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Smoking Cheese - lots of pictures

BeerMike
BeerMike Posts: 317
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I smoked cheese today and it is fantastic. I used cherry and smoked the cheese (Medium Cheddar, Swiss and Colby Jack) at approx 70° for 2 hours.[p]Here is my set up. I use the small BGE to create the smoke and use a dryer hose to route the smoke into the vent of my large BGE. This is a great set up because I can keep the temperature low aroung the cheese.
144-4461_IMG.jpg[p]I held the small BGE at approx 325°. You can see a little smoke escaping.
144-4460_IMG.jpg[p]Here is the dryer hose attached to the vent in the large BGE. You can see smoke escaping here also.
144-4459_IMG.jpg[p]Here is the smoke billowing from the top of the large BGE. Notice the temperature.
144-4458_IMG.jpg[p]Here is a shot of the temperature in the large BGE holding at 70°.
144-4462_IMG.jpg[p]Here is the final product right before I took it off the smoker.
144-4468_IMG.jpg[p]What will I do differently next time?
1. I will smoke the cheese another hour even though my wife thought the cheese was smoky enough.
2. I need a better way to attach the dryer vent to the dome of the small BGE. Once the duct tape became hot, it stopped holding. I used the chair to prop up the hose to help keep it on.
3. I also need a better way to attach the dryer hose to the vent of the large BGE.
4. Drink more beer during the smoking. [p]Tomorrow I'm smoking a salmon I caught on Lake Michigan. [p]Later, [p]BeerMike
I think it's time for another beer![p]

I think it's time for another beer!
BGEing since 2003
2 Large BGEs 
Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
Living the dream in Wisconsin

Comments

  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
    BeerMike,[p]Wow..now that is thinking...now where did I put my 12 pack
  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    BeerMike,[p]Holy cow - that is awesome!!!
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    BeerMike,
    You might want to try HVAC tape used for duct work. I'm not positive but I'd think it would take the heat better.[p]I wonder how it would work if both eggs are at the same level? I guess if the vent was wide open on the large and the hose connecting the two sealed pretty good the draft would pull the heat/smoke through alright. Might have to try this out!

  • BeerMike,
    1. Beware!
    2. Metal tape?
    3. Your rigging looks good, but the connection to your large Egg would be a lot simpler if you ran your dryer hose to the dome and let it vent out the bottom.
    4. Just figured out the extra hour in #1. ;-)[p]Mike

  • dhuffjr, I have some HVAC aluminum tape that I will try from the beginning next time. I used it to patch up the leaks yesterday. I should have started out using it. I guess I forgot I had that tape. Too much beer I guess. ;)[p]Can you explain a little more about having the eggs at the same level? How will that help? I'm very interested in your idea.

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • Michael B,
    I'll try the metal tape next time. I had some in the garage but forgot about it until after the hose on the small started coming off from the heat. [p]Run the dryer hose to the dome of the large.... hmmmmm. Very interesting idea. Your right... it sure would make the connection to the large simple. But will the smoke travel down the egg?.... hmmmmm... I might have to try this. [p]Maybe I can use a larger diameter dryer hose and use a clamp on the small BGE dome to keep the hose connected. I used a 4 inch hose but I'm not sure if they make larger hoses. A 5 inch hose would work well. [p]BeerMike

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • AlaskanC,
    Thanks. I'm glad you like it. I've been waiting for the outside temp to cool down before I tried this. However, I thought I could add another length of hose and run the hose through a cooler full of ice water. I think this would cool down the smoke on a hot day. Maybe I'm thinking too hard and it wouldn't matter. :)[p]BeerMike

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • icemncmth,
    I drank it.. I think... my head hurts too much this morning to remember. When I'm around, you should keep your beer locked up! hahahaha

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    BeerMike,
    Nice work! Sure is fun to see a setup for cold smokin using the eggs. Your a member of the Experimental Egg Association.[p]Perhaps stainless band clamps for duct hook ups? The tricky part is the transition from duct to lower draft door of the large "smoke house". Thinking of a sheet metal fitting that can slide into the flanges of the lower door bracket.[p]I think your smoked fish will be excellent. Good luck and thanks for sharing!
    Clay Pots

  • ClayQ,
    Thanks for the induction into the EEA. I'm honored and humbled to be part of this group. It's been a life long dream of mine. I'd like to thank my parents, my wife...... yada, yada, yada. hahahahehehe[p]I'm wondering if I could use the Guru vent fitting on the large. I would need to transition from a 4 inch inner diameter dryer hose to an outside diameter of 1 3/8 inches. I think I'll be going to the hardware store today.[p]

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • Looks like a BBQ Guru could be a big help here. You might just poke the pit probe through the dryer duct at some intermediate (i.e., higher-temp) point since I don't think you can directly control 70F with the Guru.
  • BeerMike,
    Outstanding AND your drinking a Leinenkugels - oh that brings back memories as I was raised not far from Big Eddy Springs (the water that gives Leinenkugels that special one of kind taste) although I mainly drank Walters beer before they went down. Got to love those Wisconsin breweries![p]Ummmmmmm smoked chesse and beer.....[p]Cheers

  • AlaskanC
    AlaskanC Posts: 1,346
    BeerMike,[p]Well whatever you do - take more pictures! You are helping me to convince my husband that I need a second egg! :)
  • BurntRaw,
    Leinies is a great beer but my favorites are from Capital Brewery in Middleton, WI and New Glarus Brewery in New Glarus, WI. Awesome beer from these 2 microbreweries. Look'em up and try their beer. [p]Do you remember Rienlander, Point, Hamms, Blatz, RWB, Schlitz, Huber, etc. (I could go on and on)? And yes, I remember Walters.[p]What took you from God's Country (remember the Old Style commercials) to Texas?[p]Later, [p]BeerMike

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • Rob Lewis,
    Temp control wasn't a big issue. The issue is connecting the dryer vent to the samll egg's dome and the large egg's vent. I think I can use the Guru's vent attachment to attached the dryer hose with a transition piece. [p]BeerMike

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    BeerMike,
    It was a question. My large and small sit directly on my patio so there is not a height difference between the small or mini and the large as all pictures of setups I've noticed where folks are smoking cheese.

  • BeerMike,[p]Looks great!! I only have one egg but I had to have smoked cheese last winter. Rigged up a smoke house and ran the same pipe you used with an HVAC "flanged connector" from the dome of my large to the bottom of the smoke house. Long story short...smoke goes downhill just fine!![p]BTW...had to get rid of the smoke house...looked like an out-house and caught my neighbor "using" it!
  • BeerMike,
    Sing along with me.......
    From the land of sky blue waters............. waters ........... lol.
    Raise in southern MN. and in Cumberland Wi.

  • BeerMike, Man I remember most of them beers. Leines was the main stay while at Madison in the late 1970s, $5 a case for returnable bottles.
  • Meinbmw
    Meinbmw Posts: 157
    JQuinn,
    What part of southern Minnesota ... I am in Rochester.

  • Dixieland Delights,
    That's funny!! You wouldn't want to use the smoke house after the neighbor did. [p]Glad to hear that smoke goes downhill just fine. [p]BeerMike
    I think it's time for another beer but I already have a headache!

    I think it's time for another beer!
    BGEing since 2003
    2 Large BGEs 
    Sold small BGE, 3rd and 4th large BGEs and XL BGE (at wife's "request"....sad face)
    Living the dream in Wisconsin