# Smoking some Blue cheese and Swiss today. 24 degrees out.  Perfect weather for a cold smoke!



## handymanstan (Jan 14, 2013)

The wife got me some good Blue cheese and Swiss yesterday.













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It is a balmy 24* so why not. Well when I got the smoker out it was pretty damp inside and out. I turned it on set it for 250*.













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It is steaming well.  I will let it go till it drys out then drop the temp to the 70s start some Hickory dust and put the cheese on.

I will update as I progress.

Stan


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## baba bones (Jan 14, 2013)

Its a good day to be for the ole Mitten st. I smoked swiss and pepper jack yesterday with alder and apple 3.5 hrs and turned out Great  alder is a lighter smokey flavor .i'll se in acouple weeks .but ya know I had to sample so far so good ..Happy smokin


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## smoking b (Jan 14, 2013)

Cool! I haven't smoked blue cheese yet. I just smoked some colby jack, a few types of cheddar & some habanero cheese yesterday. Will stay tuned to see how yours turns out


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 14, 2013)

Its pretty cold when you have to warm up the smoker to COLD smoke cheese!! It was a balmy 5* this morning here!!!


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## handymanstan (Jan 14, 2013)

Just put the cheese in.  It took two hrs two warm and dry out the smoker then 2 hrs to cool down.  The temp in the smoker is 79* and the at is 26* so it will cool more.  I will let it drop to 70* then the pid will keep it there. Should have Qview in three hrs.  see you then

Stan


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## handymanstan (Jan 14, 2013)

Took the cheese off 2 1/2 hrs in.  I was going to go three but tasted the blue and at 2 1/2 it had good color and tasted great.













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The Swiss came sliced thinner than I wanted so I put two together and smoked the 8 slices as 4.  You can see the difference in color.

All sealed up ready for the dreaded wait.













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The best thing about smoking Blue cheese is every time you move it or touch it bits fall off and you have to eat them..Yum

Thanks for looking this was a fun smoke my granddaughter helped and I heard yuc and eewww more than ever before.

Stan


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 14, 2013)

Great looking Cheese! We really like smoked Swiss. Gonna have to get my hands on some good blue cheese and give it a go!


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## smoking b (Jan 14, 2013)

Looks good man! Good luck with that wait - I hate it!!


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## donr (Jan 15, 2013)

I have tried the Amish Applewood Smoked Blue Cheese before.  Quite tasty.  I may have to copy your insulating blanket.  Does it hold up during the summer?


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## handymanstan (Jan 15, 2013)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Great looking Cheese! We really like smoked Swiss. Gonna have to get my hands on some good blue cheese and give it a go!


Thanks I did blue before with cherry and it was great.


Smoking B said:


> Looks good man! Good luck with that wait - I hate it!!


Thank you I am only going to wait one week then I have to try it.


donr said:


> I have tried the Amish Applewood Smoked Blue Cheese before.  Quite tasty.  I may have to copy your insulating blanket.  Does it hold up during the summer?


The Amish make the best cheeses.   I have not used the insulation in the summer I got the smoker in September 2012 but it works well in the winter.

Stan


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## twigertwig (Jan 16, 2013)

Looks good! I've been wanting to smoke some cheese, just haven't made it there yet. I've heard 1 hour is good, but you say 2.5 hours. Not to smokey?


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## handymanstan (Jan 17, 2013)

twigertwig said:


> Looks good! I've been wanting to smoke some cheese, just haven't made it there yet. I've heard 1 hour is good, but you say 2.5 hours. Not to smokey?


Morning twigertwig,  I don't think so.  I have smoked cheese 5 hrs before and that was not to smokey for me.  It depends on the type of cheese to me I think the softer cheeses don't need as much time as harder cheese. Sharp Cheddar I go longer. And the temp of the smoke matters too.  Warmer temps mean less time to me and this cheese I smoked at 70-80 degrees so I went with 2 1/2 hrs if it was 40 -60 degrees I would have added a hr or two.  Hope that helps.

Stan


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## joseph maiers (Jan 17, 2013)

I smoked some pepperjack, gouda, swiss, & cheddar on Sunday - near zero when I started - put an electric heater in my MES, heated it up, then tried out my AMPS for the first time - resisted the temptation to sample - just vac-sealed them up - will let all know in a couple weeks when I get to eat it!!!


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## jimf (Jan 17, 2013)

Lets talk about how the coals stayed lit at 70 degree?   Correct me if I'm wrong, But I would start my UDS as if I was hot smoking to warm it up.  So that involves lighting half a chimney of coals and then placing them in the basket with the others.  Bring temp up to 200ish, then choke it down to 70 degrees.   To me I would think the fire would die in the time its really choked down from 200 to 70.   Are you able to keep your coals lit and sustained at 70 degrees?     I got a AMZPS for christmas to cold smoke but thought I was going to have to wait until Spring.  Good to know I can do it NOW!


