1st smoke (cheese), not so good....

Started by psdubl07, October 05, 2004, 04:12:19 AM

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psdubl07

I fired up the BS for it's initial run and did some pepperjack cheese.  I followed advice from another thread and only turned on the generator (without plugging it into the case), put ice in the catch pan along with a bread pan full of ice on the lowest rack.  Cheese on the top rack, vent fully open.  I smoked it for 1 hour using Hickory bisquettes.  Man, it tasted/smelled like a friggin campfire. [xx(] It wasn't all that dark, so I don't think it was "oversmoked" per se, but holy cow, couldn't even taste the cheese.
I don't have a Maverick yet, but going by the Bradley gauge it never got above 85 or maybe 90.  It was about 65 outside while it was smoking, so between that and the steps I outlined above, I think that's a fairly accurate reading. (Also there was still ice in the bread pan when it was done)

So now I have to figure out if 1)that's the wrong flavor to use, although in another thread there were plenty of people saying Hickory was good for cheese, 2)the temperature did get too high, or 3)maybe I just don't care for the taste of that cheese w/ that smoke on it.
In the other thread there were some people saying people seemed to either love or hate the cheese.

I think it would have been OK w/ a much lighter smoke, so I'm thinking possibly another flavor of bisquette and maybe even only a 20-minute smoke[?][?][?]  What y'all think?

jaeger

Paul,
To bad about the cheese. It doesn't sound like your problem came from the way you smoked it. My suggestion is to try a different type of cheese next time. Maybe a colby or string cheese. You could always try a different type of smoke. One of the nice options with a Bradley!![:D][8D][:D]
Check out this link from a previous post:
 http://www.johnwatkins.co.uk/personalpages/coldsmoking.htm

psdubl07

Doug, thanks for the reply, looks like an inexpensive way to keep the temp down inside the cabinet.  So have you tried this method?  Anybody else?  What was the outcome vs. the normal setup?

psdubl07

Here's an update.  I wrapped the cheese in saran and put in the refrig overnight.  It tastes better today, but still too smoky.  I think w/ diff wood (non-hickory) and using the technique from the link above to keep the temp even lower, it would be pretty good.

I have some Sockeye smoking right now so we'll see how that turns out.[:p]

psdubl07

In case anyone is interested, the Sockeye turned out very good.  A bit of white fat on top due to the temp getting a little high at the end which resulted in it being not as moist as it probably could have been, but overall I'm really pleased w/ it since it was the first fish I smoked. [8D]

Oldman

If you find you are still having trouble with the cheese then do the T-Shirt method.

Take an old white cotton T-Shirt and place the cheese in side of it. One layer on both sides. Don't fold up the T-shirt over the cheese and create several layers. 1/2 way through your smoking flip the cheese over.

I would suggest a maximum of 2 hours total(6 pucks.) I believe the wood you used is just fine. However, I do believe Bradley offers pure adler wood.  Once finished while the cheese is still in the T-Shirt wrap it in plastic. Place it in the frig and wait a week.

The T-Shirt will cut down on what I call the bite which I think from your posting we both don't care for. However, by leaving it on the cheese wapped in plastic the flavor should sweeten and lightly enhance the cheese. If at this point it is still to strong then remove the T-Shirt before you wrap it and wait the week.
Olds

Click On The Portal To Be Transported To Our Time Tested And Proven Recipes~~!!! 

Chez Bubba

I agree with Olds, the t-shirt will help "strain" the smoke & the week in the reefer will help it to absorb more evenly from the outside to the inside, mellowing the overall taste.

I'm guessing I like mine more smokey than you do, but that's what's cool about the Bradley. You can fine tune it to your taste, then repeat it again & again. Small learning curve, lots of great chow![8D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
http://www.brianswish.com
Ya think if next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non", they would mind?

jaeger

Paul,
I haven't smoked cheese with the Bradley. I just remembered the picture as about the easiest way for a true cold smoke. Take Olds and Chez advice. If you need another opinion on the taste of the Jalepeno cheese, take some to work with you or have family or friends try it so you can get more opinions. Next time just get several different small blocks of cheese and smoke Olds method and find out what you like best!
Smoke On!!!  [8D]
Doug

ChefJeff

Try smoking cheese with a milder wood apple ,alder,oak.

