# Got any cheeeeeeeeese?



## gunslinger (Feb 13, 2007)

So we know some of you guys smoke cheese. What I want to know is; does anyone MAKE their own smokin' cheese?
I would love to make my own cheese. I don't really care for the cheeses that I have tried smoked, but I'd try it again if I made it.
I know there is some cooking process in making cheese, so I wonder if the cooking process could take place on the smoker.


----------



## smoked (Feb 14, 2007)

I've given thought to making cheese also....but man just how many dang hobbies can one man have or afford??????


----------



## gunslinger (Feb 14, 2007)

When we have a hard winter when I don't work much, I go through this. I get bored after the chores are done. I have too much livestock now and no where to target practice. I did just buy another 5 acres that is 185 feet wide and 1/4 mile long, that I plan to make a nice range out of. But it's too darn cold to mess with right now. So now I want to learn how to make cheese.
Make sense?


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 14, 2007)

Gunslinger -

Hobbie addict here ... I make/smoke my own cheese. I really like cheddar and Mozzarella lightly smoked. Note the word lightly! ABout a half hour of light smoke is all I want after that it gets really strong tasting. Goes good with slimJims or pepperoni and beer.

If you are interested .. I moderate a Yahoo group I jst started a few months ago. It been pretty slow but there are some easy recipes. It's by invite only to keep spammers out. You can whip up a pound of Mozzarella and 1/2 pound of Ricotta from 1 gallon of cows milk. Takes about 45 minutes to do the Mozzarella in the microwave.
If your interested send me your email by PM and I'll send you an invite.


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 14, 2007)

Smoked -

Making cheese can be as cheap as buying a gallon of milk. If you want to try hard cheese you'll need a press but I make them for cost for my group members. PM me if your interested.


----------



## smoked (Feb 14, 2007)

cool....it's very interesting.....pm on the way


----------



## gunslinger (Feb 14, 2007)

I feel your pain, well my wife does. 
When ever we have a hard winter, I start a different hobby that she gets stuck with when I go back to work. We haven't had a winter in the last 4 years though, so it's time we/she learn a new one. So it's going to be cheese. But I won't tell her that it's her hobby, I'll just have her help until she gets proficient, then I'll stop and let it go a while and then say, "honey......... a block of cheese sure would be nice." I am going to build a fruit cellar though to age the cheese in. I like my cheese when it smells like gym socks. Lorraine Swiss, super sharp cheddar....the smellier, the better.
One winter I/we learned about bee keeping, so now we have our own honey.
Another year it was incense making. So now she makes her own incense.
It keeps me busy in the winter, and next year when our youngest is in school all day, it'll give her something to keep her busy.
Guys, see how this works? It's "OUR" hobby until you don't have time for it anymore. 
I get a lot of these tips from my Dad. Someday we'll write a book and call it "1001 ways to get over on the misses."


----------



## smoked (Feb 15, 2007)

the hunt has begun....

first......find junket rennet.....mission accomplished

second...find powdered citric acid.......mission ummmmmm ummmmm abort?????  anhydrous?  mono-hydrate?  billions of dollars either way.....ummmmmm and here I already have encapsulated but somehow I get the feeling that wont work.....

other then that I'm geared up to try the mozz..........


----------



## cheech (Feb 15, 2007)

DJ you never cease to amaze me with all the things that you do or have done!


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 15, 2007)

WOW I just checked the internet for citric acid and were getting shafted. Let me know if you can't find it locally. I got it at a Indian Grocery store on the corner for only about $2.50 for like 6 oz. or something.

The cheese stores online are asking like $8 -that's Bullcrap!

Amazon has it in 16 oz packs for $5.49 that's not bad. You can use it for alot of things. Think of it as sour salt. Spinkle it on veggies, put it around your glass when drinking Margarittas and a 1/2 teaspoon or so might be a good wake up for jerky or sausages.


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 15, 2007)

Cheech-

I warned you guys I was the epitomy of the DIYer. I love to try new things (especially if it doesn't cost much) all the time. It drives people nuts! I don't relax well.

Next trick ... using a cutting torch! My brother-in-laws gonna let me play with his toys!!!! All I gotta do is make more pastrami!


----------



## cajun_1 (Feb 15, 2007)

Gunny, Great post. Never thought of making cheese. Thought it was one of those long drawn out processes. How's your cheese making comming along? Keep us posted.


