# Can it be too cold?



## Beanhall (Dec 27, 2017)

Just wondering if it can be too cold to cold smoke cheese. It is currently 7° in Kansas. Last time I cold smoked it was 30-40 and it went perfect. I use a AMZ Tube smoker to smoke the cheese.


----------



## motocrash (Dec 27, 2017)

Just get your chamber temp above freezing for best results.


----------



## Beanhall (Dec 27, 2017)

Ok. Thanks


----------



## zwiller (Dec 27, 2017)

Similar concern here in Ohio.  Curious how much heat AMNPS or AMNTS generates in a MES.


----------



## Braz (Dec 27, 2017)

zwiller said:


> Similar concern here in Ohio.  Curious how much heat AMNPS or AMNTS generates in a MES.



Last weekend I cold smoked BB bacon in my MES with the AMNPS. Ambient temp rose from 30F to 48F through the day. Temp inside the smoker gradually got above 100F, at which point I put in a jug of frozen water to lower the temp. I was actually surprised how much heat was generated by those little smoldering pellets.


----------



## zwiller (Dec 27, 2017)

braz said:


> Last weekend I cold smoked BB bacon in my MES with the AMNPS. Ambient temp rose from 30F to 48F through the day. Temp inside the smoker gradually got above 100F, at which point I put in a jug of frozen water to lower the temp. I was actually surprised how much heat was generated by those little smoldering pellets.



Thanks!  This basically matches what I found searching but not much detail.  Basically, pellets boost temps but dust does not.  That said, 100F from pellets alone is surprising.


----------



## ghostguy6 (Dec 30, 2017)

Its currently a balmy -31*C , -39*C with the wind chill and I just took a block of cheddar out of my MES 40 running an AMNPS tube with no heat and the cheese turned out just fine. I just let the smoke warm up the smoker to above freezing then put the cheese in. The smoker was about 65*F each time I checked. This was a block of extra sharp white cheddar, now it's got a great color after 4 hours of smoke. Ive also got some Himalayan pink salt going overnight as well.


----------



## SmokinAl (Dec 30, 2017)

40-70 degrees is perfect for cheese.
Al


----------



## crazymoon (Dec 30, 2017)

BH, My AMNPS gets my insulated smoker up to about 50- 60*,even on cold days


----------



## bill ace 350 (Jan 1, 2018)

ghostguy6 said:


> Its currently a balmy -31*C , -39*C with the wind chill and I just took a block of cheddar out of my MES 40 running an AMNPS tube with no heat and the cheese turned out just fine. I just let the smoke warm up the smoker to above freezing then put the cheese in. The smoker was about 65*F each time I checked. This was a block of extra sharp white cheddar, now it's got a great color after 4 hours of smoke. Ive also got some Himalayan pink salt going overnight as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wish it was that warm where I live! 
Nice looking cheese.


----------



## motocrash (Jan 1, 2018)

ghostguy6 said:


> Its currently a balmy -31*C , -39*C with the wind chill and I just took a block of cheddar out of my MES 40 running an AMNPS tube with no heat and the cheese turned out just fine. I just let the smoke warm up the smoker to above freezing then put the cheese in. The smoker was about 65*F each time I checked. This was a block of extra sharp white cheddar, now it's got a great color after 4 hours of smoke. Ive also got some Himalayan pink salt going overnight as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That salt looked like canned corned beef hash to me.Thanks for the idea..corned beef hash hot smoked in a CI DO or Pan is gonna happen!

Edit : or roast beef hash or the new sausage hash!


----------



## ghostguy6 (Jan 2, 2018)

bill ace 350 said:


> Wish it was that warm where I live!
> Nice looking cheese.


Thanks.
I fear I may have overdone the salt though.


----------



## Beanhall (Jan 2, 2018)

How do you know if salt if overdone? I was going to smoke some soon.


----------



## zwiller (Jan 4, 2018)

Smoked 3lbs of cheese a day ago.  It was 20F outside and temps inside my MES+AMNPS were perfect for cheese!  Started 40 in moments if lighting and stayed under 70F for 4hours.  Only problem was that the cheese didn't really take on much color.  Might be the cob pellets.  Smells great though.


----------



## gmc2003 (Jan 5, 2018)

The color may come post mellowing period.

Chris


----------



## zwiller (Jan 5, 2018)

That's encouraging!


----------

