CHEESE...Has anyone smoked any?


 
John Neuser

John Neuser

TVWBB Fan
I've got an old Brinkman smoker and a WSM 22.5. I've smoked ribs, pork butt, chicken, sausage, trout and salmon. Lately, I've been thinking about trying to smoke cheese. Had some smoked mozzarella with dinner this evening. Have any of you tried doing it? I don't think it should be that difficult. Given that most cheese is delicate and will melt easily I think I'd light a small fire on one side of the WSM with only a chunk or two of smoke wood and put the cheese on the top rack on the other side furthest from the heat, watch it closely and only smoke it for a little while, maybe 30 minites. Any comments, thoughts or suggestions. Thank you.
 
I have also found myself interested in smoking some cheese lately. It seems with those suggested posts we are pretty well covered to give it a whirl. Very cool methods there. I was considering the A-Maze-N pellet smoker to add to the WSM for cold smokes like this but it doesn't seem necessary given the posts by Don and Eric...
 
To cold smoke a cheese is not difficult. One of the most innovative setups I've seen is to build a very small fire in the ash-can, using a couple of briquettes.
I have not tried this, as I have a home- built cold smoker, but as far as I can see, it's a great idea.
 
I smoked two batches of mild cheddar and gave as Christmas gifts. I did this in my 22.5" kettle. I packed pecan wood chips in a smoker box and added one fully lit briquette. Got over 4 hours of cold smoke both times. I wait for the weather to be cold and the temperature inside the kettle is not a problem. You could probably just light the wood with a torch and not even use a briquette.

I used a smoker box like this and leave the lid mostly off.
99151smokers.jpg
 
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Tyson said:
I smoked two batches of mild cheddar and gave as Christmas gifts. I did this in my 22.5" kettle. I packed pecan wood chips in a smoker box and added one fully lit briquette. Got over 4 hours of cold smoke both times. I wait for the weather to be cold and the temperature inside the kettle is not a problem. You could probably just light the wood with a torch and not even use a briquette.

I used a smoker box like this and leave the lid mostly off.
99151smokers.jpg
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Have been using the amazin pellets for a while now. Cold smoke harder cheeses like cheddar for about 3 hours and then vac seal them and let sit in refridge for 2 weeks. Excellant results. Softer cheese i do about 1.5 hrs. Have done Mozz. cheese sticks for 1.5hrs and then put in ziplock bag and start eating the next day
 
KSams said:
Have been using the amazin pellets for a while now. Cold smoke harder cheeses like cheddar for about 3 hours and then vac seal them and let sit in refridge for 2 weeks. Excellant results. Softer cheese i do about 1.5 hrs. Have done Mozz. cheese sticks for 1.5hrs and then put in ziplock bag and start eating the next day
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I need to try some Mozz next. It's so hard to wait weeks to eat the cheese. I like the idea of cheese sticks that I can eat the next day. I also want to make some hickory smoked salt. Anyone know how long I should smoke salt for?
 
Geir Widar said:
To cold smoke a cheese is not difficult. One of the most innovative setups I've seen is to build a very small fire in the ash-can, using a couple of briquettes.
I have not tried this, as I have a home- built cold smoker, but as far as I can see, it's a great idea.
Click to expand...

I saw that post or one like you describe and wish I could find it. I think it would work well on the 26.
 
Tyson said:
I need to try some Mozz next. It's so hard to wait weeks to eat the cheese. I like the idea of cheese sticks that I can eat the next day. I also want to make some hickory smoked salt. Anyone know how long I should smoke salt for?
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No. Not the next day. The taste will probably be bland, bitter and simple. Let the taste mature for three days. I have never been able to cold- smoke something on the time span of a few hours that tastes at its best the next day.

Now, real cold smoking is a process that requires a heat source, a thirty foot pipe, and a dedicated smoke house. Plus lots and lots of time. The stuff you can make when you can let food be exposed to smoke for a week is something else.
I have the heat, the pipe, the small hill with the right angle, and the skills to make the house, but not the time needed. :)
 
Tyson said:
I also want to make some hickory smoked salt. Anyone know how long I should smoke salt for?
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I always keep a tub of smoked salt in the kitchen. I've cold-smoked salt from anything between 4 and 13 hours. The longer it's smoked, the smokier the colour it takes and the smokier it tastes - obviously. But I'm not sure you can oversmoke salt. The smokier the better, imo. Smoke it, and use to taste.

Note: I've never hot-smoked salt. I tend to smoke sea salt, rather than rock salt. If it's humid, I usually dry it out in a low oven for a little while before storing.

Cheers,

Andy
 
I've been getting those McCormick el-Cheapo salt and pepper grinders. I pull off the tops, pour the salt and pepper into small wire collanders and cold smoke for an entire day or as long as the Pro-Q will go. The salt will turn a little dark from the smoke but that's normal.

P1190302_zpsb747020c.jpg


Works great.

Russ
 
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