Smoking cheese on the WSM

SweetHeatBBQnSC · Apr 2, 2020

We have a cooler stretch here in SC and tomorrow morning and I am trying my hand at cold smoking some cheese. This is my first time trying my hand at it. I have researched and will include my plans, but am interested in any advice from any Brethren.

-I have bought my tube and apple pellets
-I am going to smoke for roughly 2 hours
-I am putting ice in the water pan to help keep the temps down(should be below 70 or 80 *)
-I have 2 blocks of extra sharp cheddar, 1 block of colby jack, 1 block of gouda, and 2 blocks of pepper jack
-I know all bottom vents and top vent should be all the way open
-I have seen people use the saran wrap or vacuum seal it, but I am interested if ziploc bags will work?
-Can you smoke on the upper and lower rack?
-I have heard times to wait between 7 days and 1 month...any idea?
-Any other cheeses anyone would suggest?

Thanks y'all!

JWFokker · Apr 2, 2020

I don't own a WSM or smoke cheese, but the middle is probably the best spot because it's away from the heat source (pellet tube) but also away from the top of the cook chamber where heat collects. Plastic bags will work just as well as saran wrap if not better. Use water displacement to push the air out of the bag ala sous vide cooking. You should do provolone next if you're into cold cut sandwiches.

creek bottom · Apr 2, 2020

I cold smoke a lot of cheese. Stay as far away from the heat as possible (trust me on this lol). I normally do mine for 3 hours, and that's with hickory chips. I've never had any complaints on "too smoky"... I normally just put into zip lock bags squeezing as much air out as possible. Unless you plan on storing for extended amount of time, then you may want to vacuum seal. As far as waiting seven days, I've heard this too. I eat mine right away and it's fantastic. So do all of my friends that get it. If you like blue cheese, try it. I buy it by the wheel and cut into wedges to smoke. PHENOMINAL!!!

IamMadMan · Apr 2, 2020

The tray of ice will work, but monitor your temperatures closely.

Personally, I would invest in an A-Maze-N pellet smoker tray or tube. You can cold smoke with virtually no heat.

Good airflow is also important to avoid stagnant smoke.

Below is a tutorial I wrote many years ago, but have added to the content over time.

Cold Smoking Cheese

gcs · Apr 3, 2020

You're on the right track, keep the smoke time to 2 hours....I did a run with a full tube until it was done burning, about 5 hours, ...don't do that. lol

TC Smoke & Que · Apr 3, 2020

Joedy, Let us know how it turns out.

SMOKE FREAK · Apr 3, 2020

I say skip the pan of ice. It only adds humidity causing condensation on your cheese. Better off dry.

Also I cut my chunks to around 8 ounces. But that's just me.

ToOTHroTT · Apr 3, 2020

I have the amazin tube and tried to smoke a few blocks of cheese. I let it smoke with a mix of pellets 34% Maple, 33% hickory, 33% cherry. I smoked the cheese for about 3 hrs. I wrapped the cheese in saran wrap for 2 weeks. The cheese tasted like crap!!!! I dont know what I did wrong. I was figuring it would be crappy because it seemed like way to much smoke from the tube. It tasted like dirty smoke. I smoked the cheese in a offset and put the tube in the box maybe I need to put it in the fire box?? Im not sure what I did but I am hesitant to try again. Maybe diffrent pellets??

SweetHeatBBQnSC · Apr 3, 2020

TC Smoke & Que said:
Joedy, Let us know how it turns out.

Will do---looked beautiful when I took it off the smoker. I guess only time will tell.

ToOTHroTT said:
I have the amazin tube and tried to smoke a few blocks of cheese. I let it smoke with a mix of pellets 34% Maple, 33% hickory, 33% cherry. I smoked the cheese for about 3 hrs. I wrapped the cheese in saran wrap for 2 weeks. The cheese tasted like crap!!!! I dont know what I did wrong. I was figuring it would be crappy because it seemed like way to much smoke from the tube. It tasted like dirty smoke. I smoked the cheese in a offset and put the tube in the box maybe I need to put it in the fire box?? Im not sure what I did but I am hesitant to try again. Maybe diffrent pellets??

Yeah I don't know either? Everything I read suggested apple pellets so that's what I went with.

Ag76 · Apr 3, 2020

Here is an article Thermoworks posted on smoking cheese which I have found to be very good:
https://blog.thermoworks.com/sides/thermal-tips-cold-smoking-cheese/

Harmony BBQ · Apr 4, 2020

I’d add some mozzarella to your list of cheese to smoke, tastes great on pizza and lasagna. I agree with the 2 hour smoke time, don’t over do the smoke.

Smoking cheese on the WSM

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