A quick cheese question

[Blowchowski]

Is it desirable to have a little bit of heat in the smoker to soften the cheese while smoking?  I've got a 60 degree day going here and did the box with dryer hose thing.  I added the tray of ice in the smoker too.  Am I keeping the smoker too cold? Will a slightly warmer cheese accept the smoke better?  I'm 1 hour into this and the white cheddar cheese has no color to it yet..

[FLBentRider]

That's a good question.

I don't think you want much heat in there. with just the Smoke generator on a 50F day, I was up to almost 90F after 3 hours of smoke.

How many hours of smoke were you planning ?

Don't forget you need to vac seal / or wrap the cheese in plastic after smoking, refrigerate 10 days to two weeks before eating.

[KyNola]

Hey Blow,
FLBR asks a good question.  How much smoke are you planning on putting on the cheese?  I smoke white cheddar several times each year.  The last batch I did I ran 3 hours worth of smoke on it and it had very little color change when it came out.  The color change is irrelevent in my book.  The commercial smoked cheese that you see in the stores is getting a lot of help from something other than smoke to get that added color.

You're doing fine buddy and no, don't add any heat to that box.  Soon as it comes out, let it sit out for a bit so that when you wrap or seal it, it doesn't start condensating.  Don't forget the absolutely most important thing.  Wrap or vac seal and put in the frig for at least 10 days.  The longer, the better.  When it comes out of the smoker today, it is going to taste like a very old ashtray.

KyNola

[Hopefull Romantic]

FLBR and KyNola set off on the right track.

The max temp I have had smoking cheese was 68F. It is never too cold to smoke cheese. It just depend how stong of a smoke flavor you would like to have. The last time I smoked cheese was for 2 hours using hickory and IMHO that was not enough. I am on a business trip right now and the night before I left I smoke cheese for three hours of hickory / maple combo that is waiting for me to get back to savor.

In smoking there are some rules of thumb, the rest are variables depending on taste.

HR

[Blowchowski]

Thanks!  It was in there for about 2.75 hours a-smokin away..  Cooled on the countertop to room temp.  Vacuum sealed and resting in the fridge.  The smaller pieces did sweat a little, but I dried that off.  Mmmm just in time for Thanksgiving! ;D

[Blowchowski]

 :P
Chees is just, Ok.  No real flavor to speak of.  Needs more smoke.  May smoke it again!

[FLBentRider]

I put three to four hours on, and it is not too strong by any means.

Some cheeses are not very porous. most of the smoke ends up on the outside, and during the rest it penetrates the cheese and evens out the flavor.

[Ka Honu]

After seeing the simile for years, I still can't find out who first tasted an "old ashtray" and likened it to the taste of freshly-smoked cheese?  If anyone knows, please tell me so I can ask the host of follow-on questions which arise - What was in the ashtray?  How old was it?  Whatever possessed you to taste it in the first place? (and several more, but you get the gist).

[FLBentRider]

It's the same smell you get when you walk in most Casino's.

You can't smoke anywhere indoors in Florida. Except in the "Native American" reservation Casinos.

[manxman]

After seeing the simile for years, I still can't find out who first tasted an "old ashtray"

Not sure when it was first related to cheese but I first came across it many years ago as "kissing an old ashtray" ...... me and my non smoking mates kissing girls who smoked...... and I don't mean food!  ::)

We generally decided we might as well cut out the middleman and kiss the ashtray directly but certainly none of us ever actually tried it!!  ;) :D

[pensrock]

IMHO, and I smoke a lot of cheese. I get better color and a little more smoke flavor if the temp in the smoker is between 75-85 F. My last smoke I actually ran the tower heater with my pid and a cold smoke set up. to get the temp up some. My pid controlled the temp between 70-75 F. Next time I'm setting it to 80 F. I will post the results whenever I do the next batch.

[OU812]

I have the best flavor with a cabnet temp of 80 to 85 F

[Ka Honu]

I'm going with the slightly elevated temperature (80-ish).  I used a pretty big tray of ice on my last cheese smoke.  The temp stayed lower than usual, the ice didn't all melt, and the smoke taste seemed milder than I prefer (but still excellent).

[Quarlow]

I love how all together we dial in on how to do it best. I have only smoked cheese once and it wasn't smokey nough for me either. So the next time it will be at a temp of about 75 to 85 as best I can ithout a PID and it will get at least 4 hrs of hickory. I like a good strong smoke flavour so I am not worried about that much smoke.

[ArnieM]

Yep, my first batch was at a cab temp of just below 90.  The cheese took on a lot of smoke and nice color.  I used the cardboard box thingy on the second batch.  Cab temp in the 60's.  Not as much color and didn't see to be as much as smoke flavor.