I know - its about time. Only recently obtained cold smoke adapter (for all the good that did for today). It has been REALLY cold here in the FL panhandle for almost 2 weeks now and generally with some wind. Today it was cold, but very little wind. Took the truck in for routine service this morning and decided to smoke some cheese when I got back. I picked up some Mozzarella, Muenster, Pepper Jack, Medium Cheddar and Mild Cheddar to experiment on. The local temp should get to around 37F today.
The Plan? Put the cheese on high temp screens, hook up the cold smoke adapter, hook up the PID, set it and forget it for the next 4 hours. I figured that since the only heat source would be the cabinet heater, then this was going to be very easy to control the cabinet temp and I would set the PID for about 82. Seemed like a good plan.
Reality? The cold smoke adapter is really nice except the (flexable?) tube running to the cabinet. Not - the first thing I will do is replace this thing. Also the two clamps that hold it on leaves a lot to be desired. I got a little frustrated trying to put it together in the cold (about 28F at the time). Finally got it together. I was freezing but was in a hurry to get started so I hooked up the PID and tried to turn it on so that I could get the temp up to at least 75 before putting in the cheese. I could not get the PID to work! I decided that the PID was doing something weird that I needed help with and I wanted to get the cheese going so I unhooked the PID and cold smoke adapter. By the time I got the cheese in, the temp was at 80. I have my Maverick alarms set for minimum and maximum temps that I want. I have the door cracked open and the vent wide open, and still have to watch it close and open the door once in a while to cool it down. Basically I am back to the old fashion way of smoking in the BS. As I was sitting and wondering what was wrong with the PID, it dawned on me - In all the commotion, I forgot to hook up the temp probe to the PID! :o Duh! ::)
and so right now you are back out in the cold hooking up the PID right. ;D ;D
Sounds like fun Wildcat...
Not!
Good luck with the cheese.
I smoked some yesterday. I was bewildered that it started cracking like it was dry or something. It was "classic cheddar"
Funny story, just not on a 28* day!
Stay warm, think I am getting sick from smoking in the cold!
Quote from: Quarlow on January 11, 2010, 12:39:02 PM
and so right now you are back out in the cold hooking up the PID right. ;D ;D
NOT. :D
;D ;D
Well cheese is smoked, vac sealed, and in refer. Could not resist, yes it smelled and tasted like a dirty ashtray and believe me, I have tasted a few. ;D Now the wait begins. 10 days if I recall.?
What? No pics?
Glad you got'er done.
10 days is minimum.
Quote10 days if I recall.?
2 weeks is better. :)
Sorry, so frustrated in the beginning that I forgot to take pictures. Looks like the other pictures of smoked cheese. Color got darker. A little of the oil in cheese came to the surface. I pretty much maintained 80 to 85 cabinet temp for the 4 hours I smoked it. Used Hickory. May be too strong for some, but we generally like a strong smoke flavor.
I may be posting only periodically for the next few weeks. My mother's husband got some pretty severe burns when his clothes caught on fire and with my mothers age she is not able to drive to the burn center in Gainesville, Florida and can not afford a motel for the 3 week minimum stay. Since I am the only one retired of my five siblings, only of which 2 are in the area, I guess I will need to be making extended trips to Jacksonville to take her each day to Gainesville. It is about a 5 hour drive from my house to hers and she is about 1.5 hours from Gainesville. My wife still works so I won't just take the RV and stay. I will need to come home for a couple of days every week or so.
Hate to hear that, Hope all goes well.
Be careful on the road.
Sorry to hear that. I hope he will come out of it alright. our prayers are with you and them.
'Cat, Is there anything at all I can do to help out with your situation? Sounds like this could go on for a while. Please don't hesitate to contact me via PM if you prefer.
KyNola
Quote from: KyNola on January 11, 2010, 07:25:17 PM
'Cat, Is there anything at all I can do to help out with your situation? Sounds like this could go on for a while. Please don't hesitate to contact me via PM if you prefer.
Same here.
Thanks guys. Can't think of a thing. I will be departing in a few minutes and will return when I return.
I know you won't see this until you get back, but if there's anything I can do from here, I'd be happy to...let me know. Will throw a few prayers up though.
Sounds like you had fun with your batch of cheese Wildcat
Sorry to here about your mothers husband, hope everything is going well at the burn center and with your mother.
Thanks Tiny.
I'm back now. Got in last night and decided to play a round of golf today before the storms get here again.
He is out of burn center and in a rehabilitation center now. Skin grafts holding good so with luck he will be home in a couple of weeks. At least now he is back in Jacksonville so mom will be able to see him without someone driving her.
Cheese should be ready to eat now. Will try it out in the next day or two.
Wildcat, Glad things went good.
Good to see you back.
Welcome back Wildcat.
It's good to hear things are healing.
Tested some of the Pepper Jack. Still a little ashtray taste. More so than I expected. Will give it another week or two.
It's good to hear things are going ok for him. Age is the best thing for cheese.
Good to here your mothers husband is doing well and back close to home.
Thanks for all the good wishes folks. He will be fine now, just some pain to deal with. He smoked his butt and lower back pretty good. Backed up too close to an outdoor propane heater and caught his clothes on fire. Most of the clothes melted, hence the severe burns.
Nasty. And it happens so fast you can't think fast enough and it is all over.
I'm sitting here shuddering thinking how fast that was and what it felt like. Continued prayers for you and your family!
Tasted the mild cheddar just a moment ago. It has now been 30 days and still has ashtray taste! >:( This is 3 times the minimum wait.) I smoked for 4 hours (usually like a strong smoke flavor on most foods), and vac sealed after letting it rest a couple of hours. I wrapped the mild cheddar in cling wrap this time and put back into fridge. This is my first attempt at cheese and I am positive that I followed all the advice that was on this forum. Any opinions?
I smoked my first cheese on Oct 2 and didn't touch it till around Christmas, and was not ecstatic about it.
We have used about half of what I smoked and it gets better as we use it.
Gave some to family and they liked it.
I like you thought I did it right and I love smoke.
Was it the quality of the cheese I smoked?