Cold Smoking Soft Rind Cheese

[Hot Smoked]

Would love to have any advice from Bradley users on how to cold smoke soft rind cheese. We are based in Devon, UK and are trying to produce a smoked jersey cow's cheese to match results from a commercial smokery. Have experimented with the Bradley Cold Smoke Adaptor using oak but the results aren't great. Because of the soft rind, the smoke flavour has trouble penetrating and if we increase the smoking time, the flavour is way too acrid. Plus the cheese seems to sweat (despite no heat) and the visual appearance isn't very appealing! The cabinet has also filled with condensation which has resulted in some greasy looking drips from the top vent. Should we introduce a bit of heat into the cabinet to help the cheese dry out? Would it be best to attach the smoke generator to the unit and use the heat from the bisquette hot plate to keep the condensation down? Have read that the cheese itself should not go into the unit until it's at room temperature, but maybe there are other techniques to dry it out a bit more so that the smoke can be absorbed. The rind needs to stay on, so if you've any advice on how we work with this would be good to hear from you!

[3rensho]

Do you have the top vent full open?  If not that can lead to condensation.

[Hot Smoked]

Yes I kept the vent open. The smoker is in a shed and I also kept the door open to help with the airflow.

[FLBentRider]

Did you age the cheese after smoking.

I usually vac seal and wait 10-14 days before tasting.

[Hot Smoked]

No not yet. Have put it in the bottom of the fridge - unsealed. I will leave it a few days before tasting, but am reluctant to wrap in plastic as the effect I'm trying to achieve is of a dryer rind than I think wrapping it might produce. How long should I leave the cheese do you think? Some people have suggested about a week to 10 days.

[FLBentRider]

I would leave it at least 7 days, longer is better.

I haven't noticed that the vac sealed cheese is any "wetter" than normal, but I have not smoked soft rind cheese.