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## handymanstan (Jan 17, 2013)

JimF said:


> Lets talk about how the coals stayed lit at 70 degree?   Correct me if I'm wrong, But I would start my UDS as if I was hot smoking to warm it up.  So that involves lighting half a chimney of coals and then placing them in the basket with the others.  Bring temp up to 200ish, then choke it down to 70 degrees.   To me I would think the fire would die in the time its really choked down from 200 to 70.   Are you able to keep your coals lit and sustained at 70 degrees?     I got a AMZPS for christmas to cold smoke but thought I was going to have to wait until Spring.  Good to know I can do it NOW!


I use electric master forge bullet smoker.

Stan


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## jimf (Jan 17, 2013)

"I use electric master forge bullet smoker.


Stan"

Ah we'll that makes it easier.


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## handymanstan (Jan 17, 2013)

JimF said:


> "I use electric master forge bullet smoker.
> 
> 
> Stan"
> ...


Jim I think you could just put a small heater or hot plate or a 150 watt light bulb in your drum and warm it that way.  Then you can control the temp by unplugging and replugging as you go.

Stan


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## dakota54 (Jan 17, 2013)

Let us know how you turned out I'm new to this and have thought about smoking cheese but don't have a clew.I have a grill pro smoker and really enjoy it so far your site is really good have learned alot Thanks

                                     Dakota54


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## twigertwig (Jan 17, 2013)

Thanks Stan. I like a strong smoky flavor, so I will try it around 2-2.5 hours and go from there in the future. I kind of figured softer cheeses would soak up more smoke and the harder would not. Go point about the temp as well.


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## n2blues (Jan 19, 2013)

Just finished off all my Swiss and about out of Pepper Jack. I never thought of trying Blu before, I wasn't sure if it would hold up to a smoke. I'm going to rack some up this week and see how it goes.


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## tjohnson (Jan 19, 2013)

Very cool!

I think I'm gonna try smoked Blue Cheese next

Sounds awesome


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## squiggy (Jan 19, 2013)

why the "wait"?


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## davidhef88 (Jan 19, 2013)

squiggy said:


> why the "wait"?


Fresh out of the smoker the cheese has a bitter taste to it. I try go wait at least three weeks before eating. The flavor mellows over time, the longer you wait the better it is.


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## squiggy (Jan 20, 2013)

thanks!


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## handymanstan (Jan 24, 2013)

I tried the blue cheese today..













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well I ate a wedge of it just a little left in the corner and I should have left it on longer its not as smoky as I wanted but still good.  I think the blue cheese taste is enhanced and amplified by the smoking.  The Swiss and Cheddar are from different smokes and I have not tried the Swiss I did with this blue cheese.

Stan


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## joseph maiers (Jan 25, 2013)

I just did my first cheese 10 days ago - took out of the smoker and immediately vacuum sealed it for 2 weeks. Should I have wiped them down before sealing? Maybe not sealed right away? I haven't tried the cheese yet as I am waiting for another 4 days to try. Any suggestions are helpful


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## jirodriguez (Jan 26, 2013)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Great looking Cheese! We really like smoked Swiss. Gonna have to get my hands on some good blue cheese and give it a go!


If you can find it in your area Rouge Valley Creamery Crater Lake Blue if FANTASTIC! Or better yet their gorganzolla!


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## tamarockstar88 (Feb 13, 2013)

Apple wood smoked bleu cheese. sounds amazing, cant wait to try


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## oregon smoker (Feb 15, 2013)

of the many cheeses we do blue or gorganzola are one of the vavorites,,,, nothing better over a salad , i usuallt let the blues run 3-4 hrs depending on size of cheese. altho we do like a aliitle more smoke flavor than most. just my input. enjoy, you will find the timing that works best for you.

tom


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## handymanstan (Feb 16, 2013)

Oregon Smoker said:


> of the many cheeses we do blue or gorganzola are one of the vavorites,,,, nothing better over a salad , i usuallt let the blues run 3-4 hrs depending on size of cheese. altho we do like a aliitle more smoke flavor than most. just my input. enjoy, you will find the timing that works best for you.
> 
> tom


I agree to the more smoke flavor. I should have gone 4 hrs on the blue cheese.  It is still good but could have been smokier . I love a cobb salad with blue.


TamaRockstar88 said:


> Apple wood smoked bleu cheese. sounds amazing, cant wait to try


Apple sounds good. I have two apple trees and will harvest some wood for next year this spring.


Joseph Maiers said:


> I just did my first cheese 10 days ago - took out of the smoker and immediately vacuum sealed it for 2 weeks. Should I have wiped them down before sealing? Maybe not sealed right away? I haven't tried the cheese yet as I am waiting for another 4 days to try. Any suggestions are helpful


I do pat with paper towel before sealing but I don't think it will hurt it. Let us know how it turned out.


TJohnson said:


> Very cool!
> 
> I think I'm gonna try smoked Blue Cheese next
> 
> Sounds awesome


Blue is great Todd I am waiting for my last order from you to be delivered today
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





but the mail won't be here till after noon
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.  Thanks for the great service.


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## rubrchickenhead (Feb 21, 2013)

I will have to try some blue


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