# First Cheese



## freshmeat (Nov 26, 2009)

The flurry of smoked cheese activity got this newbie in the pool to try and swim.  Shout out to xjcamaro for helping me out!

Pardon the pics, used Blackberry with not very good results.

Constructed a 'can smoker' for my ECB like discussed in other threads here.  The only hard part of this was eating the nasty soup inside to get a can, bleeeech!






Couple shots of racks loaded.  While walking through store saw the bologna on sale and thought what the heck.









After one hour of sailing along fine, soldering iron took a dump and did not come back.  Scrambled and started a few coals with torch and tossed them on pie tin with my wood (apple).  Went another hour, my save.





Post smoke and package shots.  I was expecting more more color than what I got.  The temp outside was ~65*.  The temp on both racks with can / soldering iron was 76* top and 81* bottom.  The temps bumped 8* on both racks when I made switch to charcoal.  I leaving them bagged against temptation for at least two weeks...two weeks will be up this Saturday.











Thanks for looking, and please toss out any advice / criticisms.


----------



## raceyb (Nov 26, 2009)

That kind of sucks about the soldering iron. Was it brand new? I'm going to be doing the same thing shortly and maybe I'll just use a couple of charcoal instead.


----------



## scpatterson (Nov 26, 2009)

Ive never done cheese and cant say that I ahve ate it...Is that tooth picks in the one photo? What are those for if so?


----------



## alx (Nov 26, 2009)

YEP-you goping to need a commercial grade iron my friend.I used to make a pretty penny repairing t.v./electronics.You gonna need a big boy soldering stick my friend..........It does work though....


----------



## meateater (Nov 26, 2009)

Gonna have to try some applewood cheddar soon, just to darn expensive otherwise. Think I'll try the couple briquet method.


----------



## freshmeat (Nov 26, 2009)

It did suck rocks for a couple of minutes till an on the fly save needed to be employed.  I was watching football and and figured everything was going to be hassle free.  I had not tested my rig with charcoal for this, so I was hoovering like a hummingbird making sure temps did not get out of control after the derail.  

It was new, long story but have the receipt.

"Big Boy soldering stick"
	

	
	
		
		



		
			





What is considered commercial grade?  This unit is 40 watts, figured it would be good to go.


----------



## alx (Nov 26, 2009)

Check out this thread.


http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=81764


----------



## DanMcG (Nov 26, 2009)

The cheese looks great, I was disappointed with the color when I first did cheese, but to my surprise the flavor was there. and there was no way I could have waited two weeks to sample it. LOL
Did you let the cheese dry out some before you smoked it? That I think helps with the color.


----------



## fire it up (Nov 26, 2009)

You won't always get the color youwould expect.
I have done cheese smokes where they were a beautiful light brown and some (like a few I did about 5 days ago) picked up very little color but still had all the flavor.
2 weeks hasn't passed yet but had no provolone so opened a smoked pepper jack early for sammies


----------



## bkos (Dec 2, 2009)

I am now hooked on smoked cheddar.  I found a smokehouse near my residence a few weeks ago and purchased a $3.00 chunk of smoked NY sharp and man was it good.  I have seen applewood smoked cheddar cheese in the local grocery stores and it costs 3 times as much as what the smokehouse is charging.  Matter of fact, I just came home with more.  I hope I can learn to do it myself.  First time it did not turn out well, so I threw it away, will have to wrap it and let it rest like everyone here suggests.


----------

