# Smoked Cheese



## disco (Apr 28, 2020)

Egad! I was almost out of smoked cheese! Fortunately, it is still cool here and I have lots of free time! I did smoke Extra Old Cheddar, Gouda, Havarti and Jalapeno cheddar for 2 hours with apple pellets in my A-Maze-N Tube smoker. I have enough of my last batch that I will be able to let these age for a few weeks before diving in!


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## GATOR240 (Apr 28, 2020)

Looking good Disco. Two of my favorites, cheddar and gouda. I have never had Havarti but I forgot that I did smoke some last fall...I think I'll have to dig that out of the fridge in a little while. Thanks for the reminder!


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## disco (Apr 28, 2020)

Thanks! If you like gouda and cheddar, you will like havarti. A nice semi firm texture and  cheesy taste without being overpowering.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Apr 28, 2020)

You guys up North are so lucky.  
If I tried smoking cheese right now, it would be fondue.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Apr 28, 2020)

Cheese looks great Disco! Some of my favorites right there!


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## flatbroke (Apr 28, 2020)

over the top as usual.  nice job


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## Winterrider (Apr 28, 2020)

Very nice, I need to do a batch soon also.


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 28, 2020)

As always a great job by disco. Man almost ran out oh no!!!

Warren


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## Smokin' in AZ (Apr 28, 2020)

disco said:


> Egad! I was almost out of smoked cheese! Fortunately, it is still cool here and I have lots of free time! I did smoke Extra Old Cheddar, Gouda, Havarti and Jalapeno cheddar for 2 hours with apple pellets in my A-Maze-N Tube smoker. I have enough of my last batch that I will be able to let these age for a few weeks before diving in!


Great minds think alike Disco!

I also was running dangerously low, so I got a batch done this morning....  

SWMBO told me it needed to happen soon!



SecondHandSmoker said:


> You guys up North are so lucky.
> If I tried smoking cheese right now, it would be fondue.


Secondhand, luckily I am up in Show Low and morning temps are in the upper forties, so I threw on 4 lbs of Pepper Jack, our favorite, and 2 lbs each of colby jack, and mild cheddar.







John


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## xray (Apr 28, 2020)

Looks great Disco. I try to keep myself stocked up during the warmer months.

very nice!


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## bluewolf (Apr 28, 2020)

xray said:


> Looks great Disco. I try to keep myself stocked up during the warmer months.
> 
> very nice!




I can't wait to try and smoke some cheese!!! was it pretty easy?


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## 73saint (Apr 28, 2020)

Nice disco!  I did the same thing with a pile of Gouda a couple nights ago.  This was a first, but my amazen maze ignited in my Lang firebox and my cook chamber hit 100 degrees. Didn’t totally melt but my Gouda got a little deformed and oily.  I hope I didn’t mess the texture up too too much...


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## SecondHandSmoker (Apr 28, 2020)

Smokin' in AZ said:


> Secondhand, luckily I am up in Show Low and morning temps are in the upper forties, so I threw on 4 lbs of Pepper Jack, our favorite, and 2 lbs each of colby jack, and mild cheddar.



John, 
Show Low is the perfect place to be right about now.  
Morning temps down here are in the low to mid 60's.  
But once the sun gets higher in the sky, things warms up quickly.


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## gmc2003 (Apr 29, 2020)

Nice looking cheese and a good variety Disco

Point for sure
Chris


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

SecondHandSmoker said:


> You guys up North are so lucky.
> If I tried smoking cheese right now, it would be fondue.



Thanks but I didn't think we were so lucky when it snowed a couple of weeks ago!



SmokinVOLfan said:


> Cheese looks great Disco! Some of my favorites right there!



Thanks. It is such a satisfying project.



flatbroke said:


> over the top as usual.  nice job



You are very kind!


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## flatbroke (Apr 29, 2020)

disco said:


> Thanks but I didn't think we were so lucky when it snowed a couple of weeks ago!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 can I Trouble your for a favor. Will you so kind to relay that to my wife. The help would be most beneficial


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

Winterrider said:


> Very nice, I need to do a batch soon also.



Absolutely. Don't make the mistake I made and almost run out!



HalfSmoked said:


> As always a great job by disco. Man almost ran out oh no!!!
> 
> Warren



Thanks so much, Warren.



Smokin' in AZ said:


> Great minds think alike Disco!
> 
> I also was running dangerously low, so I got a batch done this morning....
> 
> ...



Wise man to listen to the missus!


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

xray said:


> Looks great Disco. I try to keep myself stocked up during the warmer months.
> 
> very nice!



Truth. It does take planning to have cheese through the summer! Thanks!



bluewolf said:


> I can't wait to try and smoke some cheese!!! was it pretty easy?



Smoking cheese has to be easy. I do it. You just need to keep the temperatures low and get some form of smoke generator. Let me know if I can help or answer questions.


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

73saint said:


> Nice disco!  I did the same thing with a pile of Gouda a couple nights ago.  This was a first, but my amazen maze ignited in my Lang firebox and my cook chamber hit 100 degrees. Didn’t totally melt but my Gouda got a little deformed and oily.  I hope I didn’t mess the texture up too too much...



It will still be delicious! Have you tried freezing some juice bottles full of water and putting them around your cheese while smoking?



gmc2003 said:


> Nice looking cheese and a good variety Disco
> 
> Point for sure
> Chris



Thanks Chris. I hope you and yours are safe.


