# First Cold Smoking - Cheese and Pecans - QVIEW



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Well, day 2 with the new MES and AMNS, and I decided to do some cheese and pecans. I have an Extra Sharp Cheddar, a Vermont White Sharp Cheddar, a Medium Cheddar, a hunk of Gruyere, Colby Jack, Muenster, Habanero Vermont White Cheddar, and some Fresh Mozzarella. Oh, and two little pieces of Swiss and Cheddar that came in a marble cheese cutting set I got for Christmas. 17.5 lbs total of cheese. Also, coated 2 lbs of pecans with a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Everything into the MES for 4 hours with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Peach in the AMNS. More pics to come when they're done.

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0814.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0816.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0817.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0815.jpg


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## rbranstner (Dec 28, 2010)

The hardest part about smoking cheese is waiting for it to age. Its hard not to dig into it right away.


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## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again


How long? 2hrs? 3 hrs? Thanks for the heads up. I would have let it go the whole time.


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## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

I actually have some in the smoker right now and am going to pull it at about 2.5. I normally pull it around 2 hours but these are going to go into meatballs as the center so I want a little more smoke


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## fpnmf (Dec 28, 2010)

Looking good!


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> I actually have some in the smoker right now and am going to pull it at about 2.5. I normally pull it around 2 hours but these are going to go into meatballs as the center so I want a little more smoke


Thanks for the info.


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Also, my MES is hanging around 54-55 deg. Is that _too_ cold?


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## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

Seems just about perfect to me - anything under 85 is what I strive for

Here is a link on the mozarella meatballs for you and some qview of the cheese. Remember it was 89 outside and that is why I had the ice in the smoker

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/99157/fresh-mozarella-smoked-again


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> Seems just about perfect to me - anything under 85 is what I strive for
> 
> Here is a link on the mozarella meatballs for you and some qview of the cheese. Remember it was 89 outside and that is why I had the ice in the smoker
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/99157/fresh-mozarella-smoked-again




Thanks. Your post made me drool on my keyboard!


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## mballi3011 (Dec 28, 2010)

Now it looks like you will have a good amount of tastey cheeses in about 14 days.


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## wingman (Dec 28, 2010)

Can't wait to see the end result. Yummmm!


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Well, here's the finished cheese. Smoked the Mozzarella for about 2hrs and 40 min (was only going to do 2 hrs but got distracted by my wife coming home with a new area rug and having to help her unload it). The rest of the cheese and the pecans went 4hrs and 30 min. I nibbled a few pieces and they were very good, but I see why waiting for the smoke to mellow and permeate throughout the cheese is recommended. My wife took the smoked pecans and coated them in butter, sugar, and cinnamon and then baked them for 30 mins. They came out awesome! Anyway, the wait begins. The smoke coloring wasn't noticeable until I cut a few slivers off to try and then I could really see the difference.

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0819.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0820.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0821.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0822.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0823.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0824.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0825.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0826.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0828.jpg


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## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

Great job man - that cheese looks great.


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## papagreer (Dec 29, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again




Thanks Scar, I did not know that about Fresh Mozz. What about a normal block of Mozz (Sargento)? I have both and I am planning to smoke it with a batch of cheese this weekend. 

Chris


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## scarbelly (Dec 29, 2010)

papagreer said:


> Scarbelly said:
> 
> 
> > The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again
> ...


Hey Chris

The normal mozz just smoke with the rest but cut back time on the fresh. It is best to let it sit out in the fridge for a couple of hours in the fridge to develop a skin outside so it does not let the moisture escape during the smoke. It will have a light brown tint to the cheese at the end of the smoke and as soon as it chills you can eat it. We buy the Costco onese and cut them into 4 pieces so we get more smoke surface.  Once they are smoked we cut them in half down the middle and slice in 3/8 " slices and serve with french or sourdough rounds. I also hit them with a light dusting of smoked salt as I am serving them


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## papagreer (Dec 29, 2010)

That cheese looks awesome!


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## wingman (Dec 29, 2010)

Man that all looks so good. Nicely done!


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## realtorterry (Dec 29, 2010)

Nice work. Great looking cheese!


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## papagreer (Jan 1, 2011)

Scarbelly said:


> papagreer said:
> 
> 
> > Scarbelly said:
> ...


Thanks Scar. I will be smoking cheese for the first time this weekend. YUM!


