Help with smoking goat cheese

[distre]

Hello fellow smokers,

I just found out about a source for fresh goat cheese. Has anyone smoked fresh goat cheese? I've smoked plenty of cheese, but not fresh cheese as goat cheese. Do I smoke it as I wiould any other cheese, maybe use a silicone mat like for baking since it is so moist? Also, would I still have to let it sit in the fridge for 2weeks? Any thougts. Thanks for any advice.

 

[red dog]

I'm not sure what the consistency of you cheese is but I think I would treat it like fresh mozzarella. Unwrap and blot it dry with paper towel. Put it on a wire cooling rack over a plate to catch any liquid. Allow it to form a slightly dry skin on it to prevent drying out in the smoker. Smoke with a mild wood with your smoker as cold as possible. smoke to desired color, maybe a couple of hours. Generally fresh cheeses can be used immediately after smoking and don't require mellowing. Check out this thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126641/smoked-mozzarella

 

[mfreel]

I'd treat it like fresh mozzarella, too.  Is it packed in water?  If so, make sure you dry it and put it out to dry for about an hour.  I just did some braids of fresh mozzarella a couple weeks ago.  Yes, I'd recommend waiting at least two weeks.  Vacuum sealed.

If it's a little harder, like a blue cheese, do your regular smoke, probably 2.5 to 3 hrs, and vacuum seal.  The smoked blue cheese turned out pretty good, but a little weird.  Not bad.  Just weird tasting.

If the cheese is packaged in smaller packages, say just a few ounces, I would also recommend cutting back your smoke time.  

Might have to experiment a little.

 

[rgautheir20420]

Soft cheeses mold faster than harder cheeses, so I'd use it faster than you would a harder cheese like cheddar or something. I've seen people hanging cheeses like mozzarella in a muslin type baggie in their smoker. It helps the cheese keep it's shape and you're not worried about loosing anything through the grates. This is how I would go about smoking a softer cheese.

 

[distre]

Thanks Red Dog, mfreel, & rgautheir20420,

So I need to dry it some to form like a pellicle, as you would fish before smoking it. So now I'm wondering about the 2 week wait or use it right after smoking as some people do with fresh Mozzarella as Red Dog says. I've heard both ways. would eating it right away have the same flavor as say Gouda would. I know that doesn't taste good without the wait, but I have heard with fresh cheese you don't need to wait. So is that a personal preference or is there a different taste? Thanks for the comments

 

[red dog]

It sure won't hurt anything to taste it without the mellow time and see how you like it. I would chill it down good first. Post some pics when you get the cheese. That might give us a better idea what you are dealing with.

 

[distre]

Thanks Red Dog, I'll do that. Smoke it sfter it dries for an hour or two, then chill it for a couple of hours. If taste like it needs to mellow I can always vac seal it then. Thanks for the advice.

 

[themule69]

I am thinking the waiting time is going to help it. I would after I get a little taste vacuum seal it and let it rest.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[tropics]

Thanks Red Dog, I'll do that. Smoke it sfter it dries for an hour or two, then chill it for a couple of hours. If taste like it needs to mellow I can always vac seal it then. Thanks for the advice.

I am far from being an expert, but IMHO you would be better wrapping it in cheese cloth,place over a bowl in a strainer to drip that extra water out.Refrigerated. You can always tighten up on the cheese cloth to see if it is firming up.

Cheese cloth shaped like a beggers purse, so you can twist the top.

 

[mfreel]

Respectfully, I don't think you'll need to hang it or bag it.  But, I've never smoked goat cheese.  I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that it will taste like an ashtray, though.

I vote at least 2 weeks rest.   BUT, let us know the taste test!!!!!

BTW, THIS POST IS USELESS WITHOUT THE QVIEW!!!!!!

 

[red dog]

 
Respectfully, I don't think you'll need to hang it or bag it.  But, I've never smoked goat cheese.  I'll bet a dollar to a doughnut that it will taste like an ashtray, though.

I vote at least 2 weeks rest.   BUT, let us know the taste test!!!!!

BTW, THIS POST IS USELESS WITHOUT THE QVIEW!!!!!!

You lick a lot of ashtrays? And. he doesn't even have the cheese yet. How can he post Q-view?

 

[distre]

Thanks everyone, I agree, it is useless without qview, but I'm still in the planning stages . Trying to find out any do's and don'ts. I'll post qview afterwards, but I'm a little ways away from the smoking stage. Like Red Dog said He doesn't even have the cheese yet. But I hope to in a few weeks. And when I do, it will be a taste of the freshly smoked and proceed from there. Don't know till I try it.