# First Cheese - And you thought MacGyver was creative!



## grahd (Feb 5, 2012)

here is my first attempt at doing cheese.  MacGyver can't touch this one








closer look at the MacGyver-ism!







Here is the Cheese at the start


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## frosty (Feb 5, 2012)

I just had some Mozzarella, Colby Jack, and cheddar for lunch today!  Looks like you are going to do fine with it..


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## grahd (Feb 5, 2012)

5 hours in and the cheese still smells like cheese.  hope the smoke did it's magic, you would think 5 hours would work.  Might have to get Todd's gizmo, MacGyver may not work right.

it has been in the 40's here, so cold isn't the issue, maybe the little grill didn't get enough smoke.  :(


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## rbranstner (Feb 5, 2012)

So the Right smoker was producing the smoke right? If so  was there any smoke coming out of the exhaust  on the red lid smoker where you cheese was? The only reason I ask is I don't know how well the smoke will travel through that hose when it goes up in the air then turns and goes down. That could by why  you aren't smelling any smoke on the cheese. Can you confirm that there was or wasn't any smoking coming out of the exhaust on the red smoker for us. Usually when I smoke cheese you can definitely smell plenty of smoke on the cheese. I would say you should of moved the red smoker so it was sitting  higher then the smoker producing the smoke so that it would draft properly.


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## grahd (Feb 5, 2012)

yes the red grill's chamber had smoke, I just added more wood and took a sniff of the cheese and I can smell some on it. Will let it sit on the grill for about another 2 hours while the bowl is on.  It takes care of itself, except it doesn't feed the wood automatically :)  I still am gonna end up getting Todd's toy!


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## venture (Feb 5, 2012)

Looks like you had a lot of fun building and testing it.

Being more the lazy type, I think I will stick with Todd's toy.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Good luck and good smoking.


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## grahd (Feb 18, 2012)

Ok I gave up, just ordered Todd's toy. Gonna do it the right way now.  My idea was good, but not as effective as I anticipated it to be.  Tried some of the cheddar the other night and I don't think it was long enough.  You definately can tell the smokey odor in it and taste it, I used Cherry I think Todd's mixture will be better.

Gotta give me props for trying the MacGyver method.  now I will just use the red grill for Grilling!

Also, another question, I have my big smoker, can I just put the cheese on the grates just like normal smoking or will I have to clean up the grates first?  Should I break down and get some cheap cooling racks so I don't get "cross-flavoring" into my cheese?

Thoughts are good here!


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## graystratcat (Feb 18, 2012)

Hey grahd, I definitely have to give you credit for that rig with respect to creativity....but like Ross said, I think you had trouble with the warmer/hotter air from the smoker trying to travel down to the red grill... as I'm sure you know, heat wants to rise....as for the AMNPS... you are going to love that thing... I do cheese with mine all the time and smoking cheese with it has become a no brainer...

As for the grates in your smoker... if they are really cruddy... then you probably don't want to set your cheese on those grates... You can pick up one or two cake cooling racks for next to nothing and use them only for cheese.  You can prop them up on your existing grate with either a few unglazed tiles or what ever to keep them off the grungy used grates...

-Salt


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## pops6927 (Feb 18, 2012)

Great inventiveness!  Loved that show... he could build a atomic plant with his jackknife, lol!


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## scarbelly (Feb 19, 2012)

grahd said:


> Ok I gave up, just ordered Todd's toy. Gonna do it the right way now.  My idea was good, but not as effective as I anticipated it to be.  Tried some of the cheddar the other night and I don't think it was long enough.  You definately can tell the smokey odor in it and taste it, I used Cherry I think Todd's mixture will be better.
> 
> Gotta give me props for trying the MacGyver method.  now I will just use the red grill for Grilling!
> 
> ...


Good  on ya for  the MacGyver attempt, you are going to love the AMNPS


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## grahd (Feb 26, 2012)

Ok did batch #2 today, that is in another post.  Enjoying my 'aged' smoked cheese, all I can say is DAMN it's good, for using cherry.  new batch was all done with hickory.  6# worth!  Todd's took is AMAZING!


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## frosty (Feb 27, 2012)

I made some yesterday, and now I need to exhibit patience to give it time to mellow in the fridge for two whole weeks.  Last batch was great, can hardly wait.   Keep up the good work!


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## smokinhusker (Feb 27, 2012)

Great job on the creativity!


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## spuds (Apr 13, 2012)

OK,you convinced this newbie,we ordered Todds 6x8 sawdust model,figured I'll just bite the bullet and do it right after the endless praise Im seeing here.

Thank you all for the great info.

Smoked cheese coming soon,YUMM!


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## spuds (May 4, 2012)

My cheese,1st batch is one week aged.Pretty cool,the mozz is already great.Notice the color has sure deepened


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## steve948 (May 4, 2012)

Weber has small alum. trays that I hot smoke cheese in , would like to cold smoke but if it aint broke , don't fix it !

McGiver would be proud !!!!  Cold smoke should go up unless you put a small fan in the mix .

Steve948


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