Smoking Cheese

bhedges1987

I have never done this on the egg.  I have only tried it once on an old pellet pooper of mine.


Looking for any tips or tricks without having to spend money on one of the amaze pellet tubes.  

I watched the Franklin video, he just basically said get it as smoky as possible - which I will not do.

Was planning on setting up my flame boss for like 180 with only a little charcoal and one chunk of apple wood.  Going indirect and putting a tub of ice below the cheese, and letting it go until it starts to slightly sweat (about an hour or so?). I was then planning on pulling it off, letting it cool, and vacuums sealing it and putting it in either the freezer or fridge?  Not sure which way would be better.

I also, don't have any way to set up to another egg, as my large is not around any of my other eggs.

Thanks 

SirSquatch

Not a whole lot of help as I've only cold smoked cheese but I've never been a fan of cheese after it has been frozen.

 Personally I think a cold smoking set up is worth the time and/or effort or buying a solution (neither option is expensive or a lot of work IMO) or hacking something together to work on your egg.

HoustonEgger

@bhedges1987 - even 180 is too hot for smoking cheese. I've done that route before and had to pull it at an hour in - not enough time for the flavor to really develop. 

I cold smoke cheese now, only in 70 degree weather and that manages to keep the inside egg temp at about 75. My setup uses the Amazen tray and ice like you mentioned. But you can use pellets without the amazen tray - just need to Mcgyver a way to create a channel for the pellets to rest in but still get enough air to burn at a slow rate.

After smoking the cheese, I'll chill it, then vac seal and refrigerate for at least a week or 2 before cutting into it. Helps mellow the smoke and creates a more rounded taste

SmokingPiney

The Amaze-N tray is awesome for cold smoking cheese. I use mine with the plate setter and it does a great job with cheese.

sheetmetalpete

If you want to stay cheap and MacGyver something you could try what I did with my Cookshack electric smoker back in the day.  I didn't have a cold smoke tray so I used a cardboard box.  I cut a hole in the bottom and rest it on top of the smoker.  I poked a couple of dowels through the sides so that a rack would fit inside and rest on them.  It looked pretty tacky but it was functional.  I don't see why you couldn't do the same with an Egg and rest a cold smoke box on top of the dome. 

500

SmokingPiney said:

The Amaze-N tray is awesome for cold smoking cheese. I use mine with the plate setter and it does a great job with cheese.

I just got Amazon Prime, so I think I may gift myself an Amaze Smoker tube.  You don't use an ice tray?  

You think hard boiled eggs would work as well?  

And I guess you use the same method for bacon?

And come to think of it.  I'm halfway there already.  My neighbor has a Traegar Pellet Pooper.  I'm sure he'll give me handfuls of pellets.

SirSquatch

500 said:

SmokingPiney said:

The Amaze-N tray is awesome for cold smoking cheese. I use mine with the plate setter and it does a great job with cheese.

I just got Amazon Prime, so I think I may gift myself an Amaze Smoker tube.  You don't use an ice tray?  

You think hard boiled eggs would work as well?  

And I guess you use the same method for bacon?

I use the pellet version (AMNPS) as I wanted to be able to do longer cold smokes (which is what I have used for bacon in the past). I only cold smoke when the temperature is sub-40 so I've never felt the need to use anything to bring the temperature down. 

500

SirSquatch said:

500 said:

SmokingPiney said:

The Amaze-N tray is awesome for cold smoking cheese. I use mine with the plate setter and it does a great job with cheese.

I just got Amazon Prime, so I think I may gift myself an Amaze Smoker tube.  You don't use an ice tray?  

You think hard boiled eggs would work as well?  

And I guess you use the same method for bacon?

I use the pellet version (AMNPS) as I wanted to be able to do longer cold smokes (which is what I have used for bacon in the past). I only cold smoke when the temperature is sub-40 so I've never felt the need to use anything to bring the temperature down. 

So you like the tray instead of the 12" tube?  Because you can smoke longer with the tray.  I see; 11 hr. smoke vs. 4 hr. with the tube.  Makes sense.

sheetmetalpete

500 said:

SirSquatch said:

500 said:

SmokingPiney said:

The Amaze-N tray is awesome for cold smoking cheese. I use mine with the plate setter and it does a great job with cheese.

