# I'm really cold smoking cheese



## fire in the hole (Nov 8, 2011)

Ok, this is my first attempt at smoked cheese. When I say cold smoked.........I mean cold smoked. The outside temperature is in the low 30's and all I'm using is my amps in my weber kettle. I am planning to smoke for 6 hours. Do you think that with as cold as it is, that 6 hours is sufficiant????

gary


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## SmokinAl (Nov 8, 2011)

Yes 6 hours is plenty & some may say too long. I like about 4 hours & I'm a smokeaholic. Some will only smoke for 2 hours. You may want to pull some out at 2 hours, then some at 4 hours, and finally some at 6, but IMHO 6 hours is too long for cheese. And I have smoked a lot of cheese in my kettle.


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## fire in the hole (Nov 8, 2011)

With the cold weather.......am I getting good smoke penatration???? I'm coming on 3 hours now.

Plus...........if you have to vac seal it for 2 weeks.........how can you judge flavor right out of the smoke????


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## Bearcarver (Nov 8, 2011)

Like Al, I'm a Smoke Hound!!!!

Yet I only do 4 hours of a medium smoke.

I think a lot has to do with how heavy your smoke is.

If it's a real light TBS, 6 or 8 hours would probably be fine, but if it's much heavier, that long may be too long.

Bear


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## SmokinAl (Nov 8, 2011)

fire in the hole said:


> With the cold weather.......am I getting good smoke penatration???? I'm coming on 3 hours now.
> 
> Plus...........if you have to vac seal it for 2 weeks.........how can you judge flavor right out of the smoke????


 The cold weather is a plus, the smoke penetration will be just as good. I judge it by the color of the cheese, it will have a yellow cast to it & the deeper the color the more smoke it took on. Believe me you won't like it if it's too heavily smoked. You will be burping smoke a half hour after you eat it. I know this from experience. I like it as smoky as I can get it without going over the line, and as you can guess I have gone over the line a couple of times. Like I said pull some of them out at 4 hours & leave a couple in longer & judge for yourself. Of course you will have to wait a couple of weeks to find out the results.


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## fire in the hole (Nov 8, 2011)

Ok guys. I'm gonna pull at 4 hrs. I guess for the first time I'd rather have a lite smoke flavor than a strong bitter smoke. If I need more smoke....I'll go an hour longer next time.

In the 3 hours of smoke, I've used 1 row of pellets in my AMPS. Awsume little addition to my growing arsenal of smoking and grilling gadgets.

Thanks for the help.


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## tjohnson (Nov 8, 2011)

Good Call at 4 hours

Glad to see you're using your new gadget

Todd


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## jjwdiver (Nov 8, 2011)

When I do cheese...I make it a point to sacrifice some for consumption and the rest gets the 2 week sleep-over in the fridge. I learned that if I dont leave some out for use then someone in my household just grabs a pack and uses it...timeline be damned.  

As for smoke time, I will concur with the 4 hours...works well for me.  I only have a Weber Kettle and an AMNPS!

John


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## venture (Nov 8, 2011)

In my experience three to four hours is plenty, and I usually use my Weber kettle and the AMNS with one row lit.

I do let my cheese sit for about an hour on the kitchen counter to warm a bit before I start.

I don't think your ambient temps matter unless they are too high.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## fire in the hole (Nov 8, 2011)

I did what was sugegested and pulled at 4 hours. My son throwed his 2 cents worth the advise into the mix...........and said to let my cheese cool before vac sealing. I had him touch my cubes of golden delisouseness for his opinion. He couldn't believe it was cold coming out of the smoker. Hehehehe

Look'n good.........and count'n the days........only 14 to go!!!!


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## venture (Nov 8, 2011)

14 days until you call Weight Watchers.

You are going to love that stuff!

Good luck and good smoking.


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## teeznuts (Nov 8, 2011)

Any BS and AS pics to compare color? Before Smoke/After Smoke?


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## fire in the hole (Nov 8, 2011)

Sorry..........no BS. And probly no AS cuz they are all wrapped and in the fridge. But..........if we had smell-a-puters I'd darn sure let ya have a wiff. I just smelled the wrapper............I think I got drool all over the vac pak.


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## Bearcarver (Nov 9, 2011)

fire in the hole said:


> I did what was sugegested and pulled at 4 hours. My son throwed his 2 cents worth the advise into the mix...........and said to let my cheese cool before vac sealing. I had him touch my cubes of golden delisouseness for his opinion. He couldn't believe it was cold coming out of the smoker. Hehehehe
> 
> Look'n good.........and count'n the days........only 14 to go!!!!




I agree with your son. Letting it cool before vacuum packing seems to keep some of the moisture from forming inside. Smart boy you got there!!!

Bear


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## SmokinAl (Nov 9, 2011)

I put mine in the freezer for a half hour to an hour then vac pack them. It seems to let them keep a nice square shape. I smoke mostly muenster & it tends to smash down in the vac bags if I don't freeze it first.


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## simple (Dec 10, 2011)

That's why I like this forum!  I was going to ask the same question that Fire asked.  You folks do a great job of doing the hard thinking part for me quite frequently.  I just have to read the differing thoughts and decide which way to go.

I'm going to try a little cheddar tomorrow while I'm off.  Supposed to be in the upper 40's, and Todd's little contraption doesn't add much smoke, so I should be good to go. 

Thanks again to all those who contribute to these forums!


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## owlcreeksmoker4 (Dec 11, 2011)

lots of wisdom in this thread, Al and Bear definitely know their stuff


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