Who is Who(m) on Smoking Cheeses

Tony · Posted: Apr 08 2005 Post subject: Who is Who(m) on Smoking Cheeses

Hi Ya'll!
Is it just me or are these pages and posts getting few and maybe far between? Hey...Let's not let that happen at all!
Be that as it will,who else has a take on smoking cheese? Types...
Methods...Woods...Hardware-Tricks,Tips and Whatever:Let's see whatcha'got and then I'll let ya'll know what I did!

Let 'r Smoke!!!!!!!!!! Bring It On!

Best Regards, Tony

JimH · Posted: Apr 27 2005 Post subject:

Actually I learned to smoke cheese from the recipe book that came with my old Brinkman water smoker. Being in Texas I have to wait for really cold weather to smoke cheese (really cold means below 50*f). Using the Brinkman, I light about eight pieces of charcoal in a chimney and use four of them, with some soaked wood chips (I use pecan), at a time. I put cold water in the water pan and place the cheese on the top rack on foil pierced with a fork. I smoke it as long as possible, just short of it getting soft. It works well with cheddar, jalapeno jack and swiss. I do it every year just before Christmas and it's all gone by New Years Day. I think I smoked 6 lbs last year.

fatcatmarky · Posted: Apr 27 2005 Post subject:

Thats sounding good to me. Any idea if that can be done with just a regular offset smoker?

Mark
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JimH · Posted: Apr 27 2005 Post subject:

Mark, It should work even better in an offset. In the Brinkman the heat rose from directly under the cheese, while in an offset the cheese would be well off to the side removed from the heat but not smoke. The Brinkman has no damper (or smoke stack for that matter) so I'm guessing that you close the damper to trap the smoke, which would be like putting the lid on the brinkman. This year is my first with an offset so I am looking forward to using it to smoke cheese for the holidays. I should be able to do it all in one shot instead of in batches. Life is good.

fatcatmarky · Posted: Apr 27 2005 Post subject:

Yes indeed, life is good. Well then, I guess that I will have to start investigating into smoking a few blocks. Any idea which might work better for smoking, I would assume cheddar does pretty well.
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JimH · Posted: Apr 27 2005 Post subject:

Cheddar, swiss the regular store bought stuff. The fancy regional swiss (from France etc) didn't seem to go over well, too sharp I guess. The big hit was the pepper jack I couldn't keep that in the frig. There's all kind of variations too, you can sprinkle a little chili or paprika powder on them etc. I look at the book tonight as it did give a few spices that could be rubbed on the cheese.

roxy · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

I have bought smoked mozarella and gouda but never tried to make it.. makes a real tasty pizza topping.
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Garry · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

The smoked cheese you buy in the supermarket, along with other "smoked" foods like sauage, are rarely actually smoked any more. They are treated with liquid smoke.

Garry

roxy · Posted: Jun 11 2005 Post subject:

Has anyone tried the cold smoke method to do the cheese or does it have to be hot..??
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JimH · Posted: Jun 12 2005 Post subject:

Ideally it should be as cold as possible when you smoke it, both the cheese (not frozen) and the ambient air temperature. I used 3 or four charcoal brickettes and soaked wood chips in a bullet smoker. I'll have to experiment with my horizontal offset to get the right level of smoke.

roxy · Posted: Jun 12 2005 Post subject:

Jim:

What temp do you try to shoot for when doing the cheese..??
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JimH · Posted: Jun 14 2005 Post subject:

JimH · Posted: Aug 04 2005 Post subject:

I cannot wait until the temps get cold! My Longhorn smoker is goig to give me the ability to smoke a ton of cheese with half the work. Twisted Evil

Rosco · BBQ Fan Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 184 Location: NW IN

I've been smoking cheese in my Brinkman beater for quite some time now. What works best for me, is to start 4 to 6 charcoal briquettes in the fire pan, even fewer if it is very hot outside. Just want the fire to burn the wood, nothing else. I buy Sharp cheddar in 5lb. bricks at my supermarket, and cut it into one pound pieces. Place the cheese on the top grate, it's a vertical smoker...did I mention?, as far away from the heat as possible. Close the lid, and try to wait. 20-30 minutes is good, longer is stronger flavor. Watch the cheese, don't let it melt.... Any hard cheese works well, I smoke Gouda, Swiss, and Especially...Mozzarella! I cut the mozzarella balls into quarters, smoke and put some in a jar with olive oil, in the fridge. Even put some garlic and fresh basil in there...Great on pizza. As soon as the cheese is done, put in baggies, or better, vacuum seal...this seems to concentrate the smoke flavor. We give these as gifts a lot, never had any complaints. Good luck and best wishes, Rosco
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bigabyte · Posted: Aug 04 2005 Post subject:

Oh man, I LOVE smoked cheese! I have a Brinkmann offset and I have smoked Cheddar a few times. I put it at the farthest point from the firebox, so I can't do much at once. I need to smoke cheese more often. Lately I've been putting kielbasa in that spot while I cook up a butt or brisket.
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USDA Monkey · Posted: Oct 22 2007 Post subject:

I just smoked a small block of cheddar and mozarella for the first time and I'm hooked. I want to give some away as gifts this christmas any ideas on presentation? I need to get a food saver that's for sure.
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roxy · Posted: Oct 22 2007 Post subject:

It does change the consistancy of the cheese but it sure does add a ton of flavour to it.

Grilled cheese are awesome and the Mozza is a very good addition to pizza.
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JimH · Posted: Oct 22 2007 Post subject:

If you don't let the cheese get warm the texture stays the same, in my experience. When my back is against the wall (when it's warm and I have to smoke cheese) I just do short multiple smoking sessions putting the cheese back in frig between smokes. The pepperjack is the most requested, as far as presentation, wrap it in plastic wrap then in gift paper.
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cluckk · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 5

I did it for the first time today. I got a round of Gouda, removed the rind and smoked it in the coolest end of the smoker with Apple wood. I use a horizontal offset smoker, with wood instead of charcoal and chips. The Gouda stayed in for about four hours. I tried and tried to keep the fire down, but just couldn't keep it low enough to prevent melting. It was still great though and I am now hooked. I'm going to be trying other cheeses and woods.

In our area of Colorado the best woods I have been able to find for smoking are Apple and Maple. I'm thinking Maple Smoked Mozerella.

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Oct 29 2007 Post subject:

Here is an excellent cold smoking rig on eBay that you could use a cardboard bof for a cold smoker if needed.

Link

it is basically a steel tube that gets filled with chips or pellets, lit, then powerd by an aquarium pump.

if you have basic hand tools this could easily be made at home.
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