I just got Amazon Prime, so I think I may gift myself an Amaze Smoker tube.  You don't use an ice tray?  

You think hard boiled eggs would work as well?  

And I guess you use the same method for bacon?

I use the pellet version (AMNPS) as I wanted to be able to do longer cold smokes (which is what I have used for bacon in the past). I only cold smoke when the temperature is sub-40 so I've never felt the need to use anything to bring the temperature down. 

So you like the tray instead of the 12" tube?  Because you can smoke longer with the tray.  I see; 11 hr. smoke vs. 4 hr. with the tube.  Makes sense.

I have the tray as well.  I bought it for the longer smoke time with bacon & salmon in mind.  Sadly I've only used it for cheese so far but I like it.

500

Got it.  I think I'm in for 5"x8" tray then.  Looking at pellets now.  I suppose chips won't work as they would get too hot?

pab

I am not 100% certain of this, but I think the tube is more for throwing on lit charcoal or a gas grill. I gifted myself the tray for Christmas two years ago.  I have cold smoked bacon, almonds, salmon and cheese. I cleaned out the charcoal and put the tray on the fire grate.  For the cheese and salmon I did use a half sheet pan with ice as I read somewhere on this web site it would gather the particulates in the smoke. I have also seen posted that cold smoking salmon and bacon carries some risk so that is your decision to make. I do my cold smoking below 40* as well, but living in Ahia I have ample opportunities .

SmokingPiney

500 said:

Got it.  I think I'm in for 5"x8" tray then.  Looking at pellets now.  I suppose chips won't work as they would get too hot?

The tray is set up for pellets. I get them from Firecraft. The last batch of cheese I smoked, I used their oak wood, sage, rosemary, and thyme pellets. I have 2 more weeks of mellowing before I can taste, but the smoke sure smelled good.

SirSquatch

500 said:

Got it.  I think I'm in for 5"x8" tray then.  Looking at pellets now.  I suppose chips won't work as they would get too hot?

I'm not sure chips would burn correctly, but I've only used pellets so I'm not sure. I use Traeger pellets since they were what was available locally on short notice and I was too impatient to wait for shipping, but I sort of regret that now.  From what I've been able to find in my research, the only pure wood pellets (meaning, when you buy Applewood Pellets, they are 100% Applewood) are from the folks at Amaz-n-pellets themselves. I might have missed some company and would love to hear differently, but just an FYI that they are the only company I've found that sells 100% fruitwood pellets. 

I'd be interested in hearing more about the ice/water pan as a creosote catch, I've never heard that before and honestly never seem to have an issue with poor taste in my setup but I'll take any advantage I can take. 

pab

@SirSquatch I don't post much as I am pretty ignorant on how to add links, quotes and the like but I love the interwebs for reading and buying things lol. The article I read was on amazing ribs.com in a posting titled "what You Need to Know About Wood Smoke and Combustion" it is a rather long but informative read and about halfway through under the heading Thermophoreis it is explained how creosote collects on a can of ice water more than a can of room temperature water. Since about half of the cheese I cold smoke is white I have just made a practice of using an ice tray and the bottom of the trays is very sticky with creosote. For me it would have as much to do with appearance and with an adjustable rig and a couple of crossbars doesn't take me any extra effort

500

I did find these pellets to be 100% wood; https://www.smokehouseproducts.com/collections/bbq-pellets,
so they are all wood as they claim, but all of them have an Alder base, so the hickory and apple also have an alder base.  

500

I didn't login this morning planning on spending money, but that's what happens.  Ordered direct from A-MAZE-N a 5x8 pellet tray package that comes with a Pitmaster's Choice, Apple, Hickory, and Maple pellets, and a fire gel pack, and added an Alder and Italian Spice pellets.  Cold smoking in the near future.  Thanks, Eggheads.

And sorry to @bhedges1987 for highjacking the thread.

SmokingPiney

500 said:

I didn't login this morning planning on spending money, but that's what happens.  Ordered direct from A-MAZE-N a 5x8 pellet tray package that comes with a Pitmaster's Choice, Apple, Hickory, and Maple pellets, and a fire gel pack, and added an Alder and Italian Spice pellets.  Cold smoking in the near future.  Thanks, Eggheads.

And sorry to @bhedges1987 for highjacking the thread.

That's how I got started. Have fun!