Mr T's "Smoked Cheese From Go To Show" w/ Q- View

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Hi Eddie,

If I can add a comment on the vacuum sealer. My wife an I bought a food saver brand at Sam's club over 10 years ago. Initially we used it a bit but with the first month, we found it took up counter space and we may have been too lazy to wrap it up an place it in a cabinet. Just silly stuff but it had gotten a bit odd having 40% of the stuff in the refrigerator/freezer in those seal bags.

It sat in the cabinet for 5 yrs, unused. Occasionally we would use it on sale priced chicken or beef that we couldn't pass up on price. It does an excellent job keeping the air out and the product fresh. If you had a block of cheese, seal it back up and it was good for a very long time.

Here it is 5 yrs later and I am finding my self smoking foods. Now that thing has become invaluable. I have about 55lbs of cheese in the fridge( only because I know once April comes, no more cheese smoking )that is so tightly sealed, I know it will last for a very long time. When I take one out of the drawer, it is packed of wonderfully, I don't fear having too much on hand that might go bad.

I now have no choice but to use the sealer more frequently on other foods in the house that prematurely mold up or sour and it has actually saved us money by extending the usage of some foods. ( like the ads say)

If you going to find yourself in cheese smoking long term, I can't recommend it more. Let it be known, after the first few years, I knew we had just threw away $139.00. Now, i am glad we have it.

Good luck with your cheese. Since starting in December, I know have a wide variety of cheeses and smoke flavors to choose from as they are "coming of age"
 
Hi Eddie,

If I can add a comment on the vacuum sealer. My wife an I bought a food saver brand at Sam's club over 10 years ago. Initially we used it a bit but with the first month, we found it took up counter space and we may have been too lazy to wrap it up an place it in a cabinet. Just silly stuff but it had gotten a bit odd having 40% of the stuff in the refrigerator/freezer in those seal bags.

It sat in the cabinet for 5 yrs, unused. Occasionally we would use it on sale priced chicken or beef that we couldn't pass up on price. It does an excellent job keeping the air out and the product fresh. If you had a block of cheese, seal it back up and it was good for a very long time.

Here it is 5 yrs later and I am finding my self smoking foods. Now that thing has become invaluable. I have about 55lbs of cheese in the fridge( only because I know once April comes, no more cheese smoking )that is so tightly sealed, I know it will last for a very long time. When I take one out of the drawer, it is packed of wonderfully, I don't fear having too much on hand that might go bad.

I now have no choice but to use the sealer more frequently on other foods in the house that prematurely mold up or sour and it has actually saved us money by extending the usage of some foods. ( like the ads say)

If you going to find yourself in cheese smoking long term, I can't recommend it more. Let it be known, after the first few years, I knew we had just threw away $139.00. Now, i am glad we have it.

Good luck with your cheese. Since starting in December, I know have a wide variety of cheeses and smoke flavors to choose from as they are "coming of age"
Thank you for the info. This weekend will be my first time smoking cheese. To be honest, I've only tried smoked cheddar and that was bought at Wally World two years ago while on vacation in FL. It was actually really good. I've been reading these cheese threads for a while now and have always wanted to try smoking my own cheese since I've been smoking meats for a few years now. I just never had a way of getting smoke in my smoker without using heat. Now I have an Amazen Prod tube smoker and been using that.

As for the vac sealer, I'm leaning towards the VacMaster 110. it's the smaller and cheapest in their line but figured it would serve the purpose for what I will use it for. And that will be to vac seal pulled pork, sausage, chicken and cheese.
 
Hi Eddie,

If I can add a comment on the vacuum sealer. My wife an I bought a food saver brand at Sam's club over 10 years ago. Initially we used it a bit but with the first month, we found it took up counter space and we may have been too lazy to wrap it up an place it in a cabinet. Just silly stuff but it had gotten a bit odd having 40% of the stuff in the refrigerator/freezer in those seal bags.

It sat in the cabinet for 5 yrs, unused. Occasionally we would use it on sale priced chicken or beef that we couldn't pass up on price. It does an excellent job keeping the air out and the product fresh. If you had a block of cheese, seal it back up and it was good for a very long time.

