3 CHEESE SMOKING BLEW IT BIG TIME!!

[Hawging It]

Well fellow smokers, I have cooked a ton of Hawg, Venison and Beef in my day however, never any "cold" smoked cheese. Looks like I need to study up a tad more on the cheese deal. It had the worst smoke taste that I have tasted in many a year. Three hours on the smoker. The Colby Monterey melted a little. No biggie. The sharp Cheddar and the spicy round Colby cheese did very well with zero melt. I used a chimney starter full of Cowboy brand lump and some apple chunks. See pic. Not a whole lot in my view but maybe I'm wrong about that. The problem I see is when the temp is so low the wood smolders and gives off that slightly beige color smoke. That means no flame and not enough oxygen. If you have a little flame you get the good light blue smoke but then you have too much heat. How the hell do ya find the sweet spot I ask? I hate to lose and always have. I am gonna beat that ole cheese!!! Pics of the FAIL attached and any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[flatbroke]

Sorry it didn’t work out. I am learning also and this is what was recommended. This is my smoke from Sunday. Came out good. But never had anything to compare to. Hope this helps. Color wasn’t as dark on mine as yours

 

[sky monkey]

Don't throw it out yet, vac pack it and put it in the fridge for a couple weeks and then try it again. It may mellow. Also check out A-MAZ-N products. They have some cold smoke generators that make smoking cheese super easy.

 

[Hawging It]

Sorry it didn’t work out. I am learning also and this is what was recommended. This is my smoke from Sunday. Came out good. But never had anything to compare to. Hope this helps. Color wasn’t as dark on mine as yours

Saw that tube on YouTube and the guy was smoking cheese with apple pellets. I thought that could be the ticket. Glad to see you are using one. Where can I get the tube?

 

[flatbroke]

I will have BMudd send you the link. that is where I got it from

 

[Hawging It]

Don't throw it out yet, vac pack it and put it in the fridge for a couple weeks and then try it again. It may mellow. Also check out A-MAZ-N products. They have some cold smoke generators that make smoking cheese super easy.

Chunked it! That $_ _ _ T was just plain awful!

 

[Hawging It]

I will have BMudd send you the link. that is where I got it from

10-FO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

 

[bmudd14474]

Saw that tube on YouTube and the guy was smoking cheese with apple pellets. I thought that could be the ticket. Glad to see you are using one. Where can I get the tube?

Here is the one Flatbroke got https://amzn.to/2FthK3U

 

[SonnyE]

Cold smoking is below 100 degrees.
I like 68-78 degrees for mine. So I modified my smokers to use a PID and set it to run in my range and cold smoke at night. That way the smoke gets cooled well before entering my smoke box.
Anymore, I use an AMNPS with dissolved and dried pellet dust as my fuel.
An AMNPS runs for 11 hours with pellets for me, or 6 hours filled with Sawdust.
But the sawdust burns cooler, and I like the flavor better than pellets.
The ability of the AMNPS to burn dual fuel is why I chose it, and the length of time it is capable of.
I like to set, and go to bed and forget it. Next morning, it's done, cool, and ready to package.

 

[gmc2003]

The cheese took on a nice tan - looks like you took it to good med-rare. You shouldn't have chucked it just yet. There are a couple of things that could be done to try and salvage it.

Let it sit in the fridge overnight on a cooling rack uncovered or loosely covered. Seal it up the next day(vacuum sealing is the preferred way). Then let it rest for at least two weeks(more time is probably better in this case). The two week rest period allows for the smoke to mellow out and distribute deeper into the cheese. If at the end of two weeks - the cheese still has a strong taste - then wrap it back up and let it rest another week. Repeat until you've reached the desired flavor profile.

When I smoke cheese I use the tray with apple dust, and only smoke for 2 - 3 hours. I can basically eat it right out of my smoker. It still has a fairly strong flavor that mellows out with time. If smoking for my kids who like a strong smoke profile then I'll use pellets until I get the color I want. The kids cheese definitely needs the resting period.

Chris

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

Cheese takes time to mellow out after your smoke it.... it would have been ok after a few weeks or months vacusealed. My buddy made this mistake a few years ago. You shouldn’t have thrown it out.

Scott

 

[chef jimmyj]

Too late I guess, but a good wash in water, to remove the astringent surface oils and a rest for a couple of weeks, would greatly improve the flavor. The best method to smoke cheese is with Dust in the AMNPS, maze or Smoking Pellets separated from the cheese by 3 or more feet of dryer exhaust pipe. The nasty components in the smoke, condenses in the pipe before it reaches the cheese. You get ready to eat cheese without the strong flavor and no possibility of melting the cheese...JJ

 

[Hawging It]

Here is the one Flatbroke got https://amzn.to/2FthK3U

Thank you so much. I follow Malcom Reed on YouTube and he smoked cheese using one. I think this is the ticket. Ordering tonight! Thanks again!!

 

[SonnyE]

Thank you so much. I follow Malcom Reed on YouTube and he smoked cheese using one. I think this is the ticket. Ordering tonight! Thanks again!!

For smoking, in any form of device, the AMNPS is the best place to begin.

 

[Hawging It]

The cheese took on a nice tan - looks like you took it to good med-rare. You shouldn't have chucked it just yet. There are a couple of things that could be done to try and salvage it.

Let it sit in the fridge overnight on a cooling rack uncovered or loosely covered. Seal it up the next day(vacuum sealing is the preferred way). Then let it rest for at least two weeks(more time is probably better in this case). The two week rest period allows for the smoke to mellow out and distribute deeper into the cheese. If at the end of two weeks - the cheese still has a strong taste - then wrap it back up and let it rest another week. Repeat until you've reached the desired flavor profile.

When I smoke cheese I use the tray with apple dust, and only smoke for 2 - 3 hours. I can basically eat it right out of my smoker. It still has a fairly strong flavor that mellows out with time. If smoking for my kids who like a strong smoke profile then I'll use pellets until I get the color I want. The kids cheese definitely needs the resting period.

Chris

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated. Some fellow smokers sent me the link to order the
A-MAZE-N 12" Pellet Tube Smoker.

 

[Hawging It]

For smoking, in any form of device, the AMNPS is the best place to begin.

Thank you sir!

 

[gmc2003]

The tube is a really good piece of equipment, but if you ever want to use dust then I'd go for the maze(same company).

Chris

 

[SonnyE]

Thank you sir!

You'll get there. Just a few minor adjustments and you'll be smokin Pro class.
You already have the know-how, just a few polishing strokes and Wow!

 

[chef jimmyj]

The Tube is great but generates a lot of smoke. If you don't put a couple of feet between it and the cheese, you will be in the same boat. I've tried every method posted here and Dust or Distance gives the best result...JJ

 

[HalfSmoked]

Lesson Learned I'm following this because I have no clue on how to do cheese other than there was a post a long time ago where they use a small electric hot plate in their smoker to do it with pellets in a pan on top of it.

Warren