Starting my first cold smoke........

rustypotts · January 2

Well....I've already screwed it up. I forgot to season the smoker. Oh well........we will see how the cheese tastes. How long should cheese smoke?

MO_Eggin · January 2

Typically one to two hours; for a first attempt, stick closer to 1 hour. Make sure to let the cheese mellow for about a week, otherwise the smoke flavor may be overwhelming in a bad way. What set up are you using for cold smoking?

rustypotts · January 2

I have an AMAZN 6 x 6 loaded with apple sawdust. I lit both ends. It is working like a charm. I obviously have to much dust loaded. I'll have to put it out in an hour.

Alton · January 2

Have to ask the obvious but dumb question. What is Cold Smoke???

rustypotts · January 2

I cleaned out the LBGE and put the smoker directly on the grate. I put in the plate setter and then raised the cheese another 6" or so up in the dome.

rustypotts · January 2

Using a really slow burning dust or pellet that produces little if no heat.......just smoke. It is traditionally for cured meats like bacon or salmom(lox). Cheese is an easy smoke because it doesnt require curing.

fletcherfam · January 2

Smoke it for 1-2 hours then let it rest for 1-2 weeks. It will be hard not to eat but I just had my first cheese finish its rest period and it amazes me how much the smoke flavor mellows out during that time period. Welcome to the cold smoke club!

rustypotts · January 2

fletcherfam said:

Smoke it for 1-2 hours then let it rest for 1-2 weeks. It will be hard not to eat but I just had my first cheese finish its rest period and it amazes me how much the smoke flavor mellows out during that time period. Welcome to the cold smoke club!

do you just wrap it in plastic wrap?

fletcherfam · January 2

Personally I have a food saver and did 8 lbs of cheese so I just sealed them. If I didn't have a food saver I think wrapping them in plastic wrap then putting them in a plastic zipped bag would be fine. You can also freeze it that way so you can smoke them in bulk.

jerryp · January 2

When smoking with the can and soldering iron, do you soak the chips? I would like to try it this weekend.

rustypotts · January 2

fletcherfam said:

Personally I have a food saver and did 8 lbs of cheese so I just sealed them. If I didn't have a food saver I think wrapping them in plastic wrap then putting them in a plastic zipped bag would be fine. You can also freeze it that way so you can smoke them in bulk.

I've got a food saver. That will help keep me out of it.
The cheese has been smoking for an hour and I can see no change in the color. Is is supposed to look smokey? when I buy smoked cheese at the store it always has a smokey look to it

fletcherfam · January 2

It will change slightly, not very much though. It may not be noticeable until after you pull it out or after 2 hours. It will still taste smokey.

My guess on the coloring of smoked cheese you buy in the store they do a special process/additive to make it looked smoked.

fletcherfam · January 2

I am not sure about the can and soldering iron trick, haven't used that one yet.

bettysnephew · January 2

A lot of the smoked cheese you buy at the grocery has been "smoked" with the liquid smoke process. I am always leery of any that has an extremely even "smoke" coating. This is a possible giveaway regarding a chemically cured cheese. Also if the fruity flavor of the finished product is too pronounced it has likely been done by the liquid smoke method.

rustypotts · January 2

I'm done. Smoked for 2 hours and then vacuum packed. The whole process took only 2hr 20 minutes. It is as you discribed Fletcher........a strong slightly bitter taste. It should be fine after the rest. The smoker has 5 furrows for the dust. In 2 hours it burned one furrow on each side. That means that with both ends lit it should give 5 hours of smoke. With only one side lit it should go 10 hours. This is a very kwel little smoker. Now...Where is the Bacon?

fletcherfam · January 2

Yea, bacon is fun. Just finished my process yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Almost as easy as cheese with a few more steps. Just be careful, once you finish it it gets eaten quickly.

MO_Eggin · January 2

jerryp said:

When smoking with the can and soldering iron, do you soak the chips? I would like to try it this weekend.

You can, but do not need to do so. Dry chips will smolder, not burn, even with the top wide open.

rustypotts · January 2

fletcherfam said:

Yea, bacon is fun. Just finished my process yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Almost as easy as cheese with a few more steps. Just be careful, once you finish it it gets eaten quickly.

Fletcher.....do have a link to the entire bacon process?

fletcherfam · January 2

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/109696/bacon-cure-recipe

I followed this recipe.

BOWHUNR · January 2

Here's a pretty good video that uses both the BGE and the A-Maze-N smoker.

Mike

rustypotts · January 3

fletcherfam said:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/109696/bacon-cure-recipe

I followed this recipe.

Thanks.

rustypotts · January 3

well....he smoked it for 4 hours. I did only 2. Wewill see how it comes out.

Howdy, Stranger!

Forums

Starting my first cold smoke........

Comments