# Smoked cheese tastes like a car tailpipe



## cwb124 (Apr 1, 2008)

I have a homemade cold smoker and just smoked some mild cheddar with hickory pellets.  However, the cheese tastes like I'm sucking on a vehicle tailpipe and I'm not sure what happened.  I smoked the cheese for about 35 minutes because I didn't want it too strong and it was my first try.  I generated a lot of smoke, but I am wondering why it tastes so harsh right at the beginning. 

Any ideas?


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## richtee (Apr 1, 2008)

First off CWB, stop into the Roll Call forum and tell us about yourself, smoker, and other pertainant info. A picture of your set-up would be most advantageous to us in solving the "Volvo Syndrome".

My bet is you used way much wood way too fast. Thin and blue the smoke SHOULD be, white an' thick tastes like pee! 
<or exhaust...but I could not find a word to rhyme.>


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## peculiarmike (Apr 1, 2008)

Yep, Richtee is on it! Too much smoke! Creosote. You want nice thin blue smoke or invisible smoke. You might think you are not getting enough smoke, but if you can smell it you have plenty.
It's all in how you regulate your air flow. And different cheeses take smoke flavor at different rates, soft cheeses take more and faster.


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## payson (Apr 1, 2008)

Cheese needs to mellow for about 10 days after smoking too. That's my guess, too new. Wrap it tightly in Saran and forget about it for two weeks. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.


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## peculiarmike (Apr 1, 2008)

The hot ticket is to vac seal it using a Food Saver and leave it sealed up a couple weeks, really puts the smoke flavor in the cheese. Go easy on the smoke if vac sealing, especially hickory.


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## jimr (Apr 1, 2008)

I can't help you with the taste of the cheese but I'm concerned how you got the reference taste........


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## k5yac (Apr 1, 2008)

I've got to agree with the above tips... I smoked my first cheeses just a couple of weeks ago (block of sharp cheddar and a ball of mozerella). Ran the temp right around 100 degrees for about 1 hour with pecan for smoke. It was tasty right off the smoker, but I sealed it up for several days and when I cut back into it... mmm mmmmm. I'll be doing some more soon before it gets too hot outside. I would like to have some around for showing off in the summer.


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## cwb124 (Apr 1, 2008)

I am smoking at outside temperatures, does that make a difference?  Last night when I was doing the smoking it was maybe 35-40 degrees.  Is that as effective as smoking around 90 degrees?


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## ron50 (Apr 2, 2008)

The lower outside temps make it easier to maintain the lwoer temp in your smoker. It doesn;t affect the taste.

I think these guys gave you good advice. Less wood, less smoke, keep it thin and blue.

If you want a less smokey taste try using a fruit wood like apple instead of the hickory.


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## cwb124 (Apr 2, 2008)

Smokey is good.

Creosote is bad.  

Trying again tonight, will see what happens.


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