Weber kettle cold smoked cheese

[nickel plate]

It's coming to the end of proper smoked cheese weather in my location but I managed to get in one last smoke a couple of days ago. The 5:00 am temperature was thirty-four degrees, perfect for a two and a half hour cold smoke.
The key trick is to keep the interior kettle temperature under ninety degrees or your running the risk of melted cheese. The only heat generated comes from the "A-MAZE-N" smoke tube itself. I've heard of folks using trays of ice cubes or frozen water bottles to keep the temperature down but that seems a bit risky to me.
My favorite self-mixed blend is 75% apple and 25% cherry pellets which leaves a pleasant smokey flavor without overpowering the cheese's natural flavors. We've pretty much narrowed our favorites down to sharp cheddar and pepper jack varieties.
The last step in the process is to individually vacuum seal and label the 2"x3" blocks and refrigerate for at least two weeks which allows the smoke to further penetrate into the blocks. You can use ziplock bags but be sure to get as much air as possible out of the bag to avoid any long term molding.
Looks like I have enough of a "stash" to make it to the fall and the start of another smoked cheese season.

 

[ruffdog]

Mmmmm. I can almost smell,taste it from here. Thanks for the post.

 

[etpm]

It's coming to the end of proper smoked cheese weather in my location but I managed to get in one last smoke a couple of days ago. The 5:00 am temperature was thirty-four degrees, perfect for a two and a half hour cold smoke.
The key trick is to keep the interior kettle temperature under ninety degrees or your running the risk of melted cheese. The only heat generated comes from the "A-MAZE-N" smoke tube itself. I've heard of folks using trays of ice cubes or frozen water bottles to keep the temperature down but that seems a bit risky to me.
My favorite self-mixed blend is 75% apple and 25% cherry pellets which leaves a pleasant smokey flavor without overpowering the cheese's natural flavors. We've pretty much narrowed our favorites down to sharp cheddar and pepper jack varieties.
The last step in the process is to individually vacuum seal and label the 2"x3" blocks and refrigerate for at least two weeks which allows the smoke to further penetrate into the blocks. You can use ziplock bags but be sure to get as much air as possible out of the bag to avoid any long term molding.
Looks like I have enough of a "stash" to make it to the fall and the start of another smoked cheese season.

Thanks for the posting. I am in the process of building a smoker out of a stainless steel 55 gallon drum. I lucked out on getting 2 SS drums. I will be using one of the smoke generators that use pellets like the one you are using. Maybe even the exact one. Where I live I will be able to get away with cold smoking for much of the year and besides making lox and cold smoking other meats I have really ben wanting to cold smoke cheeses. You have given me a little more inspiration.
Cheers,
Eric

 

[RobertN]

I still have a Little Chief smoker in the shed, with the box. Their "cookbook" has directions to use the smoker and the box to cold smoke cheese.We done it a few times; comes out really good.

We followed the instructions on the last page of the Little Chief manual.

http://www.uncledavesenterprise.com/file/garden/storage/Little%20Chief%20Book.pdf

 

[etpm]

I still have a Little Chief smoker in the shed, with the box. Their "cookbook" has directions to use the smoker and the box to cold smoke cheese.We done it a few times; comes out really good.

We followed the instructions on the last page of the Little Chief manual.

http://www.uncledavesenterprise.com/file/garden/storage/Little%20Chief%20Book.pdf

Thanks for posting that. I have a few Little Chief smokers and probably have a manual floating around but I have only ever used mine for smoking and drying meats. But lately I have been wanting to smoke some cheeses. Which kinds of cheese have you smoked? Chedar, Jack, Gouda, and so on? And what brand names? I don't think the brand will matter much but maybe, for example, Kraft sharp cheddar comes out better than Tillamook sharp cheddar. Though I don't usually buy those brands they are both fairly ubiquitous on the west coast and they could make a good benchmark.
Thanks Again,
Eric

 

[Molalla1]

I think the most commercialize smoked cheese is "Gouda".

 

[RobertN]

Thanks for posting that. I have a few Little Chief smokers and probably have a manual floating around but I have only ever used mine for smoking and drying meats. But lately I have been wanting to smoke some cheeses. Which kinds of cheese have you smoked? Chedar, Jack, Gouda, and so on? And what brand names? I don't think the brand will matter much but maybe, for example, Kraft sharp cheddar comes out better than Tillamook sharp cheddar. Though I don't usually buy those brands they are both fairly ubiquitous on the west coast and they could make a good benchmark.
Thanks Again,
Eric

We tried store brand (Safeway, Raley's), as well as Tillamook. Locally, Tillamook is one of the better higher grade brands, and the results were noticeable.

We've tried cheddars, swiss and gouda. Smoked sharp cheddar is pretty tasty.

Less smoke is better until you figure out what you like. A couple of the local ACE stores have had Jack Daniels whiskey barrel chips; gives nice flavor.

 

[etpm]

We tried store brand (Safeway, Raley's), as well as Tillamook. Locally, Tillamook is one of the better higher grade brands, and the results were noticeable.

We've tried cheddars, swiss and gouda. Smoked sharp cheddar is pretty tasty.

Less smoke is better until you figure out what you like. A couple of the local ACE stores have had Jack Daniels whiskey barrel chips; gives nice flavor.

Thanks for the reply. I'll try a good sharp cheddar and some gouda. I can hardly wait.
Eric

 

[nickel plate]

I think the most commercialize smoked cheese is "Gouda".

Possibly so but in my research, I found out that some commercialized various smoked cheeses sold in are local markets are not properly/traditionally cold smoked but are liquid/dipped in some sort of chemical. No thanks.

 

[Molalla1]

Yep ^^^^ yuck.