First Time Cheese: Q-View

[illini40]

Good Afternoon

Since it feels like -1*F currently outside and snowing again, I figured it was a great time to try my hand at cold smoking some cheese.

I have some Marble Jack, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Mild Cheddar. I put them on a rack.

I am using the Weber Spirit today, with some guts removed. I have a Amazen Pellet Smoker Tube, filled with Traeger Apple Pellets, in the bottom of the grill.

The cheese has been on for about 45 minutes now.

My plan is to let it smoke for about 3 hours.

Any tips or suggestions for a first timer?

More to come...

 

[TomKnollRFV]

3 Hours with apple will give good results. Just remember to let it age :)

 

[illini40]

An hour of smoke so far:

 

[illini40]

3 Hours with apple will give good results. Just remember to let it age :)

Thank you. What do you suggest for when I pull it off? I plan to try a little bit right away, and then I was planning to wrap in plastic or bag and then into the fridge for a week or so. Thoughts?

 

[illini40]

So far, I think I am going to really like smoking cheese. I tried just a little, and it was really good and smokey. I think it would go great with some smoked sausage.

Total time in the smoke was around 3 hours, and I used Traeger Apple pellets the entire time. I had to fill up my Amazen tube after 2 hours.

I wrapped all of the cheese in some plastic wrap, put in ziplocks, and it is now sitting in the fridge.

 

[fivetricks]

Let it "air dry" for 24 hours before bagging.

 

[illini40]

Let it "air dry" for 24 hours before bagging.

Well, too late for that. I’ve got it bagged up. What does the air dry do?

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Some people swear by it for alot of smoked products. It lets some of the more bitter flavours immediately dissipate as I understand. <Sorry for not responding earlier, I'm fighting some thing or another. I never knew just making dinner could make you tired until I get these darn fevers!>

Also pepperjack <and any cheese with peppers> gets hotter after smoking and will continue to do so over time.

 

[Hawging It]

Cheese smoking is addicting. I started cold smoking cheese a couple of weeks ago. I vacuum pack mine. Tried a little today. Mellowing out nicely. Got about 20 blocks smoked so far.

 

[SmokinAl]

I'm a bit late here, but the cheese should be air dryed in the fridge for 24 hours, then you can vac pack it & it will last for a couple of years in the fridge.
Al