Modified home built smoker into a cold smoker. Cheese is the inaugural

brewerdave · Feb 3, 2015

3rd batch will be gouda, provolone, swiss, and another cheddar. I'll put the WallyWill smoker away for the season after this one. I will be making mods to my char-broil gas smoker and testing it out over the spring, then it's grill time

gary s · Feb 3, 2015

Can't wait to see these

Gary

brewerdave · Feb 3, 2015

150131_002.jpg

brewerdave
Feb 3, 2015

This is the second batch. It's all in vacuum wrap for as long as I can stand it

gary s · Feb 3, 2015

That's a nice batch of cheese

Gary

brewerdave · Feb 5, 2015

150205_002.jpg

brewerdave
Feb 5, 2015

Cheddar from batch #1, smoked on 1/18. Very good but needs another week or so to fully absorb the smoke. Imma liking this cheese smoking thang

gary s · Feb 5, 2015

Looks pretty tasty

Gary

susieqz · Feb 5, 2015

how do you guys get the cheese to color in the smoker?

i smoked my first batch almost 4 hours n saw no color.

the next morn there was lots of color, so i'm happy, but

if it changed color in the smoker i'd know when to take it off,

how do you know when to take it off?

brewerdave · Feb 5, 2015

I used the SWAG method, AKA "scientific wild ass guess". I found a lot of good info on the web and went for it. My 1st smoke was 2 hours, as I have read that is a minimum time. Lots of people have posted 2, 3, 4 hours or more. For the kind of homebuilt smoker I have, 2 hours of steady smoke may become my baseline.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/123130/mr-ts-smoked-cheese-from-go-to-show-w-q-view/40

This is a wonderful post and source of information if you haven't read it yet.

My cheese only colored a small amount in the smoker,with the exception of the cheese right over the smokincense, but I have noticed a significant amount of color change during the "mellowing" stage.

:)

brewerdave · Feb 6, 2015

Susieqz,

this is the smoke generator I am using in the WallyWill:

http://www.smokedaddyinc.com/smokincense/

It's like a giant tea ball infuser. It works pretty well so far, though I am far from an expert. I'm designing a specific cold smoker based on a homebrewing fermentation chiller and I will be using a big kahuna smoke generator as the base on it.

I'm not pushing their products at all, but it appears to be the best generator for my design. If it doesn't work out, I'll try something else

My next fun recipe attempt will be smoked salt and peppercorns. Yes, I'd love advice on this

DS

mr t 59874 · Feb 6, 2015

BrewerDave said:
Susieqz,

this is the smoke generator I am using in the WallyWill:

I'm designing a specific cold smoker based on a homebrewing fermentation chiller and I will be using a big kahuna smoke generator as the base on it.

I'm not pushing their products at all, but it appears to be the best generator for my design. If it doesn't work out, I'll try something else

My next fun recipe attempt will be smoked salt and peppercorns. Yes, I'd love advice on this

DS

Congratulations and welcome to the fascinating world of smoke/cooking food products. If it can be consumed, it can be smoked.

Hopefully you will find the following helpful.

The pro's know every wiggle and jiggle of their smokers, as you most likely will be smoking for years to come, may I suggest that before you get too involved in smoking foods, you take some time and learn the characteristics of your new smoker/cooker. By learning them now, you will then be far ahead of many and much more proficient in the future.

By learning the basic foundation, you will be able to answer your own questions as to why one cook was the same or different from another. This can easily be done at first by using quart zip bags half filled with water to replicate meat or other products. By observing the color change of the bags,you will then be able to visually see the effects of changing species, cut of woods, temperatures, the times, along with the colors of smoke. By keeping good notes you will soon know what effect each individual change will have on your product.

The following threads may help as well.

Smoked Bread,Crackers and Snacks, Understanding Smoke Management - updated 12/08/14

Hope this helps and have fun,

Mr. T

brewerdave · Feb 7, 2015

As you most likely will be smoking for years to come, may I suggest that before you get too involved smoking foods that you take some time and learn the peculiarities of your new smoker/cooker. This can be easily done at first by using quart zip bags half filled with water to replicate meat. You will then be able to visually see the effects of changing types of woods, temperatures, times and colors of smoke by observing the color change of the bags. By keeping good notes you will soon know what effect each change will have on your product.

Mr T,

that is a fantastic idea!

BD

chewmeister · Feb 8, 2015

Different wood species will add different amounts of color. Use a little hickory next time and you will get more color.

brewerdave · Feb 8, 2015

150207_003.jpg

brewerdave
Feb 8, 2015

Swiss, gouda, provolone, and mozzerella just before going into the smoker yesterday. I got good color after 2 hours. It's mellowing in vacuum bags now.

mr t 59874 · Feb 8, 2015

Good job, Dave. Hope you will enjoy.

T

brewerdave · Mar 14, 2015

I did my final cheese cold smoke of the season on 3/5. All sealed up and in the fridge. I'll be concentrating on summer sausage, bacon etc in the big smoker for now. I've already planned falls first cold smokes. ha ha ha. Salt, paprika, cashews, almonds and of course, more cheese

marble jack, colby-jack

mild cheddar, pepper jack

jarlsburg, gouda

1 hour heavy smoke (hickory)

gary s · Mar 14, 2015

I'll be watching

gary

graniteman · Mar 23, 2015

Vac pack my cheese right out of the smoker. I use to wipe the off, I don't anymore. the oil draws into the cheese and the don't dry out.

Modified home built smoker into a cold smoker. Cheese is the inaugural

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