Smoking cheese

FLfishR · 12-07-2005, 09:05 PM

I smoked some cheese for the first time tonight. It came out pretty good. I used 6 or 8 briquets, then 3 or 4 small chunks of hickory over an hour smoke. It had a little too much smokey taste. I should have used pecan for 45 minutes.

MilitantSquatter · 12-07-2005, 09:23 PM

Nice !!

Where was your avg temp hovering around ?

I've never got around to smoking cheese but I think about it often every time I pick up some fresh mozzarella at the local Italian market near me.

If I recall correctly from what I read somewhere a while back , you need to wrap it in cheese cloth and the temps need to be in the 140-150 range.

Kevin · 12-07-2005, 09:41 PM

Just bought a wheel of smoked gouda for $7.99 a pound. Gotta learn to smoke cheese.

chad · 12-08-2005, 06:37 AM

cheese is usually smoked at below 100 (maybe even below 90) degrees...you are not cooking the cheese - so the smoke is what gets the job done.

Here's a nice tutorial from the virtual weber people...

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cheese.html

CharlieBeasley · 12-08-2005, 06:57 AM

A friend here in cold country smokes cheese and he recommends no higher than 88 degrees and smokes for 4 hours. I like the hickory taste Chad had some in Key Largo. I ask him to try Mozzarella next!

Jorge · 12-08-2005, 08:38 AM

Coincidence. A year or so ago I whined that I never get the chance to smoke cheese hear in Texas since it's hard to keep the pit cool enough. I've had some gouda, edam and pepper jack on for almost two hours now. Didn't hurt that it was 19* when the sun started coming up....

backyardchef · 12-08-2005, 09:00 AM

Cold smoking is fun and easy...I like to use a hotplate in the firebox with a chunk of pecan wrapped in foil. The chunk smokes a good long time. I rotate the cheese (or whatever we're smoking) to expose all sides to the smoke and let it go until I get the flavor I like. I try to keep the the temp. below 90, myself. I'm not sure if it's my imagination or what, but when I can, I let the cheese sit in the fridge for a day or two before we eat it, and it seems the smoke flavor mellows a bit. In the summer, when it's hard to keep the temp down, I crack the lid with a stick to let some heat out. Works like a charm.

--Matt

Mark · 12-08-2005, 09:22 AM

This comes up every year about this time (just like Christmas carols). The best advice I recall was someone (maybe it was kcquer?) recommending putting the cheese on a rack over the Bandera smoke stack and placing a cardboard box over that.

If its cold and/or windy, I can usually get by just keeping a small fire going, like how I dry my peppers.

Elkhound · 12-08-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorge

Coincidence. A year or so ago I whined that I never get the chance to smoke cheese hear in Texas since it's hard to keep the pit cool enough. I've had some gouda, edam and pepper jack on for almost two hours now. Didn't hurt that it was 19* when the sun started coming up....

Definatly a winter time activity here. When average outside temp in the summer is 90* and over it just wouldn't work. Gonna have to try me some this weekend, temps in the 30s.

FLfishR · 12-08-2005, 06:40 PM

The cheese from last night was not as strong tasting today. I still think 45 minutes would be about right. As for temp, it was about 50 degrees outside and the thermometer on the bandera didn't register any change while smoking. I cut my cheese in 1x1x4 inch blocks. If you left it whole it would take longer I think.

12-07-2005, 09:05 PM	#1
FLfishR Found some matches. Join Date: 04-27-05 Location: Pace Florida	Smoking cheese I smoked some cheese for the first time tonight. It came out pretty good. I used 6 or 8 briquets, then 3 or 4 small chunks of hickory over an hour smoke. It had a little too much smokey taste. I should have used pecan for 45 minutes. __________________ New Braunfels Bandera Brinkmann Gourmet Deluxe Charcoal Sunbeam Gas grill w/sideburner Kajun Kooker propane cooker

12-07-2005, 09:23 PM	#2
MilitantSquatter Moderator Join Date: 09-17-05 Location: Mooresville, NC	Nice !! Where was your avg temp hovering around ? I've never got around to smoking cheese but I think about it often every time I pick up some fresh mozzarella at the local Italian market near me. If I recall correctly from what I read somewhere a while back , you need to wrap it in cheese cloth and the temps need to be in the 140-150 range. __________________ XL BGE (#2) & Performer Platinum Former owner: Jambo Backyard, Klose BYC, Lonestar Vertical offset w/ Insulated Firebox, Medium Spicewine, Pitts & Spitts, XL BGE (#1) & (2) Medium BGE's, 22" WSM & (2) 18" WSM's, 18" & 22" Weber Kettles

