First time "cold smoking" (cheese) experience

[PZ]

The Bradley smoker has a smoke generation unit that feeds smoke into the main box, and a heater in the main box for hot smoking.  I planned to do a "cold smoke" using only the smoke generator, and turn off the main box heater.  I have one 2-pound block of Costco mild cheddar, and two wedges of Costco Gouda for my first run.  I've used only a small amount of cheese because I didn't want to risk ruining a large quantity of cheese.  ;).  The cheese is loaded in the top rack, and I'm using pecan pucks.  My plan was to smoke for three hours.  The fact that I don't want to temperature to go much above 90F gives us an excuse to baby sit the smoker  ;D

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After loading the cheese into the smoker, it was time to have lunch (it was around 1pm my time).  The sandwiches are smoked corned beef that I made yesterday.  Mrs PZ made the crusty European style bread, and the home made aioli containing mayo, pickles, horseradish, a tiny dollop of catsup, a splash of pickle juice, smoked paprika, sweet onion, and parsley.

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Yum!

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Although you can't see it too well, the smoke is pouring out the top of the vent.

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After an hour, the cheese began to develop color

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At a little over two hours I decided to take the cheese out of the smoker because the temperature was climbing over 100F and I was concerned that they might melt. There were oily droplets that were sweating out of the cheese.

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After a couple of hours cooling, the cheese was ready to seal using a Foodsaver.  However, I could not resist and cut a chunk to taste.  Although the smoke was strong, the cheese was delicious, and had a smoky taste that you cannot get from store-bought smoked cheese.  I can't wait to age the cheese for a few weeks and see how it tastes.

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I'm thinking that I'll get the cold smoke accessory so I can reduce the heat in the main box a bit more.   The accessory further removes the smoke generator from the main box by a dryer-like hose.

[Art Blade]

very nice and impressive, too :)

[mandru]

That really looks great PZ.  :-X


Quite a while back so I'm not perfectly clear on all the details but I saw a cooking show that featured a segment on cold smoking.  I'm not sure this would apply to smoking cheese so I'll toss this out and let you decide whether it works for you or not.

One of the steps shown involved the inclusion of a sugar (like maple or sorghum or some other favorite diluted syrup or brown sugar or if I remember correctly a natural fruit juice that's rich in sugar content) in a rub, soak or a one time basting (depending on the item being smoked) at the start of the smoking process.  It wasn't a real heavy layer of the application but enough to thoroughly coat the item going into the smoker.

The open ended nature of the sugar molecule gives the smoke something to really grab onto intensifying the effects of the smoking.

[Art Blade]

maybe PZ could test that theory by cold-smoking cotton candy.

If, after a bite, you are under the impression that you licked clean a candy factory's chimney from the inside, it might actually w@&k.  :-D

[mandru]

Art, I think that the heating and spinning of the sugar in the process of making cotton candy would close the open ended nature of the...  ????

Wait a minute.  ???

I see what you did there.  You're just trying to stir up trouble!  \:/

[PZ]

  :-X you guys are so funny!

Actually mandru brings up a good point; the sticky pelicle that forms on food items before you smoke them allows the smoke to more properly cling to, and penetrate the food.

[Art Blade]

 :-()

[PZ]

The cheese is absolutely delicious! The pecan flavor in this cheese is something we have never tasted in any kind of store bought cheese.

[PZ]

Top right: smoked corned beef sliced thin for sandwiches
Bottom left: nasty Swiss cheese (not really nasty, it is tasty but just not smoked  :-())
Bottom right: Pecan smoked Gouda

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[nexor]

That really looks good PZ   :-X   think I must have a go at smoking cheese

When smoking meat you have to have the outside slightly dry otherwise the smoke won't penetrate, now with cheese, it could w@&k the other way around, we get a very dark brown sugar called trickle sugar, almost taste like caramel, that's something to investigate, thanks for the tip mandru

[PZ]

You won't regret it, nex.  Smoking cheese doesn't sound like much, but it is a taste treat that is really good compared to store bought, which I heard on another forum is treated with liquid smoke to give it the smoky flavor.

[mandru]

@ nex :)  :-X



PZ, Gouda is a favorite and that corned beef still has me drooling.  Gimme a couple spoonfuls of Dijon mustard on a saucer and that sliced portion of the beef and most of the cheese would never make it to a sandwich.  :bow

[PZ]

I know what you mean, mandru; a slice of beef, dab of mustard, and bit of cheese makes the perfect mouthful. In fact, I'm now drooling and will go into the kitchen to fix a small plate  :-()

[nexor]

Pz, do you buy the corned meat already pickled and smoked or you do it yourself?

[PZ]

I actually wanted to smoke a standard brisket, byt my local grocery store did not have any, so I purchased the brisket already corned.  I took it out of the package and did the smoking part, then finished it in the oven for the final heat.

I would like to make pastrami, and will likely give it a go one of these days.  In the meantime, for the past 5 days I have been brining trimmed pork loin for Canadian bacon, and will be smoking that this weekend.  ^-^

[Art Blade]

I was just thinking what if PZ was a fire fighter. He'd probably stick out of the team. I mean, wrapped in all types of meat and cheeses, dangling from his body, to get the best out of any smoking heat they might encounter..

[PZ]

  :-X

[nexor]

PZ, I tried a small piece of cheddar a few days ago, seeing as my smoker is a homemade job it took me a while to get the right temperature but it came out quite nice in the end, even the wife enjoyed it and she's not much into smoked food. Thanks, will do it again soon with a bigger piece of cheese  :-D

[PZ]

Good luck with the cheese nex; it is way different that the "smoke" you get with the liquid smoke cheese manufacturers use.  :-X

On an aside, if you can get your wife interested in smoking food, then the sky is the limit as far as new smoking equipment goes  >:D

[Art Blade]

 :-D

[nexor]

Local manufactured equipment is very expensive and are only made for the retail industry, to try and import home user equipment like the smoker you have would cost more than the industial size ones available here ???  8-X

[Art Blade]

Oh dear  ??? Better stick to an ISD*, then.




* Improvised Smoking Device

[PZ]

Is that also known as a houka?  ????