So I recently bought an OBS, my first smoker, and have been a smoking fool. I am a cheese freak and just smoked my first batch the other night. This was my first smoke and I tried something different with one of the blocks. I "stuffed" it with pepperoni. A few summers ago my parents found this nice horseradish and peperoni smoked cheese at their local farm market, and we love it. So I decided to try my hand at something similar. I picked up two 2lb blocks of white cheddar at my meat store when I was getting my pork shoulder over the weekend, so it was getting the treatment. Basically after slicing the blocks down, I split them again and put a layer of pepperoni in the middle, then tied them up.
I smoked them for 2 hours with some Bradley's special blend. I had air temps around 50 so keeping the temp in the smoker down was a bit dificult, even with ice. The smoker hovered in the high 80's for the first hour, then climbed through the 90's before settling at 105 for the very end of the smoke. All cheeses are vacuum packed and awaiting their open date.
I know I should let the cheese flavor and the smoke flavor marry over the next 4-8 weeks. I do have one question. Where do I store the cheese? Back of the fridge?
I've been around long enough to know threads are useless without pictures, so I'll include some of the finished product. Oh and the pictures do no justice to the awesomeness that was my cheese. They've all got great color and a nice shine.
(http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/ETHIKILL/Food/IMG_20110316_210257.jpg)
Stuffed cheese....interesting.
Sounds and looks gooood.
I store mine at the back of the fridge, were ever theres room.
Just dont freeze it, it will become dry and crumbly.
Very cool idea ETHIKILL !
Hey Ethikill
Let us know how the stuffed cheese turns out !
Never thought of doin' that !
Jim O
I figured the back of the fridge was the place to store it, thanks for the confirmation. And I will certainly be sure to advise on taste when the time comes.
Looks good enuff to eat! Did cheese stick to pepperoni? Let us know when the "tastin" is!
Great idea! Sounds good. Let us know how they turn out.
Great idea wish I had thought of it! Can't wait to see the results ;D
Quote from: ETHIKILL on March 18, 2011, 10:57:28 AM
I've been around long enough to know threads are useless without pictures, so I'll include some of the finished product. Oh and the pictures do no justice to the awesomeness that was my cheese. They've all got great color and a nice shine.
Great idea. I just have to disagree with your last statement. :) Good ideas and all information in general are always welcome, with or without pictures.
Quote from: SiFumar on March 18, 2011, 03:43:31 PM
Looks good enuff to eat! Did cheese stick to pepperoni? Let us know when the "tastin" is!
I doubt the cheese will really "stick" to the pepperoni as the one I've purchased doesn't. The cheese that was the inspiration, when sliced could be seperated.
As for the tastin part I am chomping at the bit here. I've got a few around with friends and family and someone is bound to open it early. I am really trying to stick it out until Easter.
So I sampled some of the cheese from this thread the other day, and it was awesome. I had only intended on testing a block of plain cheddar, but polished it off in no time.
And the money shot.
(http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/ETHIKILL/Food/IMG_20110410_170729.jpg)
The pepperoni cheese is scheduled for the chopping block this weekend for easter. Will update again next week.
Thanks for the share and good idea
Like everyone else thanks for sharing...really sounds good...
I did this idea with med. chedder. Used pepperoni in some, minced garlic in another and horse radish in yet another. I have tried the garlic and it tasted great. cheese didn't stick together but still very good. Thanks for a great idea.. :D
Can't wait to see how the pepperoni cheese comes out. Keep us informed.
Sorry for the long wait. The pepperoni cheese came out awesome. Everyone I gave the cheese to loved it, and the requests are pouring in. Everyone wants smoked cheese for all the summer get togethers.
(http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/ETHIKILL/Food/IMG_20110423_160209.jpg)
I have to try this one, well Kimmie will do it I'll just over see the smoke! :D
Now that is impressive, what a really great idea, I'm gonna have to make me some of that...thank you.
I've been waiting to see this cheese cut....it looks great! And good to hear it tastes just as good as it looks. Another item on the "to do" list. Thanks for sharing!
Great idea,will have to try that some time. Thanks for the info.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Pepperoni stuffed cheese.
Looks good.
I figured it would fall apart after cutting. Looks like it stuck together pretty well.
That is a great idea and quite different. On my list upon returning home.
Thanks for sharing.
HR
Does it appear that the higher temp, 100, may have melted the cheese to keep it together. I have found that if I go above 90 the cheese starts to go thru the grate.
Quote from: GBIceman on May 22, 2011, 05:43:33 PM
Does it appear that the higher temp, 100, may have melted the cheese to keep it together. I have found that if I go above 90 the cheese starts to go thru the grate.
As for the cheese holding together, it will split along the pepperoni line. The layer of peperoni touching the cheese sticks alright, but nothing spectacular. The higher temps could have helped though. I have since added a much larger drip bowl which I have been filling with ice when cold smoking this spring when temps are relatively high. This coupled with a secondary bowl at the top of the smoker cabinet have kept the temps way down.
I think I finally fiqured out how to post pis..lol The pepperoni med cheddar was FANTASTIC..but didn't hold together. I tried something new today so that cheese wouldn't fall apart.
I cut a hole in the cheese....
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n561/billhayek/Smoking%20Cheese/Makingholes.jpg)
two at a time....
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n561/billhayek/Smoking%20Cheese/Holecutterandplunger.jpg)
then filled with pepperoni..and some with bacon...ready to smoke!
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n561/billhayek/Smoking%20Cheese/Filledandreadytosmoke.jpg)
Still warm from smoker...but filling looks ok...
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n561/billhayek/Smoking%20Cheese/Aftersmoking.jpg)
All sealed for aging...can't wait to try it..:)
(http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n561/billhayek/Smoking%20Cheese/Allbackedandreadytoage.jpg)
I smoked with cherry and used med cheddar..some are filled with pepperoni and some with fried bacon. One even filled with garlic :D
Oops, sorry for the huge pics...still learning..hehe
Nice ideas you have for smoking cheese. Everything looks good.
For pictures, try resampling to 640x480 pixels. That is a good size for this forum, and will accommodate most screens.