Smoked Cheese w/pics

egret

Got inspiration from "Old Dave" and smoked some cheese today. I did a block of extra sharp cheddar and a block of swiss. I did a test run first and had a hard time getting the temp, to stay below 175 degrees. I added another piece of felt gasket on top of the bottom piece since I saw some smoke coming out around the gasket. Anyway, final setup was lump piled in a coffee can with applewood chunks, started the fire, put in plate setter (figured this would keep the temp lower for a while), a large aluminum pan full of ice on plate setter, regular grid on plate setter and raised grid on top of that. I smoked them for 90 minutes. I still couldn't keep the temp. down below 108 degrees near the end. Here is a shot when just done :



This stuff is good! Next time I'll go a little lighter on the wood. It. apparantly, doesn't need too much, as Dave stated. On the other hand, maybe it just takes a little getting used to since I've probably never had "real" smoked cheese before.
Here it is on the plate :



This system works! I never would have believed you could smoke at such low temps. on the egg.
Thank you a bunch, Dave. I'm already making plans for the next trial run!!

Unknown

egret,
both you and dave have inspired me! i'm gonna try it tooooo!
heheh
i was looking for some smoked tillamook cheese today at the store and they didn't have it, so i reckon i'll smoke my own![p]thanks mon

ronbeaux

Rick's Tropical Delight,
OK I'll bite. What is tillamook cheese?

Bordello

ronbeaux,
An excellent cheese. IMHO
Made in Tillamook Or.[p]I like the Xtra sharp cheddar.[p]Regards,
Bordello
[ul][li]Tillamook[/ul]

ronbeaux

Bordello,
OK, thanks. You never know, around here nothing is spelled like it sounds.

Unknown

Bordello,
right on!
i've been there to the place and got ice cream! have you?
i got a hunk of medium cheddar tonight anyways...

Unknown

egret,[p]Looks pretty good to me for a first try although I would have rather seen you try it with brickettes. I know many folks will have a problem with this charcoal but it is being used at a rate of about 1500 to one in this type of cooking or smoking and will work well if you know how to use it. If in doubt, look for some grass fed, organic, natural, or free range brickettes. [p]We sure need to get your smoking temp lower and there may be several ways to do this and I am sure the amount of charcoal used is the first thing to try. I often smoke cheese with as little as 3 ashed over brickettes but usually need to do my fire twice to get enough time for my cheese. Another thing you might try is to do your cheese in the coldest part of the day which is about daylight. [p]Cheese shouldn't sweat as it will really not take much smoke with water all over it. Most cheese will start to sweat at about 90 degrees so I usually try to keep the temps at no more than 80 degrees. If the temp is getting too high, just raise the dome for a while and bleed off the extra heat. That is assuming that the ambient temp is lower.[p]"Lump piled in a coffee can" could probably be too much fire in your case. It can be done with lump but is more difficult. [p]I have a picture showing the amount of smoke from my cooker but you need to look close to see it. I try to keep this amount of smoke coming out of the cooker for the full amount of time that the cheese takes to get to that wonderful place where it just has the hint of smoke flavor. It is just like baking, just a HINT of smoke flavor is all that is required for the best results. [p][p]There is a fine line between smoked cheese and oversmoked cheese. Both are good but as you get more experience, you will get your cheese just right to suit you and your family. [p]When you check your cheese for smoke, just pull a stick off the cooker and cut off the end piece which you never want to taste as it is always oversmoked with all the surface area and then cut that second piece off and taste it for smoke. When your cheese is right, there will be enough smoke on just the edges to give the block of cheese the great flavor. Always cut your cheese for crackers before it goes on the smoker. Everything you smoke should be no larger than about 2" by 2" as the smoke will only be on the surface of the cheese and this size is about the largest that will really work well. [p]Good luck on your next smoke and if you have any questions, fire them this way and I will try to answer. [p]Dave[p]

egret

Thanks for the extra tips, Dave. I'll pick up some briquets for the next try. I did notice the surface of the cheese was pretty moist when I opened the dome. This cheese tastes great, though. I couldn't leave it alone yesterday!

thirdeye

Old Dave,[p]Good Follow-up post. I noticed in your other post that you use, for lack of a better word, processed cheeses. I'm calling "processing" taking natural cheeses, grinding and blending it with a few additives, melted and formed into shapes. (To me, natural cheeses are just that, natural. They are manufactured, formed and sealed)[p]Anyway, back on track....Flavor wise, I have always had very good success with those kinds of cheeses too. Plus the selection is better and the shapes are more consistent and take less prep work on my end. For me the natural cheeses are really hard to smoke. Do you find this to be true too?[p]The best explanation I have found is that the butter fats in natural cheeses can absorb (or over-absorb) some of the
bad flavors in smoke. In the cheeses I call processed, additives have attached themselves to the butter fats, leaving no place for the bad flavors to attach. Just curious if you has any input on this.[p]~thirdeye~