Cold Smoking Cheese

Cookinbob

The cheese is smoking.  Used my old electric vertical smoker with the A-Maze N Pellet smoker with some Oak.  Put a 60 watt throuble light in the bottom for some heat as it is only 25 degrees out - temp has been holding at 57 for over an hour now.  I plan to pull the cheese at 2 hours, then seal in food saver bags for a couple of weeks.  2 1/2 lb bricks of cheddar, one of Monterey Jack, 1 Provolone, 1 Jarlsburg Swiss.

The Pellet smoker is really smoky.  I started it just inside the garage door with the door wide open, immediately moved it outside and shut the door.

DMW

Looking good! I think the A-MAZE-N smoker could work in a cardboard box with shelves. )

Cookinbob

I just checked the cheese at the 90 minute mark.  It does not appear to be taking on any color from the smoke.  Should it?

DMW

I haven't seen any noticeable color change when cold smoking cheese. Its there, don't sweat it.

Cookinbob

Thanks @DMW. For all you A maz n smoker users,  how do you put the smoker out when you are done?

DMW

I usually use a gloved hand to push the burning pellets away from the unlit ones. Those burnout on their own and you can rescue the unburnt ones.

Cookinbob

OK the Cheese is now done and food saver bagged.  Thanks for the input along the way! 

Surprised that after an hour the temp went up to 77 deg.  I pulled the plug on the trouble light, the temp did not drop!  Lesson learned, I don't need the trouble light even in winter.  Of course I tasted the cheeses, and they are kind of harsh as others have described, will wait at least 2 weeks to start sampling.

The old red electric smoker worked great for this, I think it has a new job as my cold smoker.  Plenty of grid space, and next time I will put the pellet smoker in the very bottom rather than on the lower grate.    Next project is some bacon, believe I will try both hot and cold smoking.

DMW

Next time I'm home and not cooking something I'm going to put my 250 Watt heat lamp in my egg and see how hot it can get.

laserdoc85

I cold smoke every thing in my Bradley with a cold smoke adaptor which is a long dryer vent hose,(5 feet) to a small metal box . I can get more bacon or cheese inside my Bradley than my egg. You want that cheese to stay sealed for at least 4 weeks in the frig. The longer the better. Why do you think they call it aged cheddar or swiss?