Cold smoking

L

Lazy Dawg

Guest
Ok Pit masters,
I am going to try jerky this weekend in the chargriller.I am going to try my hand at smoking some cheese. being I need to smoke the chees at much cooler temps heres the thought.... put a 3" metal dryer hose from the stack of offset # 1 and run it to offset #2. put cheese in # 2 offset. has anyone tried this and if so can you lend some advice or input?
8)
 
You are not going to believe this but I have been wondering about smoking cheese myself. Before I read your thread I saw the title cold smoking and told my wife that is what we need to look at for smoking cheese. For X-mas every year we make up baskets for family with stuff we canned from the garden and I ususally do some summer sausage and pack as well. We thought this year we would try to smoke som cheese to put in the baskets. With that said now it gets weird, my name is Fred and I use a chargriller. How crazy is that?? I have talked to some people who have done it and they all tell me you have to start with a pretty good quality of cheese. But I was thinking, just my two cents, it sounds like a good idea from what I have heard and been told that it could possibaly produce a almost ideal environment to smoke cheese. It makes sense to me.
 
Sounds like that would work just fine. I was just watching Alton's "Scrap Iron Chef" the other day, and that was approximately what he did to cold smoke some bacon. I've tried cold"ish" smoking by just keeping the fire small, the intake and exit mostly closed and had good results with cheese, salmon, bacon and ham. Cheese melts and ooozes after about an hour this way, so it's not true cold smoke. You should have better results with 2 units connected by a hose.

My $0.02.
 
elvis67 said:
You are not going to believe this but I have been wondering about smoking cheese myself. Before I read your thread I saw the title cold smoking and told my wife that is what we need to look at for smoking cheese. For X-mas every year we make up baskets for family with stuff we canned from the garden and I ususally do some summer sausage and pack as well. We thought this year we would try to smoke som cheese to put in the baskets. With that said now it gets weird, my name is Fred and I use a chargriller. How crazy is that?? I have talked to some people who have done it and they all tell me you have to start with a pretty good quality of cheese. But I was thinking, just my two cents, it sounds like a good idea from what I have heard and been told that it could possibaly produce a almost ideal environment to smoke cheese. It makes sense to me.
Click to expand...



Well pleased to meet you Fred. Good luck with your quest. I love the idea of the gifts. The goal ,in my eyes, is to get between 50* & 75* This should get the cheese smokey without melting it. I will post later this weekend the outcome.
 
acorette said:
Sounds like that would work just fine. I was just watching Alton's "Scrap Iron Chef" the other day, and that was approximately what he did to cold smoke some bacon. I've tried cold"ish" smoking by just keeping the fire small, the intake and exit mostly closed and had good results with cheese, salmon, bacon and ham. Cheese melts and ooozes after about an hour this way, so it's not true cold smoke. You should have better results with 2 units connected by a hose.

My $0.02.
Click to expand...



Thanks Acorette. This is the thought. Keep the temp low and the smoke up. I'm thinking white fish may turn out nice also!!
 
I freeze my mozzerella before smoking it...:rolleyes:, comes out good, I do it in cheescloth:biggrin:.

Let us know :p
 
WannaBeBBQueen said:
I freeze my mozzerella before smoking it...:rolleyes:, comes out good, I do it in cheescloth:biggrin:.

Let us know :p
Click to expand...


Ok Julie I''ll put up the results. Excuse me for questioning but what does the cloth do in the smoke process?
 
Lazy Dawg said:
Ok Pit masters,
I am going to try jerky this weekend in the chargriller.I am going to try my hand at smoking some cheese. being I need to smoke the chees at much cooler temps heres the thought.... put a 3" metal dryer hose from the stack of offset # 1 and run it to offset #2. put cheese in # 2 offset. has anyone tried this and if so can you lend some advice or input?
8)
Click to expand...
Wow. You have two offsets? Nice!
Yes, it sounds like this should work nicely.
I think the ideal 'cold' smoking temperature is around 90F
Good luck to you!
 
