# Smoking cheese questions



## outback32 (Aug 13, 2016)

Hi everyone I have a mes 30. I bought a  amps to do cheese and bacon with. My question is do you turn the smoker on at all. Or do you just light the amps and let it produce the heat. Thank you


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## SmokinAl (Aug 14, 2016)

Of course with cheese you don't want any heat or it will melt.

The inside of the smoker needs to stay below 90 degrees.

In the summer you probably will  have to put a pan of ice in the smoker to keep the temp down.

So obviously you wouldn't turn on the smoker.

For bacon, personally I cold smoke mine, so in that case you would not turn on the smoker either.

If you hot smoke your bacon you would use the smoker heat, but keep it very low.

There are all kinds of threads on here on bacon & cheese.

Just use the search feature & start reading.

Al


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## outback32 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thank you al believe me I've read and read. Before I joined I searched alot that's what made me get the amps. I just didn't know if ppl were turning there smoker on or just letting the amps create the heat


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## wade (Aug 14, 2016)

Do not switch on the MES 30 - you just need to light the AMNPS. As Al mentioned you may need to keep the smoking chamber cool on hot days.


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## smokeymose (Aug 14, 2016)

I'm afraid to smoke cheese at any higher than 70, but then, I've never tried it and Al's been at this longer than me. No heat for bacon with me, either.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Aug 14, 2016)

Some hard cheeses you can go above 70, but 70 is pushing the limits for some soft cheeses. Butter needs to be kept below that.


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## outback32 (Aug 14, 2016)

Thank you guys a million that helps alot. I'm going to go try my hand at smoking cheese now


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## rabbithutch (Aug 14, 2016)

Let us know how it goes, please.

My first attempt at smoking cheese in my MES was a catastrophe.  I posted the 'fail' here several years ago.  I did have some success later but it was limited.  I think the mailbox mod is the best way to smoke cheese because it keeps most of the heat from burning pellets out of the smoke chamber.

Qview of your results will be appreciated!


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## outback32 (Aug 14, 2016)

I think it's just to hot here. I had to frozen bottles and ice water. The temp in my smoker was still 85 inside. So I'm going to wait til the weather cools down. Instead I'm doing a mac & cheese fattie.


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## wade (Aug 15, 2016)

Sometimes you have to be patient and wait for the weather to cook. I used to be restricted to smoking overnight during the summer but now I have put a small air conditioning unit in the shed that I have converted into my smokery and it now keeps the air temperature low enough in there even on hot days. I still need to put a tray of ice in though when I smoke butter to stop it from softening too much.


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## meatstick (Nov 8, 2016)

I also have a question when using amps. I bought the expandable tube. I used this 1 time this summer in my propane smoker. I lit the end like it said and waited about 7 minutes, blew out the flame and stuck it inside my smoker. I came back to check on it about an hour later and notice that it burned out (no smoke). I want to use this to smoke cheese so I am wondering would I have to keep the door cracked and the top vent opened to keep the air flow so the pellets do not burn out? I have seen the mailbox trick but just did not want to have to do it unless it is necessary to smoke cheese.


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## crankybuzzard (Nov 8, 2016)

meatstick said:


> I also have a question when using amps. I bought the expandable tube. I used this 1 time this summer in my propane smoker. I lit the end like it said and waited about 7 minutes, blew out the flame and stuck it inside my smoker. I came back to check on it about an hour later and notice that it burned out (no smoke). I want to use this to smoke cheese so I am wondering would I have to keep the door cracked and the top vent opened to keep the air flow so the pellets do not burn out? I have seen the mailbox trick but just did not want to have to do it unless it is necessary to smoke cheese.


Top vent wide open and the bottom vent needs to be open as well.  Gotta have oxygen to combust.


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## schlotz (Nov 8, 2016)

Don't know what smoker you have so uncertain what air vents/controls are available. Certainly would think the top vent should be open. Is there any other vented area or perhaps a natural passage way?  If only natural then would suggest experimenting with a wide open top vent as the first course.


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## meatstick (Nov 8, 2016)

I have a smoky mountain. There is only a top vent. This is my concern as I do not think there is good air flow. I usually do not get a lot of smoke from the wood box that's way I bought the pellet tube hoping I would get more smoke. However, that didn't work either so I'm guessing there is not sufficient air flow.


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## wade (Nov 8, 2016)

The WSM is fine for cold smoking. It has bottom vents too and you just need to keep these, and top vents, fully open. The AMNPS is actually better suited for cold smoking than the tube as it produces LESS smoke. You are looking for a good constant stream of dilute smoke passing over the food. Thick smoke can result in tar depositing on the food and unpleasant flavours.


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