SMOKIN & SPOKEN

MallardWacker

<font size="3"><font color="blue"><b>Where is White when you need him?</b></font id="blue"></font id="size3">

If WhiteTailFan ever shows up, he's seems to be the cheese myster around here.  He has good info that will help you.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...


SmokeOn,

Mike
Perryville, Arkansas

It's not how much you smoke but how many friends you make while doing it...

psdubl07

Thanks for all the help guys!
I will definitely try the t-shirt method as you are correct in that there was too much "bite".  I love smoky flavor, but this was over the top.
I seem to remember reading a thread about the t-shirt thing with pork or something.  One question, do you soak the t-shirt in water or just wrap it dry?
Again, thanks for all the help.  The Sockeye turned out really good and I'm doing some pork backribs tonight! [:p]

whitetailfan

I'm always late for the party Mallard[;)]

The advice above is all good, mostly everything I would say.

Like I've said on the cheese thread my brother just hates the stuff, so some people just won't like it - period...

<font color="blue">HOWEVER</font id="blue"> here's a few things to try...

1)Try a lighter smoke, I've done pecan now and it appealed to a wider range of people vs hickory (person pref, cause I like the hickory better but my guests liked the pecan)

2)Try a stronger cheese.  I've made mozza and found it way too strong, but a medium or old cheddar is just beautiful

3)Let it cool off in the fridge, do not try it semi-warm out of the smoker.  Olds and CBubba recommend a week, but I've never lasted that long; however, it needs to get to fridge temp for proper flavour.

4)My cheese usually has some small amount of sweating and someone once said that moisture can trap some shmaggy stuff floating in the air and cause the "campfire" taste you are referring to - Olds t-shirt wrap would solve that problem and I may institute this method in my next smoke

5)Try less smoke if you like.  You mentioned that you might go down to one puck.  If that helps achieve YOUR preferred flavour go for it, but I use 4 pucks and would not ever go down to 1 myself - like Kirk said, thats the beauty of the Bradley is customizing the flavour to what you want.  If you want exactly what the store sells, buy it from the store eh?

Good luck and don't give up, smoked cheese is way too yummy once you get it the way you like it[:p]

<b><font color="green">whitetailfan</font id="green"></b>
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB
Vegetarian is an ancient aboriginal word meaning "lousy hunter"
We have enough youth...how about a fountain of smart?
Living a healthy lifestyle is simply choosing to die at the slowest possible rate.

psdubl07

Great suggestions WTF.
I tried the cheese again this morning and it was a little better than yesterday even.  So I can see now how a few days to 1 week in the refrig are important to let it mellow a bit.  I'm also pretty sure I won't need to go down to 1 puck if I use diff wood (huh huh huh), stronger cheese, and the t-shirt method since it did sweat a little.

[:)]

DEMAN

There is a deli near my place where you can buy "apple smoked cheddar". It is to DIE for so I tried to smoke my own last week. I didn't have apple pucks at the time so I used Special Blend. YUK...it SUCKED (just tried it out of the fridge again and it has mellowed a lot but still has that "ashtray" taste.. not the sweet smoked taste I was used to from the deli). I then picked up a block of gouda and smoked it with apple for 120 mins...MUCH better but still a little smoky for my taste. I picked up a two year old, white Canadian cheddar block today and I am going to try Oldmans T-shirt method with apple again.. see if I can get it to taste like the store bought stuff. I will keep you informed.

<b><font color="red">DEMAN</font id="red"></b><hr noshade size="1">
~Set the tongs on the floor....and back away slowly...no one has to get hurt~

psdubl07

A week has now gone by and the smoked pepperjack is MUCH better.  Still a little bite when you first taste it, but we shredded some and put it in a big pot of chili I made.  YUM! [8D]