Longhorn Cheddar Smoke

[pops6927]

Went to the wholesale warehouse and picked up some longhorn cheddar to smoke; it was a good price, $2.80/lb.!

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Got 3 packages:

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Quartered them:

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Fired up Todd's Amazing invention, the AMNPS! with corn cob pellets, heated them up in the microwave for 1 minute in a plastic coffee container:

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Put the 12 pieces on a strip of Amazen Q-Matz in the smokehouse and let the magic begin!

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Temp this morning was just perfect for cold smoking:

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

This is a truly A-Maze-N smoke project thanks to Todd Johnson's hard work and wonderful products!  

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

I'll get back later and show the results!  And a huge 

to Todd for his recent expansion into a brand new headquarters!  Like anybody who moves, everything is still in boxes and organization is a priority, but it still does not matter to Todd;  he takes care of the customers first and foremost!   Something you don't find almost anywhere else!  Thank you again for your wonderful products and wonderful service!

 

[kathrynn]

Looking yummers already!

Kat

 

[s2k9k]

Glad to see you out there smoking something Pops!!! The cheese is going the be Great!!!
Gotta love them Q-Matz!!! Oh and that AMNPS is pretty Amazen too!!
Tell us how you like the corn cob pellets, I've never tried them!

 

[smokinhusker]

Great! Longhorn is a fav of mine.

 

[themule69]

Your going to have some fine eating in a couple of weeks.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[oregon smoker]

yes please give us an update on the corn cob.

tom

 

[pops6927]

Let the good smoke roll until 1:30, 5½ hours.  Of course, the cheeses all tipped over, lol, but that just made a very nice pattern on them from the Q-Matz!  Very easily lifted them from the Q-Matz, no sticking at all even though some of them softened (the Texas sun quickly heated up the inside of the smokehouse to 105°). and put on a platter:

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Mmmmm!  Yes, you accurately count only 11 pieces coming out... quality control, y'know!

Packaged up into ziplocs immediately to get the smoky goodness sealed inside!

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

And into the back fridge to mellow a month. Taking this to our son's Thanksgiving party the day before Thanksgiving; he cooks a spaghetti dinner for all the employees and plenty enough to take home to their families so they don't have to cook dinner, just get ready for the holiday!  Bake pies, cakes, cookies, chop celery and onion for the stuffing tomorrow, etc.  Smoked cheese and crackers in the morning for appetizers!

The corn cob pellets?  Heating them for 1 minute in the microwave was the key - they started quickly and once a flame appeared, let them burn for a few minutes and blew out the flame and put them in the smokehouse, never touched them after that!   This is what I had left, half a tray after 5½ hours!

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

The pellets themselves I purchased at Tractor Supply, BestCob Brand[emoji]174[/emoji], all natural and no additives, discovered by Todd Johnson - http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/149282/bestcob-corn-cob-pellets-for-amnps.  They worked out great!  They are in plastic coffee cans stored outside on the back porch, no internal bags or anything, just in a plastic can with the lid on.  It's rained here several times for several days at  a time and no problems with them at all - heat them up 1 minute in the microwave and they fired right up!  The corn cobs burn a little faster but I could get at least a 10 - 11 hour smoke on a full tray with no problem.  I opened up the bottom and the top vents on the smokehouse and the smoke traveled right up and out and filled the smokehouse with sweet smelling smoke, just like the smoke my dad did with crushed corn cobs!   Of course, I could put them in the pan below and use them to smoke with when using heat, but the mailbox cures that and uses a lot less product, plus I have the option to add wood chunks to the pan, too!

 

[themule69]

 
Let the good smoke roll until 1:30, 5½ hours.  Of course, the cheeses all tipped over, lol, but that just made a very nice pattern on them from the Q-Matz!  Very easily lifted them from the Q-Matz, no sticking at all even though some of them softened (the Texas sun quickly heated up the inside of the smokehouse to 105°). and put on a platter:

009.JPG

• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

011.JPG

• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Mmmmm!  Yes, you accurately count only 11 pieces coming out... quality control, y'know!

