I think I ruined a batch today...

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DougCA

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Apr 14, 2018
113
45
It was about 55 and overcast most of the day and decided to try one last smoke before it warms up. I put the amaz-n tube in the barrel and the cheese in the cold smoke cabinet. One hour later there was no smoke on the cheese. I put the tube in the cold smoke cabinet and checked 90min later and found the pics attached. The cabinet got to 90ish degrees between the tube and the sun coming out and hitting the cabinet.

Is this batch trash or somehow recoverable? I put an ice tray in it and moved it into the shade but one of the cheeses was dripping into the ice tray.
 

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I am far from an expert on the subject, but I don't see any reason why it would be ruined or inedible. Might not be the prettiest though.
 
I read somewhere that if it got over 90, the something or others in the cheese break down and that's a bad thing.
 
It was about 55 and overcast most of the day and decided to try one last smoke before it warms up. I put the amaz-n tube in the barrel and the cheese in the cold smoke cabinet. One hour later there was no smoke on the cheese. I put the tube in the cold smoke cabinet and checked 90min later and found the pics attached. The cabinet got to 90ish degrees between the tube and the sun coming out and hitting the cabinet.

Is this batch trash or somehow recoverable? I put an ice tray in it and moved it into the shade but one of the cheeses was dripping into the ice tray.

You cooked the oil out...... But ruined? Always allow anything that tastes like cigarette butts right after smoking, to chill out and mellow a couple a days or you'll waste alot of good food.

This is ruined cheese! ROTFLMAO!!

Smoked Cheese LOL.jpeg
 
Wow foam, I literally did a :emoji_fearful: face when I saw your pic. I looked through OP's slide show and yours was the last pic. I thought it was from his batch. I didn't wanna have to be the one to deliver the bad news!
 
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Lol. Here’s my “done” pic.
 

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Its not my picture either. I shamelessly stole it a few years back, as actually a picture someone here on SMF took. It always a favorite when someone is complaining about smoked cheese.

I learned the simplicity of smoking cheese. Very very light smoke and obviously low temp. You don't need to try and smoke it for 6 or 8 hours, and hour or two max at a time. A little smoke goes a long way with cheese. I would still like to try smoking cheese with white smoke. But we never get a freeze. One heavy freeze every 5 to 10 years.
 
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Wow foam, I literally did a :emoji_fearful: face when I saw your pic. I looked through OP's slide show and yours was the last pic. I thought it was from his batch. I didn't wanna have to be the one to deliver the bad news!

I did and thought the same exact thing! Lol

Doug,

I would let it rest and then seal/wrap and leave it in the fridge for awhile.

Try it after it rests before tossing it.
 
I put it in the fridge yesterday. Will vac seal it today and let it rest for a while and see how it is.
 
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Doug, the tube raises the temp of a smoker about 30 degF, or higher..

I hadn't thought about that before yesterday. Prepped my cheese as usual, filled and fired up my tube with maple and placed it in the side box of my CG'er. Check the progress 2hours later, way to much smoke in the garage and the therm was read 85* and the cheese smelled like a ash-can. Think I'll go back to using my maple noodles. smoking smoker.jpg
 
As others have said your cheese will be fine in a week or so. When I smoke cheese I use dust in my tray, and give it clean smoke for two to three hours. It can be eaten right away, but is better then next day. No more waiting a week or two. The only time I go longer or use pellets is when I'm smoking cheese for my kids who like a really heavy smoke profile on theirs.

Chris
 
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