# First Time Smoking Cheese! (with Photos)



## brentczech (Dec 26, 2011)

Hello All,

 I am new to this forum and hope to gain some great knowledge.

12/21 was my first attempt at smoking cheese.

I make a cardboard box design. I used my Chargriller Smoker to produce the smoke for the box. I ran a NEW dryer hose from the chimney of my Chargriller into box. This allowed the smoke to cool before it entered the cardboard box.

I used only apple wood for smoking. I used Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese which happens to be my favor cheese.

I maintained a heat temp in the box between 60-70 degrees. I live in Las Vegas so I smoked the cheese at night to help keep the temp low.

Total smoke time was 1.5 hours. Now the cheese is in vacuum sealed bags and in the frig. I have been reading in this forum I should let it age at least 2 weeks.

Any input or ideas?

Thanks and I look forward to being a part of this forum.

-BrentCzech


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## scarbelly (Dec 26, 2011)

Great first smoke - very interesting set up


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## jjwdiver (Dec 26, 2011)

That is a neat setup.  Any qview of the cheese when it was done before going into the fridge?  Did it draft ok the way you had it setup?

John


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## boykjo (Dec 26, 2011)

Great idea.......................
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Joe


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## sprky (Dec 26, 2011)

interesting set up, but if it works great, and I don't see why it wouldn't. Any pics of finished smoke?


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## big casino (Dec 26, 2011)

Looks awesome, I think that set up will work fine for your cheese


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## brentczech (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the quick replies.

The design came to my head last year after too many IPA's and smoking salmon in the fall in Las Vegas and wondering how I could do cheese.

The temp of the smoke leaving my Chargriller smoker was 110 degrees. The outside temp was 43 degrees. The "smoke box" temp ranged from 60-70 degrees. I didnt really have a noticeable smoke ring on the cheese but the smell was sure there.

The amount of smoke was pretty heavy, that why I didnt leave cheese in smoker too long. I will be using this design (a little modified) again this week sometime with more cheese.

Thanks for the comments.

Also I dont know what QVIEW means.  This photo is a test I did during the day to see if the design would work. I am pretty please with my efforts but it could be all for not if the cheese doesn't taste good.

-BrentCzech


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## big casino (Dec 26, 2011)

cool a nice prototype, just think if you like the design you could build one out of wood then you could do stuff like add racks to it


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## brentczech (Dec 26, 2011)

Big Casino,

Yeah that would be great. I wanted to try this to see if I like smoking cheese and enjoy the end product.

Any type of wood I should use if building a small box like this?

thanks

BrentCzech


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## SmokinAl (Dec 26, 2011)

Great setup!

That's friggin awesome!


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## big casino (Dec 26, 2011)

well I would think since there is little to no heat you could use just about anything, but I would probably try and find  some tongue and groove planks, I think it would look nicer,

find some metal racks or screen type racks first so you know what size to build it to, and incorporate some type of adjustable flue so you can control how much smokes in your box

I think you got a good idea going... roll with it!


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## mballi3011 (Dec 27, 2011)

Quite interesting for sure. Now I'll be awaiting the results to.


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## brentczech (Dec 27, 2011)

Hello Smokers......

Here is a follow up of the modification I did on the "smoke box".

I used picture hanging metal cables to support the grate.

I have 7 pounds of weight on the grate and its holding up no problem. I plan on smoking an additional 5 lbs of cheese this week (hopefully).

thanks

BrentCzech


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## meathead1975 (Dec 29, 2011)

That's a great idea.  Let us know how it turned out.


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## johnnie walker (Dec 31, 2011)

Brent, Q-Veiw is nothing more than taking pictures of the process as you do it. Then posting them so we can drool all over our key boards.


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## SmokinAl (Dec 31, 2011)

How did the cheese turn out? It's such a great idea, but we need to see the results.


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## brentczech (Dec 31, 2011)

Smokin Al,

I am still waiting the "2 weeks" to taste test. It is in the frig and happy. When my wife opening the bottom drawer (where i have 7 lbs of smoked cheese) she always comments that is smells smokey!!

Thats a good sign i guess.

Spare ribs on Tuesday! Can't wait. Never used 3-2-1 method but I'm ready. I have also never trim spare ribs but watched some great stuff on here and youtube.

Thanks

BrentCzech


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