Smoked Cheese

[sbursik]

I have some aged Irish white cheddar in the Big Joe. Keeping it at around 90 degrees is going to be the hard part. I have the divider in with just enough lump coal and apple wood to do the trick. Never done this before so we'll see if I get smoked cheese or a cheesy Big Joe.

[_John_]

Saw someone doing this a week ago or so, something I want to try though i'm sure I'll manage to screw it up the first few times.

[sbursik]

It actually wasnt that hard. The fire went out a couple of times trying to keep it at 90 degrees, but I just fired it back up and before you know it, 3 hours went by and there was some very nice smoke on it. I guess you're supposed to wait 3 to 4 weeks before you try it. The smoke needs to mellow first.

[HC in SC]

Looks good - been meaning to give the cheese smoking a shot myself, but assumed I'd end up with a melty mess. Thanks!

[sbursik]

I was afraid of that too. I set the cheese to the opposite side from the coals and one time it spiked up to 100 degrees but the cheese was very much in tact. No melting.

[smarkley]

That looks great!

I really really like smoked cheese and would really like to make some... I don't think I could do this with any of my equipment. Darn I might have to buy a new smoker

[Henrik]

Cool! Just thought I'd share what I do when I want to smoke at sub 100 degrees. I use the old trick of placing a brick at the bottom of the grill. That way the surface bottom area is effectively cut in half, meaning even if I fill it up with charcoal to the same "level", only half the amount of charcoal can be added. This means less fuel burning, which in turn means lower temp. I use a kamado (BGE) myself, and when placing a brick at the bottom I can run at really low temps.

[sbursik]

Great idea with the brick!

[sbursik]

In the Kamado Joe there is the Divide and Conquer system. I split the fire box in half with that and built a small mound of coals and then put the ceramic disks over the top so there was no direct heat. Then put the cheese on the opposite side of the fire. Really works to keep the direct heat away.

[Spils02]

Sbursik I smoke my cheese in my BGE using a soldering iron and soup can filled with wood chips. It works out really well.

[sbursik]

I read about putting a few coals and wood chips in a coffee can too. I'll try that next time and see if its any easier.

[AldenMiller]

I have my second batch mellowing in vacuum packs in the refrigerator now. I will be able to try it this coming weekend. The first cheddar I tried was a little harsh although I haven't tried it again now that it has had more time to mellow. For that I used my regular smoker and only a couple briquets of charcoal and some small pieces of wood.

My wife gave me an AMAZE N smoker for Christmas so the results of that are what is in the refrigerator mellowing now. Very easy to keep cool (I think it stayed around 40 degrees which was the outside temperature). I just used my regular weber kettle. This weekend I will get to taste the smoked pepper jack I made with it and I am looking forward to it.

-Alden

[coolfins]

I have been smoking cheese with great success using the amaz-n-tube smoker on my Jim Bowie. At the same time been trying Meathead's idea for the smoked ice cubes. They turned out great, but at temps just below freezing, had to fire up the grill to finish melting the cubes. After reading the above posts, got to thinking, if you need heat to make your smoke, what about adding a pan full of ice to keep the heat down? You'd end up with smoked cheese & ice.... Just a thought

Cheers
Bill

[Strat50]

My favorite way to cold smoke cheese is to use my little chief and place a cardboard box on top with the lid removed. If you still have the box the unit came in, then you're golden. If not(mine fell apart years ago), I just tape some cardboard together . If you don't have a little chief, an electric hot plate, an old can or pan for the chips, and a cardboard box work well.