If I smoke up some cheese now will it be ready to eat by Christmas?

[forktender]

The last time I smoked some I smoked it way too long and even after 2 months in the refer it taste like an ash tray.

I plan on using 50/50 blend of hickory and apple dust and only smoking it for 2 hours so it is just mildly smoked.
I'll be giving it away as Christmas gifts to friends and family, I have mild cheddar and pepper Jack to smoke up... will it be aged enough to mellow or not?

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

I've never liked the taste of my smoked cheese after that short of time. You could write on the packages "don't open until x date". Of course, some people here like there cheese the day after.

 

[BigW.]

I think you'll be fine. I use apple dust for 3-4 hours. I'll let most rest but I'm not sure I can tell the difference.

 

[forktender]

I'll taste it before I give it away and if it needs to mellow out a little I'll tell them to wait a week or two before opening it up. I got a great deal on some 12''x 4"x4" blocks from a Chef buddy of mine...it was damn near free!!!

Thank you.
Dan

 

[bregent]

will it be aged enough to mellow or not?

Depends on your cold smoker setup. If you use a long (~48 inch+) vent between your smoke generator and smoke house, you can probably eat it the next day.

 

[zwiller]

Sounds like you never used dust before. Dust smoked cheese is edible right off the smoker. Perfect after a few days week at the most. In fact, I am smoking my Christmas gift cheese this weekend. Dust is so mild 2hrs might not be enough. Try this, taste a piece every hour and pull when happy. When I did this I was shocked how mild it was and ended up needing 6. Good luck!

 

[forktender]

I use an old Master Built propane chest smoker, the bottom is open where the burner used to be and I use a smoke maze with dust or a smoke tube with pellets. This time since I'm making it so mild I'll use the maze and I'll open all the top and mid level vents so the smoke should be pretty light with a 2 hr smoke, I'll leave my personal blocks in the smoke for 3 -4 hours.

Thanks for the tips.
Dan

 

[creek bottom]

Just my 2 cents here, but mine gets eaten right away. I do a lot of cheese for people, last batch was 75# a few weeks ago and I'm doing another 21# this weekend. Everyone that gets mine loves it right away... As @bregent said, I do have 2' pipe between my smoke generator and the cabinet. Not sure if that's the difference, but I've never needed to age mine.

 

[forktender]

Sounds like you never used dust before. Dust smoked cheese is edible right off the smoker. Perfect after a few days week at the most. In fact, I am smoking my Christmas gift cheese this weekend. Dust is so mild 2hrs might not be enough. Try this, taste a piece every hour and pull when happy. When I did this I was shocked how mild it was and ended up needing 6. Good luck!

I have, but I had no idea what I was doing, I smoked it for 6+ hours with hickory until it got the color that I was looking for........it was brutal even after 2 months and I like heavy smoke flavor, lesson learned it was inedible..lol

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

I can't speak for everyone, but the first batch of cheese I ever smoked I used Hickory. Took forever to mellow out. I use apple dust now with far better results.

 

[forktender]

I can't speak for everyone, but the first batch of cheese I ever smoked I used Hickory. Took forever to mellow out. I use apple dust now with far better results.

I was actually just thinking about using only 25% hickory and the rest apple, but maybe I'll just leave it out completely this time since I don't have a whole lot of time.

 

[forktender]

Just my 2 cents here, but mine gets eaten right away. I do a lot of cheese for people, last batch was 75# a few weeks ago and I'm doing another 21# this weekend. Everyone that gets mine loves it right away... As @bregent said, I do have 2' pipe between my smoke generator and the cabinet. Not sure if that's the difference, but I've never needed to age mine.
View attachment 423831

Damn, I just threw out everything I would need to make an offset for my chest smoker. We are getting ready to move, so I've been dumping things that I have been tripping over for the last 15 years....lol
I'll make a real deal cold smoke house once we get settled in the new place.

 

[smokerjim]

I usually smoke mine 3-4 hours in the mes 30 with mailbox with hickory pellets and eat it a few days later. but it does get better with age

 

[JCAP]

I use pecan or apple pellets and go only about 2-3 hours. I think it’s fine the next day but it does get better if you let it sit.

 

[chopsaw]

I'm still trying to figure the cheese out . Always to strong for me . Had some motz that was great after almost 2 years . The rest I had to toss . Have one block from a second try thats 18 months old . Might try it tomorrow . Sounds like I need to try dust .

 

[forktender]

I'm still trying to figure the cheese out . Always to strong for me . Had some motz that was great after almost 2 years . The rest I had to toss . Have one block from a second try thats 18 months old . Might try it tomorrow . Sounds like I need to try dust .

I don't have the refer room or patients to wait 2 months let alone 2 years for cheese.
How do you even save cheese for 2 yrs?

 

[chopsaw]

I don't have the refer room or patients to wait 2 months let alone 2 years for cheese.
How do you even save cheese for 2 yrs?

To strong to eat , so I have no desire to eat it . Then I forget about it until I see a cheese post . I might just go open it up right now .

 

[Hawging It]

Maybe smoke for 2 hours. I usually smoke for 4 to get that good smoky flavor however, It is always to strong until I let is sit in my cheese fridge for many months. Just pulled and ate some pepper jack that has been sitting for 1 year. Flavor now is perfect. Not to smokey.

 

[zwiller]

Chris @gmc2003 turned me onto dust for cheese and I am indebted to him for sharing as it was the answer to my problems. Total game changer. When I tasted it immediately after 6hours it was 10x better than any of the cheese I ever smoked. I use the real dust from Todd for cheese. Not saying you can't get there other ways (crack the door/long offset/wait a year) but no other way for me. I have since started using homemade dust for all my smokes and think it is an improvement.

 

[forktender]

Maybe smoke for 2 hours. I usually smoke for 4 to get that good smoky flavor however, It is always to strong until I let is sit in my cheese fridge for many months. Just pulled and ate some pepper jack that has been sitting for 1 year. Flavor now is perfect. Not to smokey.

I'm going to taste it at 2 hours of using apple dust, I'll leave the hickory out this time.