the moisture to escape.  Hard chesses are the only ones to be left at 70° or less while the moisture evaporates, the softer chesses must be refrigerated during this process.  Do not wipe the moisture off, you are removing what you just put on.  After it is vacuum sealed it may be refrigerated and most prefer to do so, no problem at all, but further aging is slowed.  Hard cheese may be left, unwaxed, at the warmer temps for a short time, but the opportunity for mold growth is increased by doing so.  If you would like your cheese to age further, keep it in the range of 45-55°.  If you are considering freezing the cheese, keep in mind that although mold growth will be eliminated, further aging will cease.

Enjoy,

Tom
 
Every time I visit this thread, I learn more about cold smoking cheese.  Thanks for a great thread, Tom!

Clarissa
 
Mr. T,

Sorry if this has been asked, I read through this thread a little bit ago and don't recall now.  When you age your cheese, you do this before you smoke it?

Thanks.
 
 
Mr. T,

Sorry if this has been asked, I read through this thread a little bit ago and don't recall now.  When you age your cheese, you do this before you smoke it?

Thanks.
No problem as it's a very good question.

Actually it can be aged both before and after smoking and vac sealing or waxing.  Wax for longer periods.  The average age of my fresh cheese is 4 years.  Normally I smoke 5# blocks so, some normally gets put back for further aging.  Very rarely do I consume fresh smoked cheese prior to 3 or 4 months. 

Curds though are consumed as early as shortly after they come out of the smoker.  In order to do this, a very clean and smooth smoke is required.

Hope this answers your questions.

Enjoy your cheese.

Tom
 
Last edited:
 
No problem as it's a very good question.

Actually it can be aged both before and after smoking and vac sealing or waxing.  Wax for longer periods.  The average age of my fresh cheese is 4 years.  Normally I smoke 5# blocks so, some normally gets put back for further aging.  Very rarely do I consume fresh smoked cheese prior to 3 or 4 months. 

Curds though are consumed as early as shortly after they come out of the smoker.  In order to do this, a very clean and smooth smoke is required.

Hope this answers your questions.

Enjoy your cheese.

Tom
Thanks buddy.  That answer's my question. 

I smoked several different cheeses and let them sit for about 2 months before I started eating them.  Don't get to much cold weather down here in Miami, so gotta take advantage of these little fronts that come in to get a couple more batches going.  Give me a chance to let some age longer as well.  

Great write up by the way! 
 
 
Thanks buddy.  That answer's my question. 

I smoked several different cheeses and let them sit for about 2 months before I started eating them.  Don't get to much cold weather down here in Miami, so gotta take advantage of these little fronts that come in to get a couple more batches going.  Give me a chance to let some age longer as well.  

Great write up by the way! 
Hope you and our other Southern friends are able to take advantage of this cold front. 
yahoo.gif


Tom
 
Mr. T,

     Just wanted to get back to you and again thank you for a wonderful post. I now have a refer with about 40 lb. of smoked various cheeses. And I have to say that your suggestion of the limburger cheese was really good ...... that's smoked limburger brown mustard, and a healthy slice of sweet onion. A cold beer goes good with it too. Thanks for a great post.

Bill
 
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