CHEESE

mgg · February 07, 2005, 07:32:25 PM

Hi all I spent another weekend in Florida. Working not the Super Bowl.[:(] I had only enough time for some cheese smoking. Store bought Provolone 2#. Warmed to room temperature for a few hours then smoked with apple 4 bisquettes. The quench water never got warm nor the ice in a bread pan. I never tasted it just wrapped it in saran wrap and placed it in the fridge. (It did stink like an ash tray.)[xx(] The cheddar from 2 weeks back still smells like ash but doesn't have the aforementioned bong water taste.[:D] I'm starting to wonder if the various cheeses that I've purchased at the grocery store aren't just treated with a liquid smoke. I cannot get the darker color.
Any thoughts?
Michael

jaeger · February 08, 2005, 02:33:51 AM

Michael,

I have smoked some different types of cheese the last 2 weekends. I had both cheddar and monterey jack. I smoked using the john watkins method.(I will include pics at end of post)
The cheese I have smoked does not look smoked at all.(Other than a few specks from adjusting the damper.)I used maple the first batch and alder the second batch. We preferred the alder. I kept the door closed the entire 2 1/2 hours that I smoked. Taste Great!!

Doug

manxman · February 08, 2005, 10:23:07 AM

Hi Folks,

I typically cold smoke blocks of mature cheddar weighing around 1.5 lbs similar in shape to the pictures posted by Jaegar. I have found the best time to be around 5 - 6 hours after which time the cheese does "look" smoked, not particularly dark coloured but definateley a nice smoked hue. Up to now only used oak to smoke.

I think the posting that said a lot of shop bought smoked cheeses have been done using liquid smoke is probably right, perhaps the attractive colour of such cheeses is artificially induced??

I have a book that covers hot and cold smoking a variety of products (cheese,fish,nuts,bacon, ham, eggs and more) and the author recommends sticking to mild cheese (not Danish Blue, Stilton, Gorgonzola), cutting the cheese into strips not more than 4cm / 1.5 inches thick and smoking around 15 degC. (60degF)

He states opinions vary with regards to how long to smoke, some stick to a couple of hours whilst other go for 5 - 6 hours, personnally I go for the longer period.

He recommends wrapping in aluminium foil after smoking, keep refridgerated until use and leave for about 3 hours at room temperature prior to eating to get the best taste!

ref: Home Smoking and Curing. How to smoke-cure meat fish and game. Keith Erlandson,1977, revised 2003. Ebury Press, UK. (available from Amazon)

Hope this is of some help,

Manxman.

JJC · February 08, 2005, 04:12:28 PM

Thanks for the info, Paul. I've used 3 hours of apple to smoke cheddar and Gouda cheese with good results, too. The milder cheddar and young (mild) Gouda work best, I think. I've tried apple-smoked Gorgonzola, and it was good, but pretty subtle--as you said in another thread, "not a WOW".

I wrapped my cheeses in pastic wrap rather than foil--do you think that would make a difference?

John
Newton MA

manxman · February 08, 2005, 06:54:56 PM

Hi John,

I think the aluminium foil suggestion just dates from when the book was first published and simply not updated when it was revised in 2003, I seem to remember plastic wrap/cling film appearing after 1977 but my memory may be playing tricks?! And I'm only 45!!

Personally I use cling film, think you get a better airtight seal to keep the flavour in and help keep the bugs(particularly aerobic)at bay!![:D][:D][:D]

Manxman.

Torchman · February 12, 2005, 04:01:23 PM

I've done a couple cheeses now...It really was EASY!!! Just like everyone says, unplug the box from the generator. I also did it at cooler times, and cracked the door an inch when the temp started to climb. 5 minutes it was back in the zone. Also...its GOT to rest!!! Mine went straight from the smoker to Vac bags for at least a day, and has come out GREAT!! I love breaded Moz sticks, and the added smoke is HEAVENLY!!! LOL...I ate a whole BRICK last night!!! :-P Good Luck,
Frank

Cold Smoke · February 17, 2005, 05:34:39 AM

Torchman- just curious...
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I love breaded Moz sticks, and the added smoke is HEAVENLY!!! LOL...I ate a whole BRICK last night!!!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Did you cut up and bread your mozza after it was smoked then deep-fry it? I'm real curious- I lovza lotza mozza sticks and would love to add a new recipe to the smoked cheese section of the new "recipe/tips" link.

