Cheezy WSM

[Kneab]

We were running low on the smoked cheese from last winter.
So it's time to smoke some more.
This time I am using 1.5#'s of Sharp Cheddar, 1#of Pepper Jack and 1# of Dragon's breath Habanero Cheddar. All of these can be found at your local Aldi. The pellet tray that I am using is the amaz'n pellet loaded up with one row of  hickory pellets. Normally I would light one end of this with a propane torch but I am completely out of propane, so I placed a half of a starter cube in the end of the tray before pouring the pellets in. If I remember  correctly I believe that one tow of pellets should burn 2-3 hours. I cut the blocks of cheese in half because I package them after smoking with one Pepper Jack and one Cheddar on each vacuum sealed bag. The foil is placed on top of the cheese while in the smoker to prevent the superfine ash from the pellets landing on the top of the cheese. It's not horrible tasting but I think it will be better without it.

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[Kneab]

4hrs later.
Vacuum packed and ready for a long nap in the beer fridge for proper distribution of smoke throughout the cheeses.

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[DaveG74]

Nice! What is the minimum time you age before eating?

[Kain]

I love smoked cheese and have never done it. How longs the nap?


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[Sprinkler76]

Very cool. I assume those were is on the 14.5? How do you load the pellets?


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[Kneab]

I usually let it rest for a minimum of 4-6 weeks. Being vacuum sealed I have left some as long as 2 years without any mold forming. If you sampled your cheese right after smoking, you will taste really really smoky, almost acrid, cheese. The smoke is heavy on the outside of the cheese. As it sits in the fridge, that smoke flavor will distribute throughout the cheese and mellow out significantly.

I somehow missed the picture of my pellet setup in the starting post. I filled one channel of the amaze'n pellet tray with hickory pellets. In the past when I have done cheese I have used the pitmaster select pellets, but I  didn't realize that I had run out. It ran for about 4hrs and the temperature inside the smoker never rose at all. Outside air temperature was around 30°f. This time I smoked them in the 14.5 wsm. I have done it in the 18 Wsm previously, but it can be done in any size grill or smoker as long as the outside temperature  is 60°f or less.

Cleanliness is important when it comes to where you set your cheese in the smoker or grill. You could set them on a cooling rack or something similar if your grates are in poor condition. I  clean my grates from my Wsm's very well after using them.

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[Mr.CPHo]

Very nice, Kneab.  I'm inspired to try this myself. 


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[JEBIV]

I like it, I will stop by after the Chi meetup in July and taste them all !!

[Kneab]

It should be about ready to be consumed by then Joe. I'll have to remember to bring some.

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[MauroBBQ]

Need to try this
Thank you for the post!!!
Saludos from Juarez Mexico