Help with the Ashy Cheese!?

wkahler · January 28, 2014, 02:25:44 PM

Well i pulled my cheddar out after a little over 30 days and still has a really ashy taste to it. So i figured why not pull the other stuff out i did munster, colby, hot pepper and Monterrey jack and all are ashy tasting?? I am so frustrated with it i don't know what to do. I smoke all of them for 2 hours and used Apple pellets on them in my Traeger with the AmazeN smoker tube. What am i doing wrong?? The wife says no more cheese smoking until i get answers on how to fix the issue.
Few things crossed my find.
1) can having the cheese to close to the smoking tube have anything to do with it?
2) can using pellets instead of a puck smoker have something to do with it?
3) i am only cold smoking it just sticking it in the traeger and putting the tube in it and letting it burn for a few then adding the cheese. So the only heat it is getting is from the tube and i smoke when it is 20 outside so heat isn't an issue

PLEASE help me master this!!!!

STLstyle · January 28, 2014, 02:52:22 PM

Got me interested. Waiting for the traeger / amazen experts...

tailfeathers · January 28, 2014, 02:52:39 PM

I really can't answer most of your questions. I CAN tell you that I put my cheese in the top of my 6 rack Bradley and use 2 hrs of smoke provided by the SG and either alder or apple pucks. I watch the tower temp with a maverick probe and if it hits 90 I put a 1/2 gallon milk jug full of ice in the V tray. After 2 hrs of smoke I bring the cheese in and let it rest on the kitchen counter on inverted racks for an hour or so, wipe it down with paper towels if any oil has formed on the surface. Then it gets vacuum sealed, dated and put in the fridge for at least 4 weeks. Mine always comes out good. Hope this helps.

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wkahler · January 28, 2014, 02:55:26 PM

I posted something last week about the science of smoke. Kind of makes me wonder if that is the reason for my outcome here. The only thing I did different from what you posted was I didn't let it bloom after I smoked it. I smoked it pulled it and then vacuum sealed it with in an hour or so of smoking it!

Keep the advice coming kind of the frustrated train right now >:(

RedJada · January 28, 2014, 03:41:58 PM

I would think smoke is smoke. Question would be is how did you seal/wrap the cheese when you put it in the fridge? Should be air tight, I do vac pack. The first time I did cheese, 30 days wasn't enough, smoked 2 hours. Now I let it go 2 months and it's great. I suggest to seal it back up and give it more time, it will get there...

wkahler · January 28, 2014, 03:45:21 PM

I use my Weston 2300 and seal it up tight as a glove!! I put it back in the fridge just wanting to make sure that is the only issue LOL

Quarlow · January 28, 2014, 04:12:05 PM

I agree with RedJada, let it ride for another month and see.

wkahler · January 28, 2014, 04:13:03 PM

OK if i have to let it sleep for two months then i need to get on the smoking train like there is no tomorrow LOL!

STLstyle · January 28, 2014, 05:01:34 PM

Quote from: wkahler on January 28, 2014, 04:13:03 PM
OK if i have to let it sleep for two months then i need to get on the smoking train like there is no tomorrow LOL!

No kidding. My first batch is on week 3. Hate to think I have to wait 5 more. I like heavy smoke on everything so I doubt I'll have that problem though. Anybody think you get heavier smoke with the tube vs SG?

KyNola · January 28, 2014, 06:13:50 PM

Quote from: STLstyle on January 28, 2014, 05:01:34 PM

Quote from: wkahler on January 28, 2014, 04:13:03 PM
OK if i have to let it sleep for two months then i need to get on the smoking train like there is no tomorrow LOL!
No kidding. My first batch is on week 3. Hate to think I have to wait 5 more. I like heavy smoke on everything so I doubt I'll have that problem though. Anybody think you get heavier smoke with the tube vs SG?

No, just the opposite. The SG will put out a more pure concentrated smoke than pellets when using Bradley bisquettes. I have owned 3 pellet burners and still own one.

ragweed · January 28, 2014, 06:22:48 PM

Quote from: STLstyle on January 28, 2014, 05:01:34 PM

Quote from: wkahler on January 28, 2014, 04:13:03 PM
OK if i have to let it sleep for two months then i need to get on the smoking train like there is no tomorrow LOL!

No kidding. My first batch is on week 3. Hate to think I have to wait 5 more. I like heavy smoke on everything so I doubt I'll have that problem though. Anybody think you get heavier smoke with the tube vs SG?

I just got an A-Maze-N tube and tried it on some cheese. Sorry Larry but I think there was more smoke than the SG with pucks. I smoked some swiss singles for 2 hrs and they came out looking like American!! Haven't tried it yet, just 10 days in to its rest. I'll try it at a month and LYK. I expect it to be strong.

Snoopy · January 28, 2014, 07:38:47 PM

ive done the SG and the AMAZN tube and both had similar smoke intensities to them. I think not wiping them down and not letting them bloom could be part of the issue. and i usually start using mine at the 3 week mark.

devo · January 28, 2014, 08:17:53 PM

Depending if its hard or a softer cheese will have a effect on how much smoke favor it took on. I always give my cheese 8 weeks before biting into one.

tailfeathers · January 28, 2014, 08:36:23 PM

I find it ok after 4 weeks but I agree it just gets better given more time.

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JZ · January 28, 2014, 09:22:40 PM

I too leave it for 8 weeks. I've had some that were ok at 6 weeks but none that I liked at 4 weeks. So I just make sure to keep enough in stock so I don't need to eat anything that's not less than 8 weeks old. All vac sealed after a short rest and then into the fridge until needed.

Help with the Ashy Cheese!?

devo