Mozzarella and other soft cheeses

[pwabrahams]

I discovered that when cold-smoking mozzarella cheese (and, I assume, other soft cheeses), the cheese can drip through the gratings of the racks, creating quite a mess both on the racks and on the pan below.  I think the answer is to put aluminum foil on the racks and turn the cheese when about half done.  Opinions?

This problem is much more acute when the ambient temperature is not low (above 50 degrees F).  In fact, for cold smoking a lot depends on the ambient temperature, it seems, since the smoker itself doesn't regulate the temperature in the box when cold smoking.

[TedEbear]

I use Frog Mats for smoking cheese.  They have smaller holes and still let smoke circulate around the cheese but they help keep the cheese from melting through the smoker grates.  Since they are a non-stick material I also use them for smoking pork butts, briskets and just about everything else, too.

[pwabrahams]

I just ordered it.  I'll see how it works out.

The melting problem doesn't seem to occur much when the outside temperature is low -- say less than 50 degrees F.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[TedEbear]

When the temp is 50+ degrees, you might put a pan of ice cubes on a rack below the cheese to help with keeping things cool.  That and the Frog Mats should help with the melting problem.

[pwabrahams]

I've gotten the Frogmats mat and it works very well.