Here it is 5 yrs later and I am finding my self smoking foods. Now that thing has become invaluable. I have about 55lbs of cheese in the fridge( only because I know once April comes, no more cheese smoking )that is so tightly sealed, I know it will last for a very long time. When I take one out of the drawer, it is packed of wonderfully, I don't fear having too much on hand that might go bad.

I now have no choice but to use the sealer more frequently on other foods in the house that prematurely mold up or sour and it has actually saved us money by extending the usage of some foods. ( like the ads say)

If you going to find yourself in cheese smoking long term, I can't recommend it more. Let it be known, after the first few years, I knew we had just threw away $139.00. Now, i am glad we have it.

Good luck with your cheese. Since starting in December, I know have a wide variety of cheeses and smoke flavors to choose from as they are "coming of age"
Forgot to add, I only have a couple months to cold smoke cheese as it will start warming up here in the South around Mar/Apr. There will be a few days of cool weather through May but for the most part it will start getting HOT and HUMID. My plan is to get a few blocks smoked between now and Mar/Apr and that should last until the fall.
 
 
Thank you Mr T. I apprecaite your help. Great write up.

 As for the wax, do you simply melt it and dip the cheese in it? Not familiar with the process.

I don't have any fruit woods so I will be using pecan pellets. I find the flavor is fairly mild. I do have a mix of pellets that I picked up from Lowes. I can't remember which type of woods are used but I think it does have some fruit woods in it.
Your welcome,  It is vital that you use cheese wax, no other will work.  It can normally be purchased at wine and beer hobby shops as they usually carry cheese making supplies.  The wax can be dipped or brushed on.  The process is covered in this thread.

You will enjoy smoking using different woods as you don't need to smoke it all at once.  Take your time and experiment, it will all be good, just some will better than other although what you don't care for, someone else may like.

Tom
 
Mr. T, I found this thread back in September and have been smoking cheese ever since trying to stock up for the long hot summer.  The smoked cheese quickly justified the cost of the smoker to the wife. She absolutely loves the cheese. I just wanted to say thank you for your in depth tutorial it has been very helpful. Now that the holidays are over the cheese stock is starting to come back up.

Nola SS, Just like Knuckle I had a food saver for about 10 years that I rarely used. It was the cheapest version and a PITA to use.  Well as soon as I needed it for the cheese wouldn't you know it, it broke.  So after a ton of research I bought the FoodSaver V4880 and still cant believe I dropped $200 on it but it has been worth every penny.  The greatest feature is the little handle sealer that vacs the air out of the Fresh Saver bags (ZipLocks with a valve built in) We use it just about daily. just my 2 cents.
 
 
Mr. T, I found this thread back in September and have been smoking cheese ever since trying to stock up for the long hot summer.  The smoked cheese quickly justified the cost of the smoker to the wife. She absolutely loves the cheese. I just wanted to say thank you for your in depth tutorial it has been very helpful. Now that the holidays are over the cheese stock is starting to come back up.

Nola SS, Just like Knuckle I had a food saver for about 10 years that I rarely used. It was the cheapest version and a PITA to use.  Well as soon as I needed it for the cheese wouldn't you know it, it broke.  So after a ton of research I bought the FoodSaver V4880 and still cant believe I dropped $200 on it but it has been worth every penny.  The greatest feature is the little handle sealer that vacs the air out of the Fresh Saver bags (ZipLocks with a valve built in) We use it just about daily. just my 2 cents.
 Yeppers great thread,  Gosh smoked cheese goes so fast around here - glad the mrs okay'd the smoker LOL 
 
Thank you so much for this article!! I, like another poster here tried smoking some cheese in a Little Chief a few years ago. What a disaster it was. One bite of it and I ended up spitting it out!I thought I just didn't have the right "magic" to do it right. I told myself I would never waste good cheese again!

Then I happened upon this article and it gave me the desire to try it again. I learned so much. Thank you for sharing your (I suspect) hard earned tips.
I realized that I did so many things wrong and that cheese smoking is different that meat and fish.

I am currently impatiently waiting for my batch of cheese to age!

Thank you! And good smoking to you! Thumbs Up
 
Sorry for the late reply. Allowed my cheese to rest for two weeks wrapped in Saran Wrap in the fridge. Cut up into small squares served with same size pieces of ham and turkey. Served as appetizer before Christmas dinner. Went fast! Took some to work and now making a batch for some guys at work. Thank you Mr. T.
 
