---k---
is One Chatty Farker
I smoked some cheese this weekend, which is a first for me. There seem to be a million threads here on the Brethren about smoking cheese with a million different methods. (although a lot of the threads the first post tell you to search and give links to posts that tell you to search... I went 4 links down once this way :roll
A couple of the most common seem to be:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedcheese/smokedcheese.htm
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122014
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cheese.html
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55952&highlight=smoked+cheese
I tried a modified method found on the nakedwiz.com. I used my Webber OTG with 8 briquettes lit to the side and a slice of wood on each, a waterpan on the other side full of ice. I let the Kingsford fully ash over before applying the wood. Wood was a scrape pieces from the bottom of bags. I think I had two peices of apple, a piece of cherry, and two pieces of hickory. Bottom and top vents were barely opened. A block of sharp cheeder and pepper jack directly over the ice pan. I smoked them for 60 minutes then let cool and vacuum sealed. They mellowed from Sunday to Wednesday.
Results: pretty darn tasty! I think my wife and I ate half a block of each tonight. You get a little smoke flavor as you bite in, then it goes away and then you get a little smoke aftertaste. It was good enough that I've offered to bring more to Christmas eve.
A couple of things though, I had a LOT of smoke for the first 20 minutes. I waited before putting the cheese on. After 20 minutes, it was still a lot, but close to clean blue. About 45 minutes in, I started to get clear smoke. After I was done, I removed the lid and the cheery chunk was still left and one other about 1/2. 3 Chunks had burned themselves out... I'm not sure if you need clean blue smoke with this??? Is sweet blue even possible with the soldering iron method???
I was getting temps around 150* at the grate beneath the cheese. I couldn't get them lower. The pepper jack melted. This method can work, but I need to work on it. I used 8 briquettes because I figured my OTG would need more than a fully insulated BGE. Mistake. I also think letting the briquettes fully ash over might have gotten them too hot. Maybe I'll pick up a bag of natural royal oak briquettes.
I might try it on my UDS next with ice in the waterpan. I like the idea of a bigger surface to put the cheese on. And further from the fire should be cooler. I'm just imagining it being a pain to lower the basket without the wood falling off the briquettes. I might try the soldering iron method too. Easy enough, but I like the idea of smoke from a real fire. Seems more natural in my crazy head.
I've seen people here say that it needs to mellow for 1 to 2 weeks. I did 3 days and thought it was good. Maybe mine didn't have as much smoke in 60 minutes, so I wonder if mine would mellow too much in 2 weeks? Guess we'll find out...
Pretty easy to do and lots of ways to do it. Everyone should try it.
A couple of the most common seem to be:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedcheese/smokedcheese.htm
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122014
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cheese.html
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55952&highlight=smoked+cheese
I tried a modified method found on the nakedwiz.com. I used my Webber OTG with 8 briquettes lit to the side and a slice of wood on each, a waterpan on the other side full of ice. I let the Kingsford fully ash over before applying the wood. Wood was a scrape pieces from the bottom of bags. I think I had two peices of apple, a piece of cherry, and two pieces of hickory. Bottom and top vents were barely opened. A block of sharp cheeder and pepper jack directly over the ice pan. I smoked them for 60 minutes then let cool and vacuum sealed. They mellowed from Sunday to Wednesday.
Results: pretty darn tasty! I think my wife and I ate half a block of each tonight. You get a little smoke flavor as you bite in, then it goes away and then you get a little smoke aftertaste. It was good enough that I've offered to bring more to Christmas eve.
A couple of things though, I had a LOT of smoke for the first 20 minutes. I waited before putting the cheese on. After 20 minutes, it was still a lot, but close to clean blue. About 45 minutes in, I started to get clear smoke. After I was done, I removed the lid and the cheery chunk was still left and one other about 1/2. 3 Chunks had burned themselves out... I'm not sure if you need clean blue smoke with this??? Is sweet blue even possible with the soldering iron method???
I was getting temps around 150* at the grate beneath the cheese. I couldn't get them lower. The pepper jack melted. This method can work, but I need to work on it. I used 8 briquettes because I figured my OTG would need more than a fully insulated BGE. Mistake. I also think letting the briquettes fully ash over might have gotten them too hot. Maybe I'll pick up a bag of natural royal oak briquettes.
I might try it on my UDS next with ice in the waterpan. I like the idea of a bigger surface to put the cheese on. And further from the fire should be cooler. I'm just imagining it being a pain to lower the basket without the wood falling off the briquettes. I might try the soldering iron method too. Easy enough, but I like the idea of smoke from a real fire. Seems more natural in my crazy head.
I've seen people here say that it needs to mellow for 1 to 2 weeks. I did 3 days and thought it was good. Maybe mine didn't have as much smoke in 60 minutes, so I wonder if mine would mellow too much in 2 weeks? Guess we'll find out...
Pretty easy to do and lots of ways to do it. Everyone should try it.