# Tips on smoking this cheese.



## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

Good morning all. I'm looking for tips on smoking Asiago and Parmesan cheese. It is in wedge form. And is a pretty dense cheese. The Goat cheese will get a light smoke for a couple of hours. I'm thinking with perhaps Alder wood.


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## bradger (Sep 22, 2019)

When I smoked cheese I used the maze with hickory pellets on the grill. with very low or do heat on the side where the maze was. For about 4 hours or however long it took to smolder through. let it sit for a couple days the did it again.  Every thing I've read recommends wrapping it loosely in parchment paper and letting it set for at least 3 days before serving. Thinking about it low heat would be better to soften them just be careful to watch heat so they don't compleaty melt.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

bradger said:


> When I smoked cheese I used the maze with hickory pellets on the grill. with very low or do heat on the side where the maze was. For about 4 hours or however long it took to smolder through. let it sit for a couple days the did it again.  Every thing I've read recommends wrapping it loosely in parchment paper and letting it set for at least 3 days before serving. Thinking about it low heat would be better to soften them just be careful to watch heat so they don't compleaty melt.



Thanks. That is what I do with all the other cheeses I do. Though I don't allow them to get warm. I don't want any of the oils to leech out. That, and I sometimes use apple instead of hickory. Just wondering about this cheese because it is hard/dense.


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## xray (Sep 22, 2019)

I smoked the asiago before for 4 hours and I thought it turned out pretty well. I use the amps tube. Even know the cheese feels pretty solid, it’s still a porous surface.

The tube adds about 20 degrees to my propane cabinet so I usually start smoking when the temp is in the 40s and 50s. This gives me a smoking temp of 60-70.

I usually just fill the tube and smoke my cheese for the duration of how long it takes the pellets to burn out (usually 4)

I got a bag of Italian slice pellets from Todd, so I can’t wait to try some with parm and asiago


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## bradger (Sep 22, 2019)

Steve H said:


> Though I don't allow them to get warm.


i was thinking warming just enough to soften them to allow better smoke penetration.


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## daveomak (Sep 22, 2019)

Use pellet dust to lower the heat output of the smoke...


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## bill ace 350 (Sep 22, 2019)

I use hickory, apple or a mix of the 2.

I don't worry about heat from the pellets, since I don't smoke cheese until the temperature is in the 40s.

You can place bottles of frozen water in your smoker to help keep the temperature down if you think it is getting too warm.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

xray said:


> I smoked the asiago before for 4 hours and I thought it turned out pretty well. I use the amps tube. Even know the cheese feels pretty solid, it’s still a porous surface.
> 
> The tube adds about 20 degrees to my propane cabinet so I usually start smoking when the temp is in the 40s and 50s. This gives me a smoking temp of 60-70.
> 
> ...



Thanks. I was guessing a longer smoke with this. I'll go for four hours with my tray using hickory dust. Not quite ready to start smoking cheese. Unless it gets cooler. Though it has dropped to 50 degrees at night now. Let me know your thoughts on the Italian blend. I've been eye balling that as well.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Use pellet dust to lower the heat output of the smoke...



That is what I was thinking. Hickory dust in my tray.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

Holly2015 said:


> I cold smoke all cheese (admittedly no soft cheeses) with apple wood pellets for 3 hours in a MES 30 with the mailbox mod temps between 50 and 80 degrees.



I'm planning on using my electric rig for the cold smoking as well because I'm going to be doing a larger batch this time around. Probably around 20 pounds on the mats I bought using the mailbox for smoke. That and using dust should keep the temp low.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

I don't worry about heat from the pellets, since I don't smoke cheese until the temperature is in the 40s.


Same here. But I'm getting the itch!


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## xray (Sep 22, 2019)

Steve H said:


> Thanks. I was guessing a longer smoke with this. I'll go for four hours with my tray using hickory dust. Not quite ready to start smoking cheese. Unless it gets cooler. Though it has dropped to 50 degrees at night now. Let me know your thoughts on the Italian blend. I've been eye balling that as well.



Will do, I usually start in November.

Also since you’re in the Wegmans area....Their Extra Sharp white cheddar and Muenster are two favorites of mine to smoke. I buy the 2lb blocks and quarter them.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

xray said:


> Will do, I usually start in November.
> 
> Also since you’re in the Wegmans area....Their Extra Sharp white cheddar and Muenster are two favorites of mine to smoke. I buy the 2lb blocks and quarter them.



Oh yeah. I still have about 10 pounds of their white cheddar left. I find it smoother then the yellow. I also have about 2 pounds of Muenster left. I buy the Muenster elsewhere. I can only find sliced Muenster at this Wegmans. A lot of my smoked cheese is a year old now. And it tastes fantastic! I'm hope to keep adding surplus and get some cheese aged for at least 2 years.


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## xray (Sep 22, 2019)

That’s where I’m at, most of my cheese is 2 years old now...but I’m dangerously low.

Yeah I agree with the white being smoother than the regular yellow cheddar, I didn’t care for the yellow so I never buy it anymore.

It’s usually bigger blocks of Extra Sharp white, Muenster, Pepperjack and I’ll buy the big block of Cooper Sharp. That makes up the bulk of my cheese. Then I’ll just buy small oddball flavors to fill out the rest: things like Havarti dill, habanero jack and horseradish.


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## Steve H (Sep 22, 2019)

I keep forgetting about the Havarti Dill. I need to remember to get some. I'm not a fan of Pepperjack. Smoked or otherwise. I'm thinking about a block of Feta this time around as well. Come to think of it. I'm out of Provolone.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Sep 24, 2019)

Let us know how that turns out Steve. I am wanting to do some this year. I, like others usually run 3-4 hours with apple pellets. Got some that is about 2 years old now!


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Sep 24, 2019)

I bought a block of smoked gouda last winter and re-smoked.  Some of the best smoked cheese I have ever had.  Man I can't wait for winter.  My supply is running very low.


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## zwiller (Sep 24, 2019)

I don't think smoking improves every cheese per se and feel smoking best improves cheaper cheeses (jack is my fave).  No way I'd smoke those Steve but that's me.  For smoking cheese, 

 daveomak
 is where I am: dust.  5-6hrs dust.  Edible off the smoker and perfect after a week.  It's like 3-4 times less strong as pellets and I swear dust gives me much better penetration too.  Dust was a total game changer for me and I owe Chris for it @gmc2003


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## Hawging It (Sep 24, 2019)

Steve H said:


> Good morning all. I'm looking for tips on smoking Asiago and Parmesan cheese. It is in wedge form. And is a pretty dense cheese. The Goat cheese will get a light smoke for a couple of hours. I'm thinking with perhaps Alder wood.
> 
> View attachment 406488


I have smoked the parm and the Asiago a couple of times. Real good and really nothing out of the ordinary with the smoking. Just used the maze tube with pecan for 4 hours. Have not done goat but bet it is good. Let us know about the goat cheese. I would like to try it when it cools off around here.


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