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how necessary is it to let smoked cheese rest?

smoky b
smoky b Posts: 648
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
seen a few suggestions to let smoked cheese rest a week or two before eating. what happens if you don't?
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Comments

  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Two to three days is fine. The longer you can wait the more it absorbs the smokey flavor. I don't like to eat it right away, but some do.
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
    Just like Kim said it will have a harsher flavor. It needs to have time for the smoke to mellow. Just realize that the flavor will change the longer it ages. I won't harm you to eat it earlier if that is what you are concerned about.
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  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    I think it's bitter. I wait at least 3 days. You're going to love it!!
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    I don't have a food saver can I just put it in a ziplock bag and then put it in an other ziplock bag in the fridge? Will it smoke up the fridge that way or do I need to leave it out in a ziplock bag in a cool place? Tim
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    Put some on a while ago. Apple chips inside a 10 oz. coffee can with a soldering iron. The smoke is real light - I was planning on smoking for two hours. What do you think?

    IMG_0684800x600.jpg
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  • lowercasebill
    lowercasebill Posts: 5,218
    yes you can eat it right away but it will be a bit acrid untill it mellows.

    you do not need a food saver.. double saran wrap and then in a zip lock will be fine .. you may be able to smell it a bit but it won't be a naked whiz style disaster.

    i would smoke for 1 hour and then taste. different cheeses take on smoke at different rates ,, my opinion is the moister the cheese the longer it needs to smoke.
    i did mozzerrela for 2 hours and it kept giving off liquid and did not take the smoke ,, cheddar took the smoke easy but cheddar really needs to age at least a week.. i found muenster to be the easiest... took the smoke nice and tasted good sooner than the cheddar.
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Using briquettes and chips as documented on my webpage, I found 60 minutes to be plenty. If you haven't done it before, I think I'd take half out at 1 hour and then let the second half go the second hour. Then at worst you might have only half of the cheese not turn out like you want.
    The Naked Whiz
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  • Firetruck
    Firetruck Posts: 2,679
    Frank, I did some caveman method yesterday too. You are right about the light smoke. I did mine for 2 hrs.
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  • Frank from Houma
    Frank from Houma Posts: 5,755
    I followed the process on your site twice with outstanding results, so why did I change? :unsure:

    Trying out the soldering iron in a can process just to Eggsperiment and try something new. B)

    Pulled the plug on the soldering iron 1 hour after the cheese went on and left the cheese on for another hour. When I sampled I thought it could use a little more smoke so I plugged it in for another hour. Two factors are leading to a little longer cold smoke IMHO.

    1) Using apple vs. a stronger smoke like hickory
    2) The soldering iron in a can is putting out just a wisp of smoke

    Got twenty bags cut to length and double sealed on one end - don't want to have any .... ahem .... uh .... fridge issues. ;)
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  • mkc
    mkc Posts: 544
    Initially, the smoke is concentrated just on the outside of the cheese. If you taste it right off the Egg, that will hit your tastebuds first and it's a bit harsh (made me think of creosote). The longer you let it sit, the more the smoke diffuses into the cheese, so you get a more uniform, balanced, "gentler" smoke flavor throughout.

    I did some Tillamook sharp cheddar last Wednesday. We tried it on Monday (5 days later) since we were shipping it off as gifts. It was still a little "under mellow". Now at 9 days it's much better.

    Just one data point, though.
    Egging in Crossville, TN
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 13,701
    Graham,
    I over smoked a batch cheddar and mozzarella in the summer (soldering iron method) using apple or cherry wood chips, it was on for just over 2 hours. They tasted too smoky even after waiting two weeks. BUT they were amazing when I tried them again months later.
    -Gary
    canuckland
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  • smoky b
    smoky b Posts: 648
    good call gary. i have several blocks on right now for the first time. i can't tell if they have enough flavor yet or not. oh well, first time for everything!
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