Figured I needed to get started filling the fridge again after the holiday's emptied it and while we had a mild cold snap down here.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140106-00898_zps109fc772.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140106-00898_zps109fc772.jpg.html)
I wanted to see what the SG would do in the colder temps so I did 2 hours of pecan with an outside temp of 35 and I still ended up with an 88 degree cabinet temp before it was done.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140106-00900_zpsdad0d175.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140106-00900_zpsdad0d175.jpg.html)
All sealed up, labeled and ready to take a month long nap.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140106-00901_zpsd545e604.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140106-00901_zpsd545e604.jpg.html)
Of course when I got finished I realized that I hadn't done the 5lb block of Cooper that I wanted to get done, so I'll have to do that next batch. Hopefully I can do at least one big batch every payday till it starts to get to warm or I get my building and cold smoker setup.
Nice start. The color gets better with tower temps in the eighties, doesn't it. I've got three batches "sleeping" myself. Probably should do some more before the temps warm.
Quote from: ragweed on January 06, 2014, 07:06:57 PM
Nice start. The color gets better with tower temps in the eighties, doesn't it. I've got three batches "sleeping" myself. Probably should do some more before the temps warm.
It sure does Joe, I think I will do half the Cooper with the SG and the other half with my new tube smoker and see what the difference is in color and smell.
I'll be interested in seeing your results on that, Saber. I'm seriously considering ordering a pellet tube.
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Your skills are excellent, Saber
Sounds like you have another day of Cheese Smoking weather! You better make some more. You don't have nearly enough to make it till fall!
Quote from: Saber 4 on January 06, 2014, 07:20:28 PM
Quote from: ragweed on January 06, 2014, 07:06:57 PM
Nice start. The color gets better with tower temps in the eighties, doesn't it. I've got three batches "sleeping" myself. Probably should do some more before the temps warm.
It sure does Joe, I think I will do half the Cooper with the SG and the other half with my new tube smoker and see what the difference is in color and smell.
Looking forward to the results of your experiment too. Just ordered a tube smoker. ;D ;D
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on January 07, 2014, 07:06:52 AM
Sounds like you have another day of Cheese Smoking weather! You better make some more. You don't have nearly enough to make it till fall!
Tried to but couldn't find any good cheeses at our 2 grocery stores down here, will have to wait until Friday when I go up to Dallas, then I'll catch a cold morning early and get a couple of hours of smoke on it.
Went to Dallas yesterday and got to pick up a few cheeses to throw in with half of my Cooper Sharp.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140109-00904_zpsa83a59e9.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140109-00904_zpsa83a59e9.jpg.html)
Fired up the SG and gave it 2 hours of pecan, outside temp was 44 and I was at 87 for the first 1 1/2 hours then hit 92 until the last 10 minutes when it hit 102. I didn't have any cheesesickles but I did have a couple of leaning towers of swiss. On the counter to bloom.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140109-00905_zpsabad408a.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140109-00905_zpsabad408a.jpg.html)
Hope I didn't screw up, I usually bloom for an hour then into the fridge before vac sealing, but I got delayed and it bloomed for about 3 hours, it was cool enough that I'm not worried about the temp but the color sure did darken up a lot more than usual.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140109-00906_zpsdca351f7.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140109-00906_zpsdca351f7.jpg.html)
And of course the final bagged and tagged shot.
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140109-00907_zps54a9291c.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140109-00907_zps54a9291c.jpg.html)
I'll do the other half of Cooper Sharp in a couple of days when we're supposed to have another 40 degree morning so I can compare temps with the AMZN Tube.
Ordered a tube Tuesday should get it tomorrow. Or I would if I was home. Fishing trip!!! Now that I think about it I probably should've told my wife it was coming. Can't wait to get some pellets and try it out.
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Boy, the color sure did intensify with the extra blooming time! Looks great! Can't wait to see the results of your AMAZEN experiment.
You should see even more color with the tube smoker, at least I did.
Quote from: KyNola on January 10, 2014, 06:59:20 AM
You should see even more color with the tube smoker, at least I did.
Raining and in the 60's today, it's supposed to be 41 in the morning so I'm planning to try it then and see how it does, I'll try to take a picture out of the smoker and then bloom for the same 3 hours and see how it looks.
My tube smoker just arrived. If the weather keeps us from hunting tomorrow, I'll try it on some cheese.
I assume everyone bought the 12" tube?
The cheese is looking good
That's what I ordered (12"). Called mrs tailfeathers last night from the lake to give her a heads up to be watching for it.
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Quote from: STLstyle on January 10, 2014, 12:37:14 PM
I assume everyone bought the 12" tube?
Nope. I had concerns about where I was going to put it for hot smoking so I only got the 6" size.
Robert, Your cheese looks good. The higher temp and blooming help with the color. Nice job. :)
Quote from: pensrock on January 11, 2014, 07:41:21 AM
Robert, Your cheese looks good. The higher temp and blooming help with the color. Nice job. :)
Thanks Greg, that means a lot coming from you.
I got to use my new AMZEN Tube Smoker this morning to finish the other half of my block of Cooper Sharp to compare it's performance to the Bradley SG for cold smoking cheese. I followed the directions that came with it and seasoned it on the SRG grill after I cooked our dinner last night, then today I filled it a little over 3/4 full, lit it and let it burn for the 10 minutes the instructions call for, then blew out the flames and put it in the drip tray in the Bradley.
It was 43 degrees ambient this morning when I put the Tube in with the cheese, within ten minutes the cabinet temp measured at the vent was up to 106 and climbing so I had to put in some pans of ice, with 2 racks of ice I was able to keep a steady 90 degrees in the cabinet for the rest of the 2 hour smoke. I did get a ton of smoke from the tube smoker, but I only got about 2 hours and 10 minutes on the 3/4 pellet load which seems very short when the instructions say a full 12" tube should cold smoke for about 6 hours.
Here's the cheese out of the smoker
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/5f552f37-cea9-471c-97e3-c912cfa31aeb_zps91d7ed7d.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/5f552f37-cea9-471c-97e3-c912cfa31aeb_zps91d7ed7d.jpg.html)
And after a three hour bloom to compare the color with the SG batch
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140111-00913_zpscd55d9ea.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140111-00913_zpscd55d9ea.jpg.html)
Here it is sealed up for it's month long nap
(http://i1331.photobucket.com/albums/w599/Robert_Shulter/IMG-20140111-00914_zps5d676edb.jpg) (http://s1331.photobucket.com/user/Robert_Shulter/media/IMG-20140111-00914_zps5d676edb.jpg.html)
All in all I don't see a big difference either way on the color at this point, in a month I'll know if there is a taste difference. I'm don't know what I may have done wrong to get such a faster burn time than everyone else seems to be reporting, at this point I can't see 20 lbs. of pellets lasting me a year at the rate I smoke.
Looks like it will be real tasty in about a month. Nice color.