# 1st Cheese try - Any suggestions?



## elkhorn98 (Jan 20, 2008)

Picked up some medium cheddar, swiss, and mozarella for smoking tomorrow am.  Also got some parts to draft smoke from my MES to a cold smoke chamber.  What is the most ideal temp?  90?  Or as low as I can go?  And what size chunks of cheese should I do?  What wood should I try?  I have hickory, apple, oak, alder, and mequiste.  

Should I roll the mozarella in pepper?


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## smoked (Jan 20, 2008)

hickory first, or alder..... don't let it go too long, keep it as low as possible, you will not get the "burnt" look on the cheese so don't look for that first.....give it 30 min's as low as possible flipping the cheese every 5 mins or so.....then let sit a day, then try and see how it is to your taste and adjust from there.......each cheese is different also, so try this first with chedder knowing softer like mozz will take it on quicker and so forth.....I'd stay away from mesquite, too damn strong, but really suggest alder first, then hickory.......apple works as well.....


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## smoke freak (Jan 20, 2008)

Keep temps as low as possible. Above 90 and cheese starts to melt. 30-45 min. will be enough. Use mix of hickory or oak and apple. Cherry gives a little more color but it will never look smoked like the stuff you buy in the store. That stuff has never seen smoke at all. Then wait as long as you can stand it. It gets better after a few days or weeks.


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## ron50 (Jan 20, 2008)

I agree, lower temps are better, you just are introducing the smoke so if you can get it as low as 60 - 70 degrees, that's great!

Experiment with different woods. Start with the milder woods, apple, cherry, alder and see how you like it. If it's not strong enough you can move up to oak, pecan and hickory. 

length of smoke is also an individual thing. I go about an hour, some do less, some more. 

Smoked cheese is excellent as in all smoked foods, it's always better the next day.


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## smok'n steve (Jan 20, 2008)

Parden the pun, but do you guys cut the cheese a certain thickness for optimum smoke penetration ---I am curious, never done this, but want to try it:-)


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## elkhorn98 (Jan 21, 2008)

Well I had to rig up my MES and did cheddar, swiss, and mozarella.  It was about 50 degrees out and ran my MES up to 225 and cold smoker was under 80 degrees.  I tried some of the cheddar and it is great.  thanks for the tips.  I did half apple and half hickory wood and smoked for about 45 minutes.  I also rolled part of the mozarella in pepper.


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## smok'n steve (Jan 21, 2008)

I guess you did cut the cheese some for more smoke?

Looks reeeeal gooood!

Steve


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## ron50 (Jan 21, 2008)

smaller pieces, more surface area , smokier taste. i dont cut them that small but whatevr works.

Nice job.


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## elkhorn98 (Jan 21, 2008)

The cheddar was a 1 lb block so the pices are 1/3 pound each.  The swiss was like 3/4 lb and the mozarella was small but I wanted to try the pepper on some.  Thanks again for the tips.


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