Going to be smoking my triple smoked bacon in in a couple of days. I was going to use hickory. However I plan to put some cheese in to and I'm thinking that hickory might be to strong. This will be the first cheese I've done so really sure what to use?
Thanks
Greg
I've seen a few posts that mention hickory but not sure which type of cheese. I know fruitwoods are popular, along with pecan. I'll have to let the experts weigh in on this though. I have a note saved about this to not let the temp get above 80F(max!) for a cold smoke and that pepper jack cheese is supposed to work well. :)
You could meet in the middle and do hickory the first day, then apple or hickory with cheese the second cold smoke, then back to hickory for the cold/hot smoke. I've never tried it but it sounds like it would work...
I might be inclined to follow Dano's suggestion of using a different wood on the middle day and smoke your cheese on that day. I have never tried hickory with cheese so I don't know for sure but it might be to strong. I've always used either apple or alder. I think I'd go hickory, apple, hickory on the bacon and do the cheese on apple day. I would also use no more than 2 hours of smoke on the cheese so you could switch back to hickory for the 3rd hour on day 2 if you wanted. The thing that's hardest about smoking cheese is the fact that its a month later before you really know how it turned out. What kind of cheese are you planning to smoke?
I mainly use apple wood for cheese, but have used hickory and oak but that will give you a stronger smoke. So it depends on your own taste. I would suggest apple for your first cheese smoke and apple is great on bacon also. :)
I have used Pecan and Cherry for cheese and definitely prefer the Cherry.....
I only use hickory ( 2 hrs ) for my cheese (any kind). Always get rave reviews !
Thanks guys, I have apple an d pecan so the second day I will do one of those.
Thanks
Greg
I really like hickory with cheese. I also gave mesquite a try, just because that was all I had, and I wasn't crazy about it, though some friends really liked my "mesquite mozza."
Here's a chart that might help:
(http://i1369.photobucket.com/albums/ag216/BoxcarBetts/22389C13-423D-46AB-8D2E-EE538B62F60B_zpsyqghkond.jpg)
For the triple smoke you should make the bacon the priority on smoke flavor. When I make triple smoke I prefer pecan, but have had very good success with apple or maple - or a combination of the two. All three are also good for cheese, except the pecan will be a little more stronger than the apple or maple.
I've tried several flavors on cheese. My latest batch was with hickory for 3 hours. We waited for 7 weeks before trying it but it seemed to have turned out pretty well. I used pellets instead of pucks, if that makes any difference.
I use apple and hickory for my cheese smokes. I like a stronger smoke flavor and prefer to use hickory if the cheese is just for me. A lot of my friends and family have milder tastes and seem to like apple better when I put both out together.
I love apple, maple and pecan. Mostly apple, Hickory tends to be a bit overpowering to the wife and I. just my 2 cents. ;D ;D