First Cheese went wrong NO Q

[bkos]

Decided to try smoking some cheddar cheese on my MES the other day. The method I used was to cold smoke the cheese (not plugged in) and the outside temp was around 50 deg. I lit 1 piece of charcoal and once gray, placed it into a tuna fish can at the bottom of my smoker. I added apple chips and was able to get some thin blue, but it quickly turned white. I smoked for 1 hr. I must say this cheese was horrible and I threw it away. Wife said it stunk bad. I went to a smokehouse today and purchased a great tasting piece of smoked cheddar cheese and had to ask the smoker a few questions. I had explained to him how I attempted to smoke the cheese and his reply was that using that piece of charcoal had ruined the cheese.
This newbie needs to learn a lot.

BKOS

 

[DanMcG]

I'm not sure what went wrong but I don't think one piece of coal could do any damage to your cheese. maybe to much smoke is my guess
better luck next time

 

[mballi3011]

How well do you know this guy at the smokehouse??? I think he might have told you wrong maybe???? If he tells you wrong and you go home and mess up again then you come back to him and buy more cheese. Maybe

 

[DanMcG]

I just reread your post and you said " and was able to get some thin blue, but it quickly turned white" I think thats where your problem is/was. My first cheese was a heavy smug of smoke and was way to smoky but I sealed it a zip lock bag and a week later it had mellowed out.
Still was not real good but better then when i first pulled it from the smoker, but I learned thru experience since then.

 

[alx]

I agree.I use small chunks i pre-burn and only add cheese when a very thin smoke is in my rig....If it gets white or to much at any point i remove cheese and wait it out....Much like my peppers i smoke...

 

[bkos]

Thanks for the help all. I was thinking the same thing MBALLI3011. When reading other posts about how members pack theirs up and put in fridge for 2 weeks, I thought that it was to pick up more flavor.

 

[alx]

Most folk wrap and fridge to mellow the sharpness of flavor.Lots of folk-myself included feel it absorbs in some way into cheese=mellow...A bitter smoke is hard to get rid of....I have messed up alot of cheese and chipotles until i settled on lighter woods/smoke and practiced a bunch....