# First run with cold smoking cheese and the amns. Update tried most of the cheese now!



## les3176 (Feb 17, 2011)

Today was a beautiful day here in pa on the lake, was about 60 and warm sunshine!!!  Thought it was the perfect day to finally try some cheese in the mes and the amns for smoke!! Went to the store and picked some cheese up and drove back home as quickly as i could!! This is what i picked up,not alot for my first try just in case i mess up!








Loaded the amns with one row of maple and one of cherry!







Fired up the mes to warm it up a bit,only to about 80 then i lit both ends of the amns and put it in.Waited for the temp to come down to bout 72 then loaded the cheese in.







Never had to warm it up again the amns kept it at 70-72 the whole time! Both rows in the amns lasted 3 hours,i couldn't belive one rows lasted that long!!!! Figured that since the amns was empty 3 hours was enough smoke. This was my first shot so i'm not sure if that was too much or too little smoke...time will tell. They look good to me!







And a close up..







The wait begins...tic tock  tic tock...Man its going to hard to last







Had to put 3 in one bag cause i was out. gonna have to get some more so i can seperate them.The amns made this very easy,really just put it in the mes and walk away!! Well not really being my first time doing cheese i kept checking it like every 5 mins. But thats ok i was outside working anyhow! Thanks for looking--LES


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## rbranstner (Feb 17, 2011)

Those will be great. How long are you going to let them rest before you dig into them?


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## les3176 (Feb 17, 2011)

rbranstner said:


> Those will be great. How long are you going to let them rest before you dig into them?


I was hoping to let them sit about a week...I don't know if we will last that long though, my wife has already asked me 3 times if that was long enough...only been in the frigde for 2 hours!! LOL


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## dnovotny (Feb 18, 2011)

sometime if the temp. gets high i throw a pan of ice in the smoker botttom  shelf  to help

bring the temp down.....  aged provolone one of my favorite and gouda,,,,mmmmm.

nice  job


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## scarbelly (Feb 18, 2011)

Great looking first smoke with the AMNS.  Here is my suggestion. Get some fresh Mozzarella in water and follow one of my posts on smoking it. Add it to your cheese smoke and you get to eat it now and while you wait for your hard cheeses to cure


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## virginiasmokesignal (Feb 18, 2011)

Les, that's some fine looking cheese!  I am a big cheese eater and love smoked cheeses and hope to smoke some before much longer.  It looks fairly straight forward with the AMNS, smoke it, seal it and wait a week or so and enjoy.  Great job on the cheese and your instructions on how you did it were amazingly simple.  Thanks Les, keep up the good work!

Your SMF Friend,

Barry


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## tyotrain (Feb 18, 2011)

That cheese looks great love the color it got. nice job


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## jjwdiver (Feb 18, 2011)

Nice looking Cheese and a very nice selection - good luck waiting! (that was the part I hated, so before I sealed it I set aside a cheater pack that only lasted 2 days in the fridge)

That AMNS is a magical little box!!!


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## SmokinAl (Feb 18, 2011)

Nice job there Les. I'm interested in how the brie will taste. We really like brie, but have never smoked it.


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## chef willie (Feb 18, 2011)

Great looking cheese there Les. Being originally from 'Back East' I love provolone....another thing on my list to do and will def be getting a AMNS soon.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 18, 2011)

Looks perfect Les !

Smoky, but not too smoky.

I think most of us try to wait 2 weeks, but I'm not sure if it's necessary.

We could do like Scarbelly says with the Mozza, and have some to eat right away.

Bear


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## fpnmf (Feb 18, 2011)

Looks great Les!!

 Is it done yet?

 Is it done yet?  

 Is it done yet?   Have a great day!!

  Craig


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## czarcastic (Feb 18, 2011)

Terrific job.  You're going to really enjoy it!


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## les3176 (Feb 18, 2011)

SmokinAl said:


> Nice job there Les. I'm interested in how the brie will taste. We really like brie, but have never smoked it.


Being that brie is a very soft cheese,much like the mozzarella i am think that we will try some tomorrow!! I will let ya know how it turned out AL!


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## dale5351 (Feb 18, 2011)

That does look good.  I've never had smoked swiss -- have you?  Let us know how it turns out after the rest period.


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## smokeamotive (Feb 19, 2011)

Lookin good there Les. I still have a week till I get to taste mine from last weeks smoke. Is it done yet?


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## les3176 (Feb 19, 2011)

OK we couldn't take it anymore...had to try the brie! After about a 24 hour rest period all i can say about the brie is WOW!!!! Man this stuff is good! If you like brie and have never tried to smoke it...do so quickly!!! I can not belive how differant smoking it has totally changed the way the brie tastes...for the good!!! This piece is not going to last very long. We will try the others after a few more days, i'll let you know how they turn out also!


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## jjwdiver (Feb 19, 2011)

Now you'll need to do the Mozz just to tide you over for a while, or start smoking more cheese and get into a rythem so you always have it ready and always let it mellow.  Glad you liked the Brie - it's one I'll have to try!


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## venture (Feb 20, 2011)

Good looking cheese!  I have also been using the maple/cherry mix, and we love it here.  I have found that 2 to 2 1/2 hours works best in my particular setup and to our taste. The mozzarella and gouda don't seem to need the long rest time, being softer cheeses. I think your brie would be good to go right now.  We like the cheddar with a full two weeks rest.  We tried some Swiss tonight after 7 days, and it was wonderful, but this was a softer (read cheap) Swiss. 

Thanks to Todd and the AMNS! 

I have been wondering about brie, but was afraid it was too soft (really the price is scary too).  Now we are going to have to do the brie and provolone!

Thanks for posting.

Good luck and good smoking!


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## SmokinAl (Feb 20, 2011)

les3176 said:


> OK we couldn't take it anymore...had to try the brie! After about a 24 hour rest period all i can say about the brie is WOW!!!! Man this stuff is good! If you like brie and have never tried to smoke it...do so quickly!!! I can not belive how differant smoking it has totally changed the way the brie tastes...for the good!!! This piece is not going to last very long. We will try the others after a few more days, i'll let you know how they turn out also!


Thanks Les, I'm definitely going to smoke some brie.


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## tjohnson (Feb 27, 2011)

Les,

How'd it turn out?

Todd


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## les3176 (Feb 27, 2011)

TJohnson said:


> Les,
> 
> How'd it turn out?
> 
> Todd


OH man todd let me tell you the smoked gouda is awesome!!! Me and the wife started fighting over it LOL

The sharp cheedar and the prov was great too!

 Now the brie.....OMG the brie!!!   It was the best of the bunch for sure, i will have to smoke some more for sure because we ate it all

standing in the kitchen as i was cutting up some pepperoni and getting the crackers ready LOL

If you never have tried smoking brie....try it you will not be dissapointed!!

OH and todd the amns worked perfect as normal!!! Thanks


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## les3176 (Feb 27, 2011)

Oh forgot about the swiss...we haven't cut it yet because i am planning on using it for the pastrami that i will be doing very soon!!!


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## beer-b-q (Feb 27, 2011)

Nice Job Les...


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