smoking cheese

[bud1955]

I am not sure if this is the place or not. I have tried smoking cheese three times. The first was the best. I got a little soft, but edible 1.5 hours. I had tried on a day that was about 72, with the BLACK smoker in the sun The second was OK but barely smoked, 1 hour. I thought. The third was a disaster. I almost thought I had ruined my smoker. I had four pounds of cheese drooling all over the inside. I did 2.7 hours. I am only using a pellet tube each time. I am using hickory and a little apple I thought that I read somewhere that 3 hours was the normal time, or there about. Is there something that I am forgetting to do?
Thanks

 

[$mok!ng]

I normally just smoke cheese in the winter with my amazn pellet tray and no other heat. maybe try in the morning or evening, any . How in the world is northern colorado 72deg right now? Box temps over 100 degrees will melt most cheese. I will smoke mine normally 1-2 hours and pretty much only smoke pepperjack cheese.

 

[bud1955]

OK. It was in the 70's about 2 months ago. Maybe a bit longer. I will try your suggestions next time. I wonder where I read about smoking for 3 hours.
And Thanks for the reply.

 

[gmc2003]

wonder where I read about smoking for 3 hours.

A lot of folks here go 3 hours or more. It all depends on how much of a smokey profile they like.

I had tried on a day that was about 72, with the BLACK smoker in the sun

Above 70 degrees is pushing it in the sun with cheese. You could possibly start seeing the cheese start to sweat(loosing it's oils) or worse start melting.

 

[pineywoods]

I smoke cheese using apple pellets in an amazen-smoker cause that's what the wife likes. I smoke it for 4 hours then usually put in fridge over night. I then take it out and make sure it's dry then vacuum seal it for at least 2 weeks before she can start eating it.

 

[Winterrider]

I'm in pineywoods camp, about 4 hrs then day in fridge and vac.

 

[crazymoon]

B1955,I'm in the same camp as the above members, 3-4 hours with apple or cherry. Let it rest a day uncovered ,vac seal for a few weeks and good to go.

 

[millerbuilds]

Keys to smoking cheese
- Cooking chamber temp must remain below 70 for the best results
- I fill pans with water and freeze, giving you big blocks of ice to keep the chamber temp lower
- Use an A-Maze-N tube or maze with pellets
- Cut cheese into 1# blocks
- I smoke dense cheese for 4 hours
- I smoke string cheese and softer cheese for 90 minutes
- I transfer the smoked cheese from the smoker to ziplock bags, leaving them partially unzipped in the fridge to allow the condensation to dry off as the cheese cools (4-6 hours)
- I allow the cheese to mellow for 1 week
I like to wax the cheese, or you can vacuum pack it for storage. Dense cheeses will last for many years.

- Jason

 

[Colin1230]

I don't try to smoke cheese if the ambient temperature is above about 50*f. 40* f is better. Sometimes that is early in the morning. At that temp the cheese doesn't sweat much if any. I use a 6" pellet tube with apple pellets that will burn right at two hours. That seems to be just right for our tastes. Smoke, like so many other seasonings, doesn't take much to make a huge difference. Especially with cheese.
I'm going to try adjusting my times per millerbuilds advice for cheese hardness. That just makes a lot of sense, I think.
Anyway, I'm sure enjoying everyone's cheese smoking threads. Tis the season.

 

[millerbuilds]

I don't try to smoke cheese if the ambient temperature is above about 50*f. 40* f is better. Sometimes that is early in the morning. At that temp the cheese doesn't sweat much if any. I use a 6" pellet tube with apple pellets that will burn right at two hours. That seems to be just right for our tastes. Smoke, like so many other seasonings, doesn't take much to make a huge difference. Especially with cheese.
I'm going to try adjusting my times per millerbuilds advice for cheese hardness. That just makes a lot of sense, I think.
Anyway, I'm sure enjoying everyone's cheese smoking threads. Tis the season.

Thanks, just the way I like to do it, many different ways and it all depends on smoke intensity you would like to achive.

- Jason

 

[BigW.]

I would try and smoke when not in direct sunlight. Find a shady spot, early morning or evening since it gets dark so early now.