# Smokin' Cheese Weekend



## smoking4fun (May 7, 2015)

Last weekend I decided was a "smokin' cheese weekend"...sure, I threw in 5 lbs of chicken and a tri-tip when I was done (to celebrate, of course), but I tried to focus on getting a good stockpile of smoked cheese to last the summer.  I think it ended up somewhere around 20 lbs of cheese...and a happy wife!

It looks like I forgot the "before" picture, but this is the first batch, post smoke:













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__ smoking4fun
__ May 7, 2015






On the left rack, all of the left column and the top half of the right column (including the two half-circles) are all pepper jack from various sources, then there is a sharp cheddar and a hunk of garlic white cheddar.  On the right rack is a bunch of gouda, a colby jack, and one lone hunk of bacon-and-cheddar (can't wait to tear into that!).

I smoked it all for 3 hours using hickory in the AMNPS on my MES30.  It all looks like it's got the color I've been looking for, so off to the second batch:













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__ smoking4fun
__ May 7, 2015


















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__ smoking4fun
__ May 7, 2015






This batch included one block (the 4 squares on the far left) of colby, a bunch of sharp cheddar, a couple blocks of pepper jack, baby swiss, and a block of mozzarella.  Unfortunately, I don't have any post-smoke pics.

But here are a couple of "celebration" pics of the chicken and tri-tip that I smoked later that day:













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__ smoking4fun
__ May 7, 2015


















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__ smoking4fun
__ May 7, 2015






Since my AMNPS was already burning good with the hickory from the cheese, I just let it keep going while I heated up the smoker to 235.  I threw some Hog's Breath (from the FL Keys) seasoning on the chicken quarters, and smoked them until IT of 175 (my wife was afraid the last time I smoked chicken until 165 that they were "undercooked" - so I went to 175 for her).  For the tri-tip, I marinated it in worcestershire, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper for a few hours.  Since my wife is pregnant, I cooked the tri-tip to IT of 145, sliced it (shown above), and then threw a few of the slices onto the grill to cook hers to well-done and it was still amazingly juicy.  All in all, it was a good day of smoking.


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## sota d (May 7, 2015)

Chicken and tri-tip both look delicious! Nice job. I've cooked chicken a little over like that to err on the safe side and, as long as it has the skin on, haven't had a problem with it drying out. Looks great,thanks for sharing.


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## dirtsailor2003 (May 7, 2015)

Nice looking smoke!


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## themule69 (May 7, 2015)

Fine looking cheese and yard bird.

Happy smoken.

David


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## pawpaw16 (Jun 1, 2015)

Would be interested in knowing where those trays you have under the cheese were obtained?? Just what I have been looking for.  I have been using a grease splatter screen that one would use when frying in hot grease on the stove.


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## whitefish (Jun 1, 2015)

PawPaw, I saw some of those wire trays just yesterday at Walmart. I use them stacked up with small wood blocks to smoke jerky on the WSM. They were in the garden section where they had the grilling accessories.


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## pawpaw16 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thank you kind sir. I will check it out.


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## smoking4fun (Jun 3, 2015)

PawPaw16 said:


> Would be interested in knowing where those trays you have under the cheese were obtained?? Just what I have been looking for.  I have been using a grease splatter screen that one would use when frying in hot grease on the stove.


sorry for my late response, but what Whitefish said - I got them in the grilling section at walmart...and they are about 1/3 the price as what amazon is charging for them. They come in a 3-pack.


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## pawpaw16 (Jun 3, 2015)

Thank you sir for the response.

I will try and get to a walmart today and check it out.


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## oregon smoker (Jul 1, 2015)

they also are available in the baking section of most large grocery stores. I get mine from Cash and Carry / part of Smart and Final if any are in your area. Resteraunt Depot should have them as well. Just another thought...

Tom


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## mattmann (Jul 4, 2015)

At what temp do you smoke cheese? I'm dumb I guess. ...I thought it would melt lol


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## Bearcarver (Jul 4, 2015)

mattmann said:


> At what temp do you smoke cheese? I'm dumb I guess. ...I thought it would melt lol


It will melt if you use heat, or smoke in the Summer without using Ice or a jug or two of frozen water.

40° to 60° would be nice, but you can get away with 80° on some cheese.

Bear


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## oregon smoker (Jul 5, 2015)

Bearcarver said:


> It will melt if you use heat, or smoke in the Summer without using Ice or a jug or two of frozen water.
> 
> 40° to 60° would be nice, but you can get away with 80° on some cheese.
> 
> Bear










  Just what Bear said, like now I have close to 50ils to do and we have been having an unusually hot spell putting me in the wait mode.

Happy smoking,

Tom


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