I just bought a big hunk of provolone and gouda to smoke some time soon and hope to find an interesting recipe or two to make with it.

Say cheese!!

Cold Smoke

gotbbq · February 21, 2005, 12:52:21 PM

Great Discovery-

I have done a fair amount of cold smoking. Always somewhat of a pain to keep adding ice or snow depending on your climate. I got one of those ice cream makers as a gift a few years ago. It comes with an insert you have freeze overnight to make ice cream. I put this frozen insert in the bottom of the BS and it kept the temp at 65 for over 3 hours. No dripping water, no refill. Super easy clean up. Now I'm on the look out for discarded icream makers, specifically the inserts.

Gotbbq[^][^][^]

manxman · February 22, 2005, 02:33:09 PM

In response to the last post regarding keeping the BS cool for cold smoking, every month at work we get numerous plastic ice pack inserts as used in picnic coolers to keep food and drink cold, companies use them to deliver chilled products to us. Up until recently we have just chucked them out as we have so many.

I tried using them for a cold smoke in my BS rather than the Grakka coldsmoke method and it worked fine, although perhaps the inserts cannot be used for anything else afterwards!!! [:D][:D][:D]

They are non toxic, rectangular in shape (size we get is around 6"x3"x1"thick) and pack neatly into the base of the BS!!! They thaw pretty slowly.

Even if they have to be purchased, they are very cheap and universally available in a variety of stores and are reusable in the BS. May need to put them in a plastic bag to refreeze them to avoid imparting a smoky smell to the freezer though!!

Still tend to use the John Watkins/Grakka method routinely for coldsmoking but in the summer some additonal help may be required.

Manxman.

gotbbq · February 22, 2005, 09:39:58 PM

Manxman

What is the John Watkins/Grakka method. I must have missed it in the cheese smoking journal[:)]

Gotbbq[^][^][^]

Habanero Smoker · February 22, 2005, 10:33:42 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by gotbbq
 Manxman

What is the John Watkins/Grakka method. I must have missed it in the cheese smoking journal[:)]

Gotbbq[^][^][^]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You can go to this post http://www.bradleysmoker.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=37&whichpage=2&SearchTerms=cold and click on the link that grakka provided. It is the same setup that jaeger shows in the picture he posted.

manxman · February 23, 2005, 09:07:06 AM

gotbbq,

Sorry, [:I] I should have posted the link, Habanero Smoker made up for my omission.

It can also be reached directly at:

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

I have used this method quite a lot now and it works very well, temperature never reaches more than a couple of degrees above ambient.[8D][:D]

Manxman.

gotbbq · February 25, 2005, 01:32:35 AM

manxman

Thanks - im starting mine this weekend

Gotbbq[^][^][^]

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by manxman
 gotbbq,

Sorry, [:I] I should have posted the link, Habanero Smoker made up for my omission.

It can also be reached directly at:

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

I have used this method quite a lot now and it works very well, temperature never reaches more than a couple of degrees above ambient.[8D][:D]

Manxman.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

jaeger · February 25, 2005, 05:33:31 AM

I just pulled out about 8 pounds of smoked cheese. I smoked it for 3 hours with the damper almost closed completly. I used alder wood. Turned out great. I used 8 oz. blocks mainly. Colby, cojack and monterey jack. I have used apple, maple and now alder for the last 2 times that I smoked cheese. We like the alder best so far. I need to get some pecan. I want to try that on cheese next!

Doug

Cold Smoke · February 25, 2005, 05:54:26 AM

I just recently smoked a few hunks of cheese (gouda and provolone) for 4 bisquettes worth- Man O' Man is that tasty-[:D][:D][:D][:D][:p] 'specially after a couple of days wrapped up in plastic wrap.

I hope to try some Mozza sticks this weekend- will keep you posted.

Just FYI- I still prefer the smoked cheese served at room temp with a good Cabernet....Don't I just sound like refined just like royalty....[;)][:0][B)][:(]

Cold Smoke