12-07-2005, 09:41 PM	#3
Kevin Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-06-05 Location: Southern Minnesota	Just bought a wheel of smoked gouda for $7.99 a pound. Gotta learn to smoke cheese. __________________ Kevin

12-08-2005, 06:37 AM	#4
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL	cheese is usually smoked at below 100 (maybe even below 90) degrees...you are not cooking the cheese - so the smoke is what gets the job done. Here's a nice tutorial from the virtual weber people... http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cheese.html __________________ Dave Southern Brethren BBQ Competition Team "It's all about getting paid!" - Myron Mixon "I love being hated in my hometown!" - David Hair KingFisher Gator Rotisserie cooker (RIP), WSM (RIP), Stainless 5 burner with IR gas grill (RIP), Turkey Fryer, Weber JD Commemorative grill (RIP), Masterbuilt 40" insulated ELECTRIC smoker (new heating element), Pit Boss Tailgater pellet pooper.

12-08-2005, 06:57 AM	#5
CharlieBeasley is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 09-12-05 Location: Owego, NY	A friend here in cold country smokes cheese and he recommends no higher than 88 degrees and smokes for 4 hours. I like the hickory taste Chad had some in Key Largo. I ask him to try Mozzarella next! __________________ Charlie Beasley New Owner of old Bandera (8 years or so) New Smokette 008 (Love IT)

12-08-2005, 08:38 AM	#6
Jorge somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-23-04 Location: DFW, San AntonioTx	Coincidence. A year or so ago I whined that I never get the chance to smoke cheese hear in Texas since it's hard to keep the pit cool enough. I've had some gouda, edam and pepper jack on for almost two hours now. Didn't hurt that it was 19* when the sun started coming up.... __________________ You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. --Frank Zappa Keeping Valspar in BBQ, one cook at a time. Recipient of a Huggies box! Shut up, and cook!!!!

12-08-2005, 09:00 AM	#7
backyardchef Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-05-04 Location: New York City	Cold smoking is fun and easy...I like to use a hotplate in the firebox with a chunk of pecan wrapped in foil. The chunk smokes a good long time. I rotate the cheese (or whatever we're smoking) to expose all sides to the smoke and let it go until I get the flavor I like. I try to keep the the temp. below 90, myself. I'm not sure if it's my imagination or what, but when I can, I let the cheese sit in the fridge for a day or two before we eat it, and it seems the smoke flavor mellows a bit. In the summer, when it's hard to keep the temp down, I crack the lid with a stick to let some heat out. Works like a charm. --Matt __________________ Matt Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue The Hampton Smoker Blog: http://backyardchef.blogspot.com 7' Meadow Creek reverse flow w/ a 4' grill on the nose, named Large Marge 48" Klose Backyard Chef named Wubby Willy the Wonder Grill Weber Kettle named Georgiette ECB Spider Web Collector Model Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Firebrick Supremo

12-08-2005, 09:22 AM	#8
Mark somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: St. Peters MO: 38.786730,-90.642551 Name/Nickname : Mark	This comes up every year about this time (just like Christmas carols). The best advice I recall was someone (maybe it was kcquer?) recommending putting the cheese on a rack over the Bandera smoke stack and placing a cardboard box over that. If its cold and/or windy, I can usually get by just keeping a small fire going, like how I dry my peppers. __________________ Dr. Mark (STL) Ph.D. (honorary) Bovine $hitology A thin line separates paranoia from an acute understanding of reality.

12-08-2005, 06:40 PM	#10
FLfishR Found some matches. Join Date: 04-27-05 Location: Pace Florida	The cheese from last night was not as strong tasting today. I still think 45 minutes would be about right. As for temp, it was about 50 degrees outside and the thermometer on the bandera didn't register any change while smoking. I cut my cheese in 1x1x4 inch blocks. If you left it whole it would take longer I think. __________________ New Braunfels Bandera Brinkmann Gourmet Deluxe Charcoal Sunbeam Gas grill w/sideburner Kajun Kooker propane cooker