Packaged up into ziplocs immediately to get the smoky goodness sealed inside!

012.JPG

• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

And into the back fridge to mellow a month. Taking this to our son's Thanksgiving party the day before Thanksgiving; he cooks a spaghetti dinner for all the employees and plenty enough to take home to their families so they don't have to cook dinner, just get ready for the holiday!  Bake pies, cakes, cookies, chop celery and onion for the stuffing tomorrow, etc.  Smoked cheese and crackers in the morning for appetizers!

The corn cob pellets?  Heating them for 1 minute in the microwave was the key - they started quickly and once a flame appeared, let them burn for a few minutes and blew out the flame and put them in the smokehouse, never touched them after that!   This is what I had left, half a tray after 5½ hours!

010.JPG

• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

The pellets themselves I purchased at Tractor Supply, BestCob Brand[emoji]174[/emoji], all natural and no additives, discovered by Todd Johnson - http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/149282/bestcob-corn-cob-pellets-for-amnps.  They worked out great!  They are in plastic coffee cans stored outside on the back porch, no internal bags or anything, just in a plastic can with the lid on.  It's rained here several times for several days at  a time and no problems with them at all - heat them up 1 minute in the microwave and they fired right up!  The corn cobs burn a little faster but I could get at least a 10  11 hour smoke on a full tray with no problem.  I opened up the bottom and the top vents on the smokehouse and the smoke traveled right up and out and filled the smokehouse with sweet smelling smoke, just like the smoke my dad did with crushed corn cobs!   Of course, I could put them in the pan below and use them to smoke with when using heat, but the mailbox cures that and uses a lot less product, plus I have the option to add wood chunks to the pan, too!

The cheese looks GREAT!

Thanks for the heads up on the pellets. I just called out TSC and they have 19 bags for 7.99 a bag. I'm going to have to give them a try. Happy smoken.

David

 

[hagisan]

Question please.  When I smoked my cheddar it was shiny just like the pic below after letting rest.  Before I vacuum sealed it, I wiped of the cheese before hand.  After aging and openeing to consume it was a little oily feeling.  Is this due to the type of cheese or did I mess something up.  My Jack, Brie and others are not like this.

TIA

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• pops6927
• Oct 24, 2013

Thanks for sharing the pics Pops.

 

[mr t 59874]

 
Question please.  When I smoked my cheddar it was shiny just like the pic below after letting rest.  Before I vacuum sealed it, I wiped of the cheese before hand.  After aging and openeing to consume it was a little oily feeling.  Is this due to the type of cheese or did I mess something up.  My Jack, Brie and others are not like this.

Thanks

Most likely the cheese was overheated.  Next time try to not let the IT of your smoker exceed 80°.  The texture of hard cheese will begin to change at 80°.  If more smoke is desired to obtain the desired color, pull at 75° and continue smoking when conditions are better.  Keep soft cheese below 55°.   Some intentionally take their cheese to the higher temps, some even to the melted stage.  Nothing wrong with it as it all depends on your individual taste.
 

Tom

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello Pops.  GREAT looking cheese.  I also love longhorn.  Thanks for the tip on where to find those pellets.  I was lucky enough to know my Great-Granddad and he only ever used crushed corncobs to smoke his meats.  I haven't tasted that flavor in years but I do remember how good it was.  I won't find it here so will have to pay shipping to get it to England but I figure it will be worth every penny considering the taste and the memories it will have.  Keep mokin!

Danny

 

[webowabo]

Nice looking cheese Pops.. I havent been to Basshams foods yet. I know exactly where it is.. just never went in. I MUST check it out. Ive been shopping alot at Restuarant Depot with a friends member card... great place as well to buy in bulk for sure.

And how good was that rain we got..much needed!

