Cheese Time

[ArnieM]

OBS can be set up as below with or without the use of ice for cold smoking cheese:

http://www.johnwatkins.co.uk/personalpages/coldsmoking.htm

Thanks for the link manxman.  I've seen something similar to that before.  Keeping the heat out of the tower should work out at 65-70 F ambient.  I might even have some left over dryer vent hose in the basement.  And, the way my wife orders stuff, the cardboard box shouldn't be a problem.  >:(

[ArnieM]

Thanks again for the info pens.  I used to make cold-pack pickles.  I just hate waiting for things but I'll be patient with the cheese.  I have apple in stock.  I also have alder and just got my pecan today.  Any comments on those?

[manxman]

And, the way my wife orders stuff, the cardboard box shouldn't be a problem. 

I find the cardboard box lasts for a long time so don't let her make any excuses about needing to order yet more stuff to keep you stocked up with cardboard boxes!!  ;) ::)

[FLBentRider]

My kids would rather play with the box anyways!

::) ;D

[ArnieM]

Thanks MM, I'll be sure to let her know about the boxes.  ;D  She might be in the London area in a month or so and come to SEE you; you might want to be out of town  ;)

FLBR, in my case, it's the cats.  They love cardboard boxes and paper bags.  The problem is, using the box full of cat hair.  And, once smoked, they don't care for it much anymore.  :-\

Thanks for all of your help guys.

[OU812]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm smoked cheese cant wait to get another batch going.

The weather is getting just the way I like it for doing a cold smoke, I want no humidity

[pensrock]

Thanks again for the info pens.  I used to make cold-pack pickles.  I just hate waiting for things but I'll be patient with the cheese.  I have apple in stock.  I also have alder and just got my pecan today.  Any comments on those?

Alder is very mild, I use it for fish but never tried it on cheese.
Pecan I would say is slightly stronger than apple but not as strong as hickory or mesquite. I have never tried it on cheese either.

[ArnieM]

Well pens, I got a smoke going this morning using apple.  I'll post the results later.

[manxman]

She might be in the London area in a month or so and come to SEE you; you might want to be out of town

Hahaha...... she would need a flight or ferry ride as I live offshore mainland UK. Warn me in advance if you would ArnieM and I will have a word with local immigration!  ;) :D

Apple and oak are my favourites for cheese. Hope yours turns out well.

[ArnieM]

Warn me in advance if you would ArnieM and I will have a word with local immigration!  ;) :D

Good idea.  I'm vaguely familiar with the Isle of Man.  Shoprite was one of our customers at my ex-company (back-end data processing).

Apple and oak are my favourites for cheese. Hope yours turns out well.

The smokin' is just about done; 2:20 with apple.

[OU812]

The smokin' is just about done; 2:20 with apple.

Now comes the waiting game, believe me its worth it unless you like the taste of an ash tray. I vacuum seal and wait 2 weeks, its amazing how a little smoke will prevent the cheese from spoiling. I just opened my last pack of Colby Jack thats ben in the fridge sense Feb. still good and no mold

[ArnieM]

OK, my first smoked cheese (OBS).  I used sharp white cheddar, extra sharp yellow cheddar and jalapeno jack (left to right in the first pic).  Why?  Because that's what I had on hand.

Total apple smoke time was 2 1/2 hours.  I put a partially burned puck on the hot plate by hand, gave it 10 minutes, then loaded up for another 2:20.

I wanted to go without ice.  So, I was real clever and put my foil-wrapped brick in the freezer overnight.  I also read about "use or don't use water in the water bowl.  So, I used ice. 

Started at 8:30 AM, vent wide open.  The outside temp was 51 F.  Then, it got quite breezy - what luck!

9:15.  Outside temp is 54.  The tower is pushing 85!  Oh well, in goes a try of ice.  "The best laid plans ..."

9:45.  Rotated the shelf front-to-back and flipped the cheese.

11:00.  Done smoking.  The outside temp was 58, the tower a bit less than 80.  Next time, I'm going with this:  http://www.johnwatkins.co.uk/personalpages/coldsmoking.htm.

Here are a few pics.

The cheese is going in.


The cheese is coming out.  The shelf was rotated and the cheese flipped about half way through.


Cooling down on the counter.  I was going to leave it outside on the deck because it was cooler out there, but Lord knows what might have eaten it.  :-\


I don't have a vacuum sealer, so I'm using a double plastic wrap.

I was kind of surprised that the cheese didn't darken much.  Maybe it was the apple.  Maybe the stuff in the store is chemically treated.  I don't know.

My wife's girlfriend stopped by while I was smoking.  She said she'd be back with 10 pounds of mozzarella this weekend.  I figure that if I can turn this into a business, I'd only lose about $8/hour.   :(

Now, the waiting.  Gosh, I HATE waiting.  But, I know, I know, I have to do it.   ;)

[pensrock]

Looks good. Most of the time I wrap it with plastic and put it into a ziplock bag.

When you started seeing the temp get near 90, you could have cracked the door open about 1/2" and this would have allowed the temp to drop. There is still plenty of smoke so you do not need to worry about the smoke escaping with the excess heat.

pens

[OU812]

Thats going to be some good stuff in a week or two.

I realy like the looks of the peno jack.

[westexasmoker]

Good looking cheese there Arnie! And yep the waiting is the hard part, but darn well worth the wait!!  And as Pens stated cracking the door open will help with keeping your temp down, thats what I have to do here even in the winter!

C