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Smoked Cheese Update

Onegrecook
Onegrecook Posts: 121
edited August 2012 in EggHead Forum
Ok...the other day I posted about my smoked cheese tasting funny. It's been in the fridge for a few days and it's disgusting! It tastes like I dragged an old truck tire into a small room, smoked 100 cartons of cigarettes, let the smoke get stale, then ripped off a chunk of the tire and ate it. Not good! Not sure if I smoked it too long or what, but it's nasty.

Comments

  • bud812
    bud812 Posts: 1,869
    Back to the drawin board. I wanted to try it too but I'll pass for now.

    Not to get technical, but according to chemistry alcohol is a solution...

    Large & Small BGE

    Stockton Ca.

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Will your dog eat it? Maybe use it as catfish bait?

    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Onegrecook
    Onegrecook Posts: 121
    Yes...dog will eat it. I gave her a bite and she ate it.
  • misu
    misu Posts: 213
    Try the soldering iron method, I smoked a lot of cheese earlier in the year when it was cold outside and they all came out great. All types of cheese too, I even tried feta :)

  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,188
    edited August 2012
    I also have had good luck with the soldering iron method.  Get the lowest wattage iron you can find or use a solid state speed or lighting controller to keep the smoke at a low level.  A 35 watt iron is plenty from what I can see. My procedure uses only about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fruit wood so the smoke doesn't get too heavy, as the flavor seems to grow while in the fridge.  I have used my old W kettle for this also and it actually seems to work just a little better than the Egg ( I know sacrilege!).  I surmise due to the metal shell shedding the heat more easily during the cold smoke process.  I finally found a use for the W besides storing Eggcessories.  I also have put the cheese in the freezer for a short time before the smoking and it tastes a little smokier at the end product, like meat put in the Egg cold vs. room temperature.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    with the cheese cold run a brick under the faucet....wash off some of the smoke, dry with paper towel and back in the fridge for a day before taste testing again.....if that does not work, trim off the exterior and taste again.

    my hunch is because of the summer time heat, the cheese softened (sweated to much) when smoking allowing the smoke to do the nasty.   

    I don't smoke cheese until the outdoor temps are 50ish, easier to keep the egg under 100 degree by the dome thermometer....  

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • Onegrecook
    Onegrecook Posts: 121
    Good advise guys...thank you. I did notice some condensation on the cheese after I smoked it. I'm sure that was due to the ice just below it. What does that do to the flavor, or how does that make it worse? It sounds like that is the issue...it's just not a very clean smoke taste.
  • misu
    misu Posts: 213
    I used a pan of ice under the cheese in late spring with my soldering iron setup with no difference in taste, that's not it. What briquettes did you use?
  • Onegrecook
    Onegrecook Posts: 121
    The only briquettes I could find were these. I made sure the weren't match light. Do you think this is the problem?

    Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
  • Onegrecook
    Onegrecook Posts: 121
    I also made sure they were fully lit...as in very ashy before starting.
  • misu
    misu Posts: 213
    those look fine to me, how hot was outside when you were doing this?
  • It was warm...I don't recall the exact temp. The dome gauge never got above 80 or 90...at least not close to 100.
  • Logger
    Logger Posts: 309
    Ohhh...never use briquets...only lump which is natural...
    Give that stuff to somebody else.
    OKC area  XL - Medium Eggs
  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,168
    The only briquettes I could find were these. I made sure the weren't match light. Do you think this is the problem? Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos
    Those will work fine......I've been doing smoked cheese for many years now and all I ever use is briquets. Here's a link for the process I use : http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedcheese/smokedcheese.htm
  • smasch
    smasch Posts: 115
    Costco cheddar, egg at 250 with mucho grande smoke, wrap cheese in cheese cloth soaked in Wesson oil 3 times and place in a loaf pan.  Smoke 2 hours, take out of smoker and cool in pan 24 hours.  Works first time every time.  
    Owner of LBGE, Antique Komodo Green in Color. Proud Career Firefighter. Johns Creek / South Forsyth GA