First Cheese smoke and first time using Amazen tube.

[prowler53]

Well I was at Cabelas over the weekend and planned on picking up some hickory wood chips, when I spotted the Amazen

Expandable Tube on the shelf.  I seen all the reviews on here about how good it works and decided to buy it.  I wanted to

grab some Hickory pellets also, but they were sold out.  I stopped at Walmart on the way home and found some B&B brand

Pellets which I never heard of, but I wanted to try smoking some cheese on Sunday with the Amazen tube.  I grabbed a bag

of Pellets as well as several types of cheese to smoke.  Cheddar, Swiss, Jalapeno Jack, Pepper Jack, Horseradish and a few

others.  I filled the tube within an inch of the top and fired it up with a propane torch.  Got it good and hot with red embers

and waited for the flame to dye out.  I placed it in the bottom of my MES 30 and loaded up the 2 top racks with cheese

cut into 1/2 LB Blocks. I'm not sure what the internal temp was during the smoke as I had never checked it, but it was

Mid 30's outside and I didn't use any additional heat other than the Amazen tube.  After 2 hrs I decided to pull the cheese

and it looked like it had done well as far as color, and it didn't melt, so I think it turned out ok.  All the cheese had an orange

coloring and after letting it rest at room temp for about 1 1/2 hrs it seemed to get firm on the outside. I have not tried

any of the cheese yet.  I vacuum sealed it and put it in the fridge for the recommended 2 weeks.  The only thing I'm worried

about is during the first 30 minutes of smoking I was getting a heavy white smoke which then slowed down, but still seemed

white rather than TBS.  When I checked the pellets they were black like charcoal, not grey like

my wood chips get.  This is the first time using pellets so I'm not sure what to expect after burning.  I started the smoke

with the vent open all the way, and decided to try closing it 1/2 way to slow down the dense white smoke, which seemed

to help, but I never really got that TBS that you look for.  I'm not sure if I did something wrong, and I hope I'm not going

to end up gagging on the cheese I just smoked.  I guess I'll have to wait 2 weeks to find out. :)

 

[SmokinAl]

In a MES 30, you may find that the tube puts out too much smoke.

The tray may be a better option for you.

Al

 

[daveomak]

The pellets were black because of lack of oxygen...  You were making charcoal in an oxygen deprived atmosphere...

Exhaust wide open...   tube pulled out and rotated to the dump position and the chip pan pulled out and inch or 2...  all to increase air flow...

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

running your mes at around 70-85 degrees also helps when smoking cheese. If I try to cold smoke cheese when it's freezing outside I get thick white smoke as well. the tube doesn't put off any real heat.

Make sure your checking the internal temp of the smoker with a good thermo. The mes could say 80 and really be at 110. You'll come back to your cheese and have a mess if your temp is to high.

 

[prowler53]

Thanks for the tips!  I didn't do anything with the chip loader, and I did close my vent 1/2 way to try to solve the thick smoke.  I'll try those tips on my next smoke.  I need to get

a good thermometer to monitor the temp inside also.  Anyway...I decided to sample some cheese last night and it had a strong smoke taste.  Not like Hickory...reminded me

of a burning house...lol.   So I took another piece and trimmed off the outside edges and I got that good hickory flavor I was looking for.  I'll let it rest for the two weeks and try it

again.  If it still has that strong smoke taste I'm going to have to trim all the surface area off the cheese to make it edible for me.  I took some of the trimmed cheese to work today, and

the guys loved it.  At least I don't have to throw it away :)   I'm not going to give up on the tube just yet.  I'll try another batch in a few weeks using some of the tips you guys gave me.

If that don't work I guess I'll be ordering the tray.  Thanks again!

 

[cmayna]

If using a AMNTS, I'd fill it only half full or less and then shake it horizontally so that it is only half full or less when laying down. 

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

Let the cheese age a few weeks it'll mellow out. I like to wait a month.

 

[sauced]

Let the cheese age a few weeks it'll mellow out. I like to wait a month.

Yes.....most important stage, the wait!! It will be worth it, the cheese will be incredible.