Wait time on cheese?

[jstylzz]

So I did my first cold smoke on cheese a couple of weeks back.  In fact it will be two weeks tomorrow.  I have seen two weeks as a minimum amount of time to wait until I crack into it.  Should I realistically wait a longer amount of time?  Can I nip into it tonight?  What's the general rule?

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey

I generally wait 3 weeks.  Then I can't restrain myself, so I open one package and indulge.  The rest, I try to leave for another month--although there is generally one more package missing.  LOL  Good luck!!  The longer you can leave it, the more mellow it is.

Gary

 

[jstylzz]

Thanks Gary!

 

[chef willie]

Life is short and uncertain....dig in.......self control is for Monks......Willie

 

[link]

I always wait at least 4 weeks before I open it. I just did some Mozzarella and Sharp Cheddar this weekend. Now we wait.

 

[disco]

I find it to be a cost benefit analysis. How long can I suffer without cheese (cost) and how great do I want the cheese to be (benefit). 

I did an experiment where I did 4 pounds of old cheddar. I opened one at 2 weeks, another at 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The 2 weeks tasted good but not even. The four was fine. The six was very good and there was only modest improvement at the 8. All were very good.

I believe the secret is to smoke a lot of cheese and build up a good store so you always have some aged. 

Disco

 

[stickyfingers]

2 weeks is good....but it does get even better with more time.

 

[ajbert]

I smoked some extra sharp cheddar back in the middle of Feb, my first time smoking cheese.  I waited the pre-requisite 2 weeks and it was "good".  Decided to wait a bit long and it was "gooder".  Decided to wait until this week and have to say this is the "mo' bestest" smoked cheese I've never tasted!

Bestust news is I've got about ten pounds more of the same cheddar, pepper jack and Colby Jack that I haven't even tried yet.

So put in me in the column of "aged is better for cheddar."