 

[pops6927]

Glad to see you out there smoking something Pops!!! The cheese is going the be Great!!!
Gotta love them Q-Matz!!! Oh and that AMNPS is pretty Amazen too!!
Tell us how you like the corn cob pellets, I've never tried them!

Time for fall smoking!  Going to stock up on turkeys, some for home, for sons, the chiropractor, son's employees, and so on.  Clean out the back fridge.  Clean the garage (sez the Boss Lady)... lol!    The corn cob pellets are just great!  Today's generation of crushed corn cobs!  And the perfect tool to use them, the A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker!  My dad didn't like hardwood smoke, it was much more expensive (back then) and burned too hot, ruining product.  But, as farmers stopped shelling their corn the supply dried up and had to resort to burning cobs with corn, which cooked the meat too fast and caught on fire.  Now, today, the corn cob has been pelletized for horse bedding, and perfect for the AMNPS!  I need to get a tube to try them in too for grilling!  They are sweeter, but not too sweet, and have no additives.

 

[pops6927]

 
Hello Pops.  GREAT looking cheese.  I also love longhorn.  Thanks for the tip on where to find those pellets.  I was lucky enough to know my Great-Granddad and he only ever used crushed corncobs to smoke his meats.  I haven't tasted that flavor in years but I do remember how good it was.  I won't find it here so will have to pay shipping to get it to England but I figure it will be worth every penny considering the taste and the memories it will have.  Keep mokin!

Danny

You've got horse supply / farm supply places there, don't you?  Check with them, these are used for horse bedding, and BestCob[emoji]174[/emoji] is the biggest producer. check with them:  http://www.bestcob.com/Where-To-Buy.  Also, there could be other producers across the pond that sells them, or they may help you find some over there!  They are quite nice to work with!

 

[pops6927]

Nice looking cheese Pops.. I havent been to Basshams foods yet. I know exactly where it is.. just never went in. I MUST check it out. Ive been shopping alot at Restuarant Depot with a friends member card... great place as well to buy in bulk for sure.

And how good was that rain we got..much needed!

Oh, definitely, Basshams is great!  They have their retail Cash'n'Carry open now.   Good prices on frozen and refrig stuff, pork butts $1.34/lb by the case (8 pc case, 4 bags of 2) or $1.46/lb by the 2 piece.  Sometimes you can find whole butts 2/bag on sale at Tom Thumb, Krogers, etc, limit 2 bags per customer, you have to check around and have their card.  Got some last spring for 79¢/lb at Kroger's, great deal, I bought two, wife bought two.   But, nothing on sale lateley.   We also bought some frozen buffalo wings for the game too, lol!   And, meat knives, etc.  Of course, restaurant supply stuff too.  Be careful, lots of good prices, lol!

Both my sons live in Arlington.  One on Kennedale line, Pennsylvania Estates off Little Road, the other in north Arlington off I30 and Cooks Ln., technically Fort Worth, but above Arlington.   

Where is the Restaurant Depot you speak of?

 

[webowabo]

Restaurant depot is right there at i30 and brentwood stair.. or take cooks and turn on john t? I believe. . Right next to the home depot ..west side I believe. I bought some chicken wings there last week for my local pub. 40# box... $1.02/lb.. and they where the drums&wings still combined.. you can't find that on sale anywhere.. but you do have to have a food business to get membership.. but there always ways around that ;) I live right by the ballpark.. if ya wondered ;)

 

[hagisan]

 but you do have to have a food business to get membership.. but there always ways around that

If you join KCBS, one membership benefits is that you're allowed a daily pass to RD. 

 

[webowabo]

 but you do have to have a food business to get membership.. but there always ways around that

If you join KCBS, one membership benefits is that you're allowed a daily pass to RD. Thumbs Up

Thanks for the tip Bradley! Good to know ;)

 

[humdinger]

The cheese looks good pops. That's a heckuva deal too! Nice job.

 

[driedstick]

Wow how did I miss this - Looks great POPS - You got some nice color on that cheese.