# 40+ Block Cheese Extravaganza



## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 27, 2018)

So Publix had a sale on Cabot cheese last week. BOGO...which each block came to around $2.15(which is good for here in East TN). Figured while the weather was still a little cooler I would try to get in one last cheese smoke and stockpile it up before it got warm. Had a few other random blocks I threw in as well.

Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Vermont Extra Sharp(white + yellow), Seriously Sharp, Pepper Jack, Hot Habanero, Legacy Collection Alpine, Legacy Collection White Oak, and Legacy Collection Farmhouse Reserve. 40 total blocks

Threw in 4 blocks of cream cheese and 2 sticks of Kerrygold Irish Butter too.

Fired up the AMNPS loaded up with apple pellets and put it in my MES40. Never turned the smoker on. It was in the 50's and slightly windy outside. The temps stayed between 65-85 the whole time. I had to run to the store(was out of beer) and when I came back it was up to 94. I quickly opened the door and cooled it down threw a pan of ice in there. Did 3 hours of smoke on the cheese/butter.

Pulled everything out of the smoker and let it sit on my counter for a couple of hours. I lost one block of cheddar. When it got up in the 90's got a little gooey. Cheese did sweat some. Probably should have paid more attention and threw the pan of ice in earlier. But I covered it loosely in saran wrap and let it rest in the beer fridge over night still on the racks.

When I got home from work last night I pulled it from the fridge and wiped off any excess moisture on the blocks with a paper towel. Vac sealed and labeled all of it and tossed it back in the beer fridge for a good rest(3-4 weeks if I can make it). I just opened up some cheddar and hot habanero I did 3 weeks ago and it was amazing.

The cream cheese did surprisingly well. I plan to use it in my buffalo chicken dip. The butter on the other hand was hard to keep under control due to the high temps. It probably only got an hour of smoke because it was getting so soft and I couldn't keep the temp low enough to get enough smoke on it.

All in all was a good cheese smoke. Will try to keep the temps lower next time. Hopefully I got enough to last me through the spring and summer months!

Thanks for looking!


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## gmc2003 (Mar 27, 2018)

Man that's allot of cheese. You got a nice color on it also. You may want to try a frozen soda bottle filled with water or something similar instead of straight up ice. It won't produce as much moisture.

Point for sure.

Chris


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## oddegan (Mar 27, 2018)

I like how you have it all piled up on the counter like the grown up version of the Halloween haul review. Nice!


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## hillbillyrkstr (Mar 27, 2018)

Great looking color on that cheese!

Was that a cheese jenga tower?!?!? Lmao!

Fine job!

Scott


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## BandCollector (Mar 27, 2018)

I really like the picture of "The Tower of Cheese"

John


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## DrewJ (Mar 27, 2018)

Looks good!


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## Bearcarver (Mar 27, 2018)

Wow!!:)
Boy are you loaded for Bear!!
Actually Cheese makes Great Bear-Bait!!
Like.

Bear


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## idahopz (Mar 27, 2018)

Nicely done!


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## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 27, 2018)

oddegan said:


> I like how you have it all piled up on the counter like the grown up version of the Halloween haul review. Nice!



That's the greatest comparison I've ever heard on this site lol


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## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 27, 2018)

hillbillyrkstr said:


> Great looking color on that cheese!
> 
> Was that a cheese jenga tower?!?!? Lmao!
> 
> ...



Lmao I might have had a few cold ones when I was making the Cheese Jenga Tower!


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## SmokinAl (Mar 27, 2018)

Your cheese looks fantastic!
Love the color!
Al


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## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 27, 2018)

SmokinAl said:


> Your cheese looks fantastic!
> Love the color!
> Al



Thanks Al. Read a post you put on several years ago where you did muenster in your SV24. That one inspired me and I originally was going to use my SV24 but having good turn out on the MES40 so far.


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## bbqbrett (Mar 27, 2018)

Looks great!  Wish I had the ability to smoke and store that much at once.  Maybe one of these days.


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## xray (Mar 28, 2018)

Nice haul! You should be set for awhile.

Was the red bull there so you could unwrap all that cheese?


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## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 28, 2018)

xray said:


> Nice haul! You should be set for awhile.
> 
> Was the red bull there so you could unwrap all that cheese?



No kidding it took me almost an hour to unwrap all that cheese and to cut up the big blocks!


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 16, 2018)

Pulled out some of this cheese yesterday for my wife's birthday that I did from this smoke and some I did from a previous smoke a couple weeks earlier. Man is this stuff good it got gobbled up in about an hour. And what better to wash down some fine cheese with other than some cold natty light!











Did some burgers, brats, beans, and ABT's to go with it. Was all a hit!


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 16, 2018)

Like it! Just Curious with your huge ole selection of cheeses..ever smoke farmer's cheese? I am curious as it's one of my favourites for some reason but with how mild and soft it is , I'm not sure how she'd take to smoking.


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## yankee2bbq (Jul 16, 2018)

Nice looking cheese!


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## oddegan (Jul 16, 2018)

Not done with summer yet but that really gets me looking forward to cold smoking this fall!


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 16, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> Like it! Just Curious with your huge ole selection of cheeses..ever smoke farmer's cheese? I am curious as it's one of my favourites for some reason but with how mild and soft it is , I'm not sure how she'd take to smoking.



I've never smoked farmers cheese. Its not crazy common around here. Although this year I plan to attempt to smoke some goat and feta cheese to see how it turns out.


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## TomKnollRFV (Jul 16, 2018)

SmokinVOLfan said:


> I've never smoked farmers cheese. Its not crazy common around here. Although this year I plan to attempt to smoke some goat and feta cheese to see how it turns out.


My dad asked if I can smoke goat cheese..he's crazy about it..and I gotta go about 25 mins away to buy farmer's cheese. Not a cheese you find at normal stores here, but I'm in WI...you can't drive 30 mins with out some kinda cheese outlet ;)


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 16, 2018)

oddegan said:


> Not done with summer yet but that really gets me looking forward to cold smoking this fall!



I know it! I've already been stocking up on cheese I find on manager clearance. Got about 18 blocks so far vacuum sealed and just ready for colder weather and smoke! Plus I'm running low on the cabot hot habanero and cheddar...seems to be the favorites around here.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 16, 2018)

TomKnollRFV said:


> My dad asked if I can smoke goat cheese..he's crazy about it..and I gotta go about 25 mins away to buy farmer's cheese. Not a cheese you find at normal stores here, but I'm in WI...you can't drive 30 mins with out some kinda cheese outlet ;)



I'm jealous I bet you get all kinds of amazing cheeses up there!


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## GATOR240 (Jul 16, 2018)

That is some good looking cheese! Like.


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## ab canuck (Jul 16, 2018)

Wow that is some great looking cheese!!!!  That is beautiful..... I am looking forward to doing some myself, Just waiting for the time. Definite point on that.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 17, 2018)

Here is my haul so far. I've been picking up blocks on clearance whenever I can find them at the grocery. All vac sealed just waiting on cooler weather and some smoke!


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## gmc2003 (Jul 17, 2018)

Just curious why are you vacuum sealing them prior to smoking? 

Chris 

Nice haul btw.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 17, 2018)

gmc2003 said:


> Just curious why are you vacuum sealing them prior to smoking?
> 
> Chris
> 
> Nice haul btw.



I am just sealing them up until the weather gets cooler and I can smoke them. They are "out of date" and a couple had started growing mold on them due to bad seals.


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