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## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Well, day 2 with the new MES and AMNS, and I decided to do some cheese and pecans. I have an Extra Sharp Cheddar, a Vermont White Sharp Cheddar, a Medium Cheddar, a hunk of Gruyere, Colby Jack, Muenster, Habanero Vermont White Cheddar, and some Fresh Mozzarella. Oh, and two little pieces of Swiss and Cheddar that came in a marble cheese cutting set I got for Christmas. 17.5 lbs total of cheese. Also, coated 2 lbs of pecans with a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Everything into the MES for 4 hours with a 50/50 mix of Cherry and Peach in the AMNS. More pics to come when they're done.

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0814.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0816.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0817.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0815.jpg


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## rbranstner (Dec 28, 2010)

The hardest part about smoking cheese is waiting for it to age. Its hard not to dig into it right away.


----------



## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again


----------



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again


How long? 2hrs? 3 hrs? Thanks for the heads up. I would have let it go the whole time.


----------



## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

I actually have some in the smoker right now and am going to pull it at about 2.5. I normally pull it around 2 hours but these are going to go into meatballs as the center so I want a little more smoke


----------



## fpnmf (Dec 28, 2010)

Looking good!


----------



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> I actually have some in the smoker right now and am going to pull it at about 2.5. I normally pull it around 2 hours but these are going to go into meatballs as the center so I want a little more smoke


Thanks for the info.


----------



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Also, my MES is hanging around 54-55 deg. Is that _too_ cold?


----------



## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

Seems just about perfect to me - anything under 85 is what I strive for

Here is a link on the mozarella meatballs for you and some qview of the cheese. Remember it was 89 outside and that is why I had the ice in the smoker

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/99157/fresh-mozarella-smoked-again


----------



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> Seems just about perfect to me - anything under 85 is what I strive for
> 
> Here is a link on the mozarella meatballs for you and some qview of the cheese. Remember it was 89 outside and that is why I had the ice in the smoker
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/99157/fresh-mozarella-smoked-again




Thanks. Your post made me drool on my keyboard!


----------



## mballi3011 (Dec 28, 2010)

Now it looks like you will have a good amount of tastey cheeses in about 14 days.


----------



## wingman (Dec 28, 2010)

Can't wait to see the end result. Yummmm!


----------



## pintobean (Dec 28, 2010)

Well, here's the finished cheese. Smoked the Mozzarella for about 2hrs and 40 min (was only going to do 2 hrs but got distracted by my wife coming home with a new area rug and having to help her unload it). The rest of the cheese and the pecans went 4hrs and 30 min. I nibbled a few pieces and they were very good, but I see why waiting for the smoke to mellow and permeate throughout the cheese is recommended. My wife took the smoked pecans and coated them in butter, sugar, and cinnamon and then baked them for 30 mins. They came out awesome! Anyway, the wait begins. The smoke coloring wasn't noticeable until I cut a few slivers off to try and then I could really see the difference.

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0819.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0820.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0821.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0822.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0823.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0824.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0825.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0826.jpg

http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b178/BrandoB2003/?action=view&current=IMAG0828.jpg


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## scarbelly (Dec 28, 2010)

Great job man - that cheese looks great.


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## papagreer (Dec 29, 2010)

Scarbelly said:


> The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again




Thanks Scar, I did not know that about Fresh Mozz. What about a normal block of Mozz (Sargento)? I have both and I am planning to smoke it with a batch of cheese this weekend. 

Chris


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## scarbelly (Dec 29, 2010)

papagreer said:


> Scarbelly said:
> 
> 
> > The fresh mozzarella will not take the full 4 hours so be careful there. It can get oversmoked easily. The best part of that is you can eat it right away once it is cold again
> ...


Hey Chris

The normal mozz just smoke with the rest but cut back time on the fresh. It is best to let it sit out in the fridge for a couple of hours in the fridge to develop a skin outside so it does not let the moisture escape during the smoke. It will have a light brown tint to the cheese at the end of the smoke and as soon as it chills you can eat it. We buy the Costco onese and cut them into 4 pieces so we get more smoke surface.  Once they are smoked we cut them in half down the middle and slice in 3/8 " slices and serve with french or sourdough rounds. I also hit them with a light dusting of smoked salt as I am serving them


----------



## papagreer (Dec 29, 2010)

That cheese looks awesome!


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## wingman (Dec 29, 2010)

Man that all looks so good. Nicely done!


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## realtorterry (Dec 29, 2010)

Nice work. Great looking cheese!


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## papagreer (Jan 1, 2011)

Scarbelly said:


> papagreer said:
> 
> 
> > Scarbelly said:
> ...


Thanks Scar. I will be smoking cheese for the first time this weekend. YUM!


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