Mr.T 59874, just recently smoked some Havarti and Gouda. Both are a first with this types of cheese. I allowed to rest overnight on counter thn vaccum sealed and placed in my basement. Stays round 55 deg. I noticed some moisture in only the pack of Gouda what should i do? Any adice is appreciated.
 
Thank you djs, have fun and enjoy your smoked cheese.  Now is the time to smoke for the holidays.  Try waxing for that extra special gift.

Tom
 
 
Thank you djs, have fun and enjoy your smoked cheese.  Now is the time to smoke for the holidays.  Try waxing for that extra special gift.

Tom
I have been trying to stock up on cheese for a couple of years.



I started using a food saver and a Weber kettle. (everyone should own a kettle)



Then I moved up to a AMNPS and a UDS. ( Todd at A-MAZE-N-PRODUCTS is also a sponsor here)


This was in the beginning. I thought I was smoking a lot of cheese.


The first time I took some smoked cheese as a dish I was kind of looked at like my cheese just flew off of my cracker or 
wtf1.gif
.  

Now after a few years of Face book post of my cheese smokes and a little word getting around I am smoking a little more cheese at a time. I now do about 25 LBS at a time several times a year. I am also using a MES 40 instead of the UDS for a vessel. ( I do still have and use my UDS)


Well with all good thing their comes an end. The 2 Foodsavers Got to where I had to work on one while I was working with the other.

So you know how things work! I once again had to take it to the next level.  ( if I had used the wax that I bought or the bee's wax that I have from my bee's I might have been OK for a while)

So I found a deal on a chamber sealer. It was a Vac-Master 



I bought 4000 bags from Lisa at Vacuum Sealers Unlimited ( a sponsor here)

No pic.
th_nopicsye3.gif
.  I am about out now.

So now is where I say "Thank YOU MR T" do you have any idea how much this thread has cost me???

I had a friend drop by yesterday to get a block of cheese to give as a gift.  He was in the first round or

people thinking "my cheese must of just flown off of my cracker" I was smoking cheese before I read this

thread. With your help I have made it this far in the smoked cheese world. Next step is to make my own

cheese. I always smile every time this tread come around 
biggrin.gif
.

points1.png


Happy smoken.

David
 
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Nice Mule, Yes this thread is the bomb, when anyone is wanting to know or starting with cheese I always throw them this link. Mr T is the "MAN"!!

What did that Vac Master run you? Was it used? 

A full fridge of cheese is a happy fridge

DS
 
So now is where I say "Thank YOU MR T" do you have any idea how much this thread has cost me???

I had a friend drop by yesterday to get a block of cheese to give as a gift.  He was in the first round or

people thinking "my cheese must of just flown off of my cracker" I was smoking cheese before I read this

thread. With your help I have made it this far in the smoked cheese world. Next step is to make my own

cheese. I always smile every time this tread come around 
biggrin.gif


themule69, Well you are welcome.  Have you tried convincing yourself, sometimes Christmas comes early?

Great pics, I must say " I'm proud of you".

You will like Lisa's bags.

Later,

Tom
 
 
Nice Mule, Yes this thread is the bomb, when anyone is wanting to know or starting with cheese I always throw them this link. Mr T is the "MAN"!!

What did that Vac Master run you? Was it used? 

A full fridge of cheese is a happy fridge

DS
I don't remember. It was a new open box return. I don't remember how much it was. I am thinking around 500.00

I look at the fridge as half empty. I am wanting to buy a wine fridge for my cheese. I will find one someday. I will probably blame that on this tread as well.

Happy smoken.

David
 
 
So now is where I say "Thank YOU MR T" do you have any idea how much this thread has cost me???

I had a friend drop by yesterday to get a block of cheese to give as a gift.  He was in the first round or

people thinking "my cheese must of just flown off of my cracker" I was smoking cheese before I read this

thread. With your help I have made it this far in the smoked cheese world. Next step is to make my own

cheese. I always smile every time this tread come around 
biggrin.gif


themule69, Well you are welcome.  Have you tried convincing yourself, sometimes Christmas comes early?

Great pics, I must say " I'm proud of you".

You will like Lisa's bags.

Later,

Tom
HMMM maybe a wine fridge for keeping cheese at 60° for early Christmas 
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif
.

Happy smoken.

David
 
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