I used to use a hot plate in the chargriller. Wrap a chunk in hd foil and poke a few holes in it (or you can use sawdust, or chips)...If the temp rises too much, stick a twig in the lid and crack it open just a touch. The cheesecloth helps me to keep the cheese from getting smudged with grease.....

coldsmoking.jpg

smokedcheeseand.jpg

and then I made a nice, smoky salsa
best.jpg
 
Good morning Bretheren,
2 chargrillers are now tied together with 3" flexable dryer hose. Pit #1 has the fire in firebox. 1/2 chimney of Kingsford and a stick of maple. Jerky is hanging in #1 and temp is at 160* Pit # 2 has some Mozzarella,Cheddar,Colby, Gouda & Jack chunks hanging in Cheese Cloth,Thanks Wannabe, and is at 65* Now can anybody here shoot me some approximate times as to when I should pull the treats off? I wiil post pics later once I figure out how and charge the General's, Mrs.Dawg's, camera.
Thanks for the earlier replies to this thread everyone I am looking forward to your future input:mrgreen:
 
I'd be interested in seeing the pics of the chargrillers hook up......I tried smoking some cheese and ended up with a pile of goo:shock:
 
Hey Jpw,
I bought some 3" flexable dryer hose from HD and slid it over to two stacks it appears to be working nicely but I am only 1 1/2 hrs into the experiment. I will attempt pics later.
 
Lazy Dawg said:
Hey Jpw,
I bought some 3" flexable dryer hose from HD and slid it over to two stacks it appears to be working nicely but I am only 1 1/2 hrs into the experiment. I will attempt pics later.
Click to expand...
I'll give that a try:biggrin:
 
Ok
jerky just came off. 3 hrs @ 160* Too dry!!!!! and burnt. Was hanging in top half of offset so temp may have been higher. I also need to cut it thicker. It crunche instead of chewed. marinated over night. marinade flavor seem ok needs some tweaking. Will be picking up another Top Round LB today and will try again tomorrow.

Cheese is still in #2 pit & 67* 2hrs

Any input or suggestions? please feel free.
 
On second Jerky attempt today with the chargillers tie together. 1st attempt resulted in crunchie dried out Chit. Had Jerkey in pit #1 where the heat was. Left it in for 3 hrs @ 160* Today we will try Full chimney in pit #1 Jerkry in Pit # 2. It now Has been in the smoke for 1 hr. best Temp I could get in #2 is 98* I will be pulling it shortly and finish drying in kitchen oven @ 160*This is with pit# 1 at 350* Cheese smoked on Sunday came out a little too bitter. I smoked it way too long (5hrs). Tried cheese this morning that was smoked on Sunday and the bitter smoke taste seemed to mellow out a bit but next time I will try at little higher temp and for less time. I also read some where in here that I should let cheese set out a while to firm it's skin before smoking it. I am off this week and will continue to try some new ideas. BB bacon will be going in today. I cured a 8lb. butt with HM cure. 1st attempt. I think I am going to bring it to 140* internal as per directions and then cut a hunk off. Then glaze remaining piece with some maple syrup. Will leave the remaining piece on to 165* and try it for supper tonight as ham. What a deal. Off all week and no plans other then to experiment on the pits. Will report later
 
I'm lost here. I want to smoke some cheese, but still don't have a clue after reading this. What I took out of this is that I want to create some smoke, but don't have the smoke reach the cheese until the smoke temp is low enough that it won't melt the cheese.

So in my BWS, I could build a very small fire, 2-4 charcoal lumps and add some wood for smoke. Cut off nearly all the air supply so it just kind of smokes and fills the smoke chamber with a nice clean smoke.

Or would I be better off smoking cheese on my OK Joes grill? build a very small fire in a tin on one end, the putting the chez on the other end? Would adding a pan of water between help?
 
KC_Bobby said:
I'm lost here. I want to smoke some cheese, but still don't have a clue after reading this.

So in my BWS, I could build a very small fire, 2-4 charcoal lumps and add some wood for smoke. Cut off nearly all the air supply so it just kind of smokes and fills the smoke chamber with a nice clean smoke.
Click to expand...

Sounds about right....I'm not that familiar with the Backwoods, but I know there's a realy good post in their forum by Old Dave where he has details of how he does it.....I just try to keep the temp below 90-100 and smoke till there's a nice color. If the cheese sweats a little, you can wipe it off and reduce the temp. The cheesecloth mentioned above is a good way to keep the grease off.....I find that the flavor mellows and improves overnight in the fridge.....
 
Now that I've re-read this a bit, sounds like the lower the temp, the better - it's just a matter of creating some smoke right? If it only takes an hour or so of smoke it should be easy in my Competitor. Fill the water pan with cold water and it takes an hour to get up to regular smoking temp anyway. Smaller fire and I think I have a good plan now.

Might try doing this tonight with some beer in hand.
 
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