Cold smoking cheese in the Weber kettle

papadon · Apr 2, 2015

I put the A-Maze-N pellet smoker under the charcoal tray then put the Smokenator in place. I layered foil on the open part of the charcoal tray then I put a tray of ice on top of the foil. This is usually how I use the Smokenator with hot smokes, minus the A-Maze-N. I'm using apple pellets and smoking for 5 hours (11:30pm). Sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack. Once these are done I'm placing Gouda in to smoke until tomorrow morning. In the morning I'll vacume seal the Jack and cheddar. The Gouda will rest in the fridge until tomorrow after work. I'll let the cheese rest for 2 weeks.

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papadon
Apr 2, 2015

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papadon
Apr 2, 2015

papadon · Apr 3, 2015

I pulled the cheese just after 5 hours in the smoke. I let them rest uncovered in the fridge until this morning, around 6 hours. I then vacuumed sealed them. I'll smoke the Gouda tonight. I think I'm only going to smoke for 3 hours with the Gouda. The A-Maze-N smoker worked easily in the kettle.

How long should I rest the cheese before eating?

papadon · Apr 3, 2015

We are are planning on 3 weeks vacuumed packed in the fridge.

papadon · Apr 3, 2015

Gouda went in the smoke for 3 hours.

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papadon
Apr 3, 2015

inkjunkie · Apr 3, 2015

The longer the better....within reason. We let it rest for at least 2 weeks...

papadon · Apr 3, 2015

The first smoked cheese yesterday rested for 6 hours before vacuum sealing. The fridge and freezer smelled like smoke this morning so I vacuum sealed the Gouda immediately after the smoke today. Will it be OK?

tjohnson · Apr 5, 2015

Cold Smoking cheese for 2-2.5 hours is plenty for my taste

I usually rest for a couple days and then vac seal

7-10 days to rest an it's good to eat

papadon · Apr 5, 2015

I diffnitaly think cheese should rest before sealing but I think I need a second fridge in the basement. When I rested the cheese unsealed in the main fridge, it over powered the everything in there. As for the length of smoke, trial and error is what I'll need but nothing will go to waste.
The AMNPS did put out a lot of smoke but was easy to operate.
I'm a little worried about the Gouda not resting but there are no hard and fast rules for anything in smoking so we'll see. It seems everyone has there own preferences. I think the 5 hours for the Jack and cheddar might have been too long but again we'll see.
Should I worry about mold in the Gouda since I didn't rest?

tjohnson · Apr 5, 2015

PapaDon said:
I diffnitaly think cheese should rest before sealing but I think I need a second fridge in the basement. When I rested the cheese unsealed in the main fridge, it over powered the everything in there. As for the length of smoke, trial and error is what I'll need but nothing will go to waste.
The AMNPS did put out a lot of smoke but was easy to operate.
I'm a little worried about the Gouda not resting but there are no hard and fast rules for anything in smoking so we'll see. It seems everyone has there own preferences. I think the 5 hours for the Jack and cheddar might have been too long but again we'll see.
Should I worry about mold in the Gouda since I didn't rest?

Try cracking the hood to get a little extra air into your kettle

I wouldn't worry about mold. I smoked gouda 2 months ago

Just cracked open a vac sealed bag today

Pretty darn good stuff!

papadon · Apr 5, 2015

Thanks.
I just got the vacuum sealer (food saver 2865 so that's why we did cheese. I've had the AMNPS for more than a year and two big bags of Apple and hickory pellets.
This 3 week wait is going to be painful. All the cheese looks great.
I also did two batches of Smoked Polish Sausage. Took them to 170 just to be safe then chilled in fridge. Both the cheese and sausage will be gifts,

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papadon
Apr 5, 2015

jarrinjack · Jun 3, 2015

Regarding your cheese smoke............at what temp did you set the smoker?

thomas phillips · Jun 3, 2015

Jarrinjack said:
Regarding your cheese smoke............at what temp did you set the smoker?

LOL, sorry. Its cold smoking. Just put in the smoldering pellets and let them do their thing. No extra heat needed!

papadon · Jun 3, 2015

Word of warning, the smoke I put on the cheese was waaayy too much for my taste. My wife liked it but it was nasty to me. I let some mellow for much longer than three weeks but still, yuk!
My next time I'll work from 1 hour out to two hours tops. It could be that I just don't have enough air flow???
I'm upgrading my smoker/ grill to a Shirley Fabrication in Septmber.
That's right about the time the temps outside will start lowering again.

papadon · Jun 3, 2015

Cheese melts at 90 deg F... My temps never got above 76 on average. I did use ice in a pan, with the A-Maze-N pellet smoker below the charcoal grate.

pineywoods · Jun 3, 2015

I like fruit woods for cheese nice light fruity flavor and I go 2-2.5 hours then into ziplock bags for a day or two then vacuum seal bags for at least two weeks. I use apple pellets most of the time. If it's too hot inside a smoker in the summer just get a big cardboard box rig something for the cheese to sit on cut a hole in the top of the box put it over the amnps and cheese and your cold smokin

inkjunkie · Jun 4, 2015

Neither one of us can taste one "flavor" smoke from another. I had 5 different "flavors" of pellets that I mixed for a few of the cheese smokes. Last one our BGE was hovering at 90*.I have had a few members here tell me to not pay attention to time....at least in the beginning. My last cheese smoke was 5 pounds of mild cheddar and 5 pounds of pepper jack. Was in the smoke for a touch over 4 hours. While the cheeses picked up some good color the flavor could have been stronger. First pack rested for 12 days. The second was 16 I think. Few extra days didn't help. Next go around we may go for 6 hours...

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