----------



## gunslinger (Feb 15, 2007)

Actually, I haven't started yet. I'm fixin' to visit with one of my Amish neighbors to inquire about buying fresh whole milk. Seems the key to making good cheese is fresh ingredients. But all the research I've been doing, it really doesn't seem that hard. At least no harder than what we do here. Some cheeses do have to be aged at a certain temp and humidity level, but I'm sure with a fruit cellar and a humidifier and some creative thought, I could accomplish something. 
I was thinking that maybe there will be enough time to make a smoked cheddar and have it in time for the gathering in June. We'll see.


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 16, 2007)

I recommend starting with something simple like Mozzerella. Give you a feel for how it works, how to adjust salt, getting a "clean break" and knowing what to look for and it only takes a few hours start to finsh. 

It also takes a light smoke very well!


----------



## gunslinger (Feb 16, 2007)

No offense, but I hate mozzarella. I was thinking of trying a basic hard cheese first.
Even when we make pizza, I use grated parmesan.


----------



## cajun_1 (Feb 17, 2007)

Gunny, What did you find out about the milk? I have many daries aruond me here and know about 3/4 of the owner's.


----------



## cheech (Feb 17, 2007)

If one of you makes any if you can I would love to see a "step by step" tutorial of some sort. This sounds like fun


----------



## cajun_1 (Feb 18, 2007)

When I make some, I'll do that for you.


----------



## smoked (Feb 20, 2007)

I just got done making the mozzarella a few minutes ago.....it's very time consuming and with my dang step daughter keeping on bugging me........anyhow, I think I screwed one of the balls up, the first one as I didn't have a good feel for kneeding it and it's not as elastic or shiney as the other three......will have to wait until tomorrow to actually try it and see if it's any good.....I just used regular ol whole milk to make it with.....


----------



## smoked (Feb 21, 2007)

well did my first try at the mozz....it's super salty, did something wrong hopefully debi can tell me what the hell I did wrong!!!!!  right texture, and honestly....might be a good "bar cheese" at this....with a light hickory smoke at least 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   but salty......hummmm.....


----------



## smoked (Feb 22, 2007)

after a cold water bath to rinse off more of the brine, the saltiness came down, but still salty....next batch will use less.  Put two balls to the 1/2 hour cold smoke with hickory today, man it sucks in the smoke quick....even 1/2 hour may have been too much......


----------



## shellbellc (Feb 22, 2007)

Hey Gunslinger, 
Next time you make pizza, try shredded wisconsin white cheddar.  Not too much, but it makes for a great taste on pizza.  Also, how do you go about building a fruit cellar???


----------



## gunslinger (Feb 23, 2007)

I do use extra sharp on my taco pizza. I will have to try the other.

My fruit cellar will be made from concrete......of course. And fully buried in the side of a hill right by the house. I don't have a basement, so the only alternative is a storm cellar, which I'll refer to as my fruit cellar. After the tornado that skimmed over the top of the house last spring, I think I'm ready.
Next year, we plan to build a new house on the back of my property, about 1/4 mile south of our current residence. We'll have a basement then.


----------



## smoked (Feb 25, 2007)

my second go around try on the mozz was a huge success....I halved the salt in the curds and reduced the salt in the brine (not too much, but enough) and after the cold water rinse routine and bit of drying.....it was the best tasting mozz I've ever had in my life.....I'm hooked......


----------



## deejaydebi (Feb 25, 2007)

The mozzarella in the stores is kind of tasteless. This has some flavor. Glad it worked for you Skoked. It's really easy once you see what's going on. It is a little hard to describe though

Hard cheese takes more patience. You have to age it!

I'm looking through my books and notes to find an easy hard cheese for you Tom! I'll post it when I find it. I know I have one somewhere.


----------



## smoked (Mar 4, 2007)

yea, I think a hard cheese is next....but I'll need to settle down a bit first, got too many irons in the fire right now......especially with a jeep cherokee that keeps breaking down


----------



## deejaydebi (Mar 4, 2007)

Smoked I have a recipe for a cheddar that is pretty simple. Doesn't require multiple levels of "cheddaring" which is kind of slicing and piling the curds. This is much more time consuming than mozarella though.


----------



## smoked (Mar 4, 2007)

is it the one in the files on teh cheese site???? if so I already printed it off....


----------



## deejaydebi (Mar 4, 2007)

No but it will be!


----------