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

flatbroke said:


> can I Trouble your for a favor. Will you so kind to relay that to my wife. The help would be most beneficial


Hm. Give advice to a wife. Let me check. Nope, I haven't lost my mind.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 29, 2020)

Nice Cheese there Disco!!
Looks Mighty Tasty!!
Like.
We had 2 morning below freezing this week, again.

Bear


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## 73saint (Apr 29, 2020)

disco said:


> It will still be delicious! Have you tried freezing some juice bottles full of water and putting them around your cheese while smoking?


I have, but honestly, I’ve never ever had this happen before.  My tubes usually perform flawlessly in the Lang firebox.  And I’m used to using my larger fatboy, so I was just rusty to the fact that the little flame from the maze would bring my ambient temps up so high.  
funny though, I tested a piece today.  Very smoky so it will need to mellow but it actually may end up being surprisingly better.  Texture seems fine which concerned me. Bolder flavor.


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## 73saint (Apr 29, 2020)

disco said:


> It will still be delicious! Have you tried freezing some juice bottles full of water and putting them around your cheese while smoking?


I have, but honestly, I’ve never ever had this happen before.  My tubes usually perform flawlessly in the Lang firebox.  And I’m used to using my larger fatboy, so I was just rusty to the fact that the little flame from the maze would bring my ambient temps up so high.  
funny though, I tested a piece today.  Very smoky so it will need to mellow but it actually may end up being surprisingly better.  Texture seems fine which concerned me. Bolder flavor.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 29, 2020)

73saint said:


> I have, but honestly, I’ve never ever had this happen before.  My tubes usually perform flawlessly in the Lang firebox.  And I’m used to using my larger fatboy, so I was just rusty to the fact that the little flame from the maze would bring my ambient temps up so high.
> funny though, I tested a piece today.  Very smoky so it will need to mellow but it actually may end up being surprisingly better.  Texture seems fine which concerned me. Bolder flavor.




I use a jug of frozen water in my MES to keep it cooler, and I use Dust instead of pellets in my AMNPS, because dust burns a lot cooler than pellets.

Bear


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## disco (Apr 29, 2020)

73saint said:


> I have, but honestly, I’ve never ever had this happen before.  My tubes usually perform flawlessly in the Lang firebox.  And I’m used to using my larger fatboy, so I was just rusty to the fact that the little flame from the maze would bring my ambient temps up so high.
> funny though, I tested a piece today.  Very smoky so it will need to mellow but it actually may end up being surprisingly better.  Texture seems fine which concerned me. Bolder flavor.


Good news!


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## Joatman (Apr 29, 2020)

disco said:


> Egad! I was almost out of smoked cheese! Fortunately, it is still cool here and I have lots of free time! I did smoke Extra Old Cheddar, Gouda, Havarti and Jalapeno cheddar for 2 hours with apple pellets in my A-Maze-N Tube smoker. I have enough of my last batch that I will be able to let these age for a few weeks before diving in!
> 
> View attachment 442749
> 
> ...





disco said:


> Hm. Give advice to a wife. Let me check. Nope, I haven't lost my mind.


Hello Disco,
Looks so good!!!!  I’ve never smoked cheese before but want to give it a shot in the near future. I have one of those nifty smoking tubes that I can use. Seems like the best method to minimize the heat. From what I gathered, 2 hours of smoke should be efficient.........does that seem right? And then you mentioned letting it rest for a few weeks.....in the  fridge.  What do you wrap them in for this? Then I’m guessing you vacuum seal them afterwards? Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks!!!!


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## fullborebbq (May 3, 2020)

Looks great Big D. Reminds me I have around 30 lbs of cheese to smoke. Just not sure we will have a season to sell i this year...........


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## disco (May 3, 2020)

Joatman said:


> Hello Disco,
> Looks so good!!!!  I’ve never smoked cheese before but want to give it a shot in the near future. I have one of those nifty smoking tubes that I can use. Seems like the best method to minimize the heat. From what I gathered, 2 hours of smoke should be efficient.........does that seem right? And then you mentioned letting it rest for a few weeks.....in the  fridge.  What do you wrap them in for this? Then I’m guessing you vacuum seal them afterwards? Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks!!!!



The amount of smoke needed varies on many things, the type of smoke (hickory is stronger than apple), the kind of smoke generator (the tube generates more smoke than the tray type), and your tastes (some like a hint of smoke others are smoke hounds) .  2 hours will give you a nice mild smoke and is a good place to start. If there is too little smoke, you have a nice cheese. Once you have too much smoke you can't reduce it. If you want more, increase the length of time for your next smoke.

I smoke it and put it in the fridge covered overnight. Then I vacuum pack it and store it for at least 2 weeks before serving. It will keep in the fridge for months vacuum sealed.



fullborebbq said:


> Looks great Big D. Reminds me I have around 30 lbs of cheese to smoke. Just not sure we will have a season to sell i this year...........



I look forward to the post.


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## Joatman (May 9, 2020)

disco said:


> The amount of smoke needed varies on many things, the type of smoke (hickory is stronger than apple), the kind of smoke generator (the tube generates more smoke than the tray type), and your tastes (some like a hint of smoke others are smoke hounds) .  2 hours will give you a nice mild smoke and is a good place to start. If there is too little smoke, you have a nice cheese. Once you have too much smoke you can't reduce it. If you want more, increase the length of time for your next smoke.
> 
> I smoke it and put it in the fridge covered overnight. Then I vacuum pack it and store it for at least 2 weeks before serving. It will keep in the fridge for months vacuum sealed.
> 
> ...


Thank you!!!! I greatly appreciate your tips!!


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