Cheesy observations

HoosierKettle · March 23, 2018, 08:03:11 AM

I've smoked cheese a few times and we really enjoy the results. I like shredding pepper jack and topping tacos and salads. Or some in with Mac and cheese made inside. It adds a nice flavor.

I'm surprised that most of what I've found online just says to keep temp below 90. There is a big difference in smoke flavor on cheese that is smoked at 40 degrees and cheese smoked at 60. For example, my amazn smoke tray raises the grill temp by twenty degrees with one end lit. A couple times ago the outside temp was twenty and grill temp was 40. That cheese smoked 4 hours and had a nice subtle flavor.

Last time I made cheese, the outside temp was 40 and grill temp 60 and I smoked for 2 hours. The smoke flavor was twice as strong as the four hour cheese at a much lower temp. Still good but strong.

The cheese experts here probably already know this but for anyone else, this might be helpful to keep in mind the temp your smoking at will make a big difference.

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HoosierKettle · March 23, 2018, 08:05:30 AM

One other observation is don't use your wife's cookie cooling rack to smoke cheese. I thought I cleaned it good enough and got away with it but I didn't. She started putting fresh cookies on it and immediately noticed a funny smell. It didn't take her long to figure out I had something to do with it.

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JEBIV · March 23, 2018, 08:23:24 AM

I get the same response from my wife regarding funny smells @HoosierKettle

inkaddictedchef1 · March 23, 2018, 08:37:13 AM

Quote from: JEBIV on March 23, 2018, 08:23:24 AM
I get the same response from my wife regarding funny smells @HoosierKettle

Hahaha... same

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MikeRocksTheRed · March 23, 2018, 08:58:33 AM

LMAO!!!!! It is tough to get the smoke off of cookie racks. I ordered a mat from Owens BBQ that works great and is dishwasher safe. You are right about the temp affecting how the cheese absorbs smoke. The softer (warmer) the cheese it the more it absorbs.

http://owensbbq.com/accessories.html

Scroll down until you find the grill mats. I have a round one for my 22. Talked to Tanya and they can custom cut anything you need. I think she says they get it in 24" wide rolls. I'm going to have some custom cut for my ranch kettle so I can do huge batches of cheese.

MikeRocksTheRed · March 23, 2018, 09:05:37 AM

Here are some pics of my first cheese smoke with the mat. I'll probably trim off the area where the tube usually is. That part is very stained but not burned. One thing I like with the mats is being able to see where the cheese was, so if I am doing a second batch in a row I could put the new batch where the old cheese was. Helps keep the second batch from getting stains on it. And like I said the mat can be run through the dishwasher and cleans up well.

Oh, another thing...if it's a little too warm for smoking cheese, remove your ash pan and put a bag of ice directly in the bottom of the grill. The ice against the bowl does a better job of keeping temps down than an ice tray does. I was able to smoke cheese in my Ranch Kettle in a 75 degree day and keep the grill around 80. I used two 10lb bags of ice, but I'm sure 5-10lbs would do the trick in a 22. Just make sure you leave one of the vents uncovered so your pellets don't smother out.

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Dc_smoke309 · March 23, 2018, 03:57:30 PM

Man, that is something I HAVE to try . Looks freekin awesome !

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Kneab · March 23, 2018, 04:12:32 PM

I did cheese on my wsm18 back in January. I used the Amazen Maze with pitmaster blend pellets. I let it sit shrunk wrapped in the beer fridge for a month. Tasted some and it was pretty good. I then decided to wait at least another month before tasting it again. And I am glad I did. So much better. Except I noticed that the top of the cheese has a really fine ash dust on it. I think next time I will lay a sheet if foil on the top of it while smoking to prevent the really fine ash from landing on it.

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HoosierKettle · March 23, 2018, 04:27:22 PM

This is great. Keep these cheese smoke pictures coming. I only have another month of cheese smoking weather so I will be doing more to last the summer.

Mike, are you using the tube or maze? I have the maze but both products get great reviews. That's one gadget that I'm glad I bought. Works great.

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HoosierKettle · March 23, 2018, 04:30:14 PM

Quote from: Kneab on March 23, 2018, 04:12:32 PM
I did cheese on my wsm18 back in January. I used the Amazen Maze with pitmaster blend pellets. I let it sit shrunk wrapped in the beer fridge for a month. Tasted some and it was pretty good. I then decided to wait at least another month before tasting it again. And I am glad I did. So much better. Except I noticed that the top of the cheese has a really fine ash dust on it. I think next time I will lay a sheet if foil on the top of it while smoking to prevent the really fine ash from landing on it.

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How does the flavor change over a longer time? Mine hasn't lasted a month yet. Does it mellow or get stronger or neither?

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Kneab · March 23, 2018, 04:40:52 PM

It penetrates it better, and tastes a little less ashy. I guess it mellows a bit too. Has smoke flavor all the way through. My only complaint is the ash powder on the top surface.

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HoosierKettle · March 23, 2018, 04:49:10 PM

Quote from: Kneab on March 23, 2018, 04:40:52 PM
It penetrates it better, and tastes a little less ashy. I guess it mellows a bit too. Has smoke flavor all the way through. My only complaint is the ash powder on the top surface.

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Is the ash powder only something you notice when it's two months old? Also do you handle your cheese with bare hands? I have been lately but have wondered if disposable gloves would be better.

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Kneab · March 23, 2018, 04:57:57 PM

Yup I noticed the dust right after smoking and after two months. And yes I used nitrile gloves when handling while shrink wrapping. Not sure if it is necessary, but I figure that it may keep for longer periods of time with less contamination from the oils in my skin. No mold yet and it was smoked and vaccum sealed January 7th.

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Cheesy observations