Smoked Cheese

[RWB]

I'm smoking some right now. Do you vacuum pack right after smoking and leave in fridge?

I rest it in the fridge just until the exterior moisture is gone then vacuum seal.

[Yak blue]

I do about 20 to 30 pounds every winter.

I like to buy the 2# blocks from Costco/sams or wal mart when they’re $5.49. Will never pay more than $3 a lb, and I don’t like the thin 8 oz packages that you can buy for $1.49 occasionally at Kroger. The 2# blocks split into half pound pieces, and I’ve found that it makes a pretty good square that fits nicely when I do smoked cheese and summer sausage on a cracker.

I stack the half pound pieces on the racks of my electric smoker than have an offset tower that moves smoke into the actual smoker. Only smoke when it’s in the 30s. Never had an issue with cheese getting soft, but I did have to add frozen milk jugs of water before Christmas when I was gifting smoked cheese out since it was rather warm and cheese starts to soften at such a moderate temp. (Makes a great Christmas gift btw, haven’t met one person who doesn’t like smoked cheese)

After almost a hundred pounds of cheese smoked over the years, my go to are sharp and extra sharp cheddar, sharp white cheddar, pepper jack, then followed up by Monty jack and Colby.

I’ll spread them out on a cookie rack after about four hours of smoke. I like apple or peach wood. Throw them in fridge overnight then will vac pack the next day. It’ll stay good forever in a vac pack. And if it does get a little mold on it, slice it off and eat anyway.

[3ChordTruth]

Good info, got to try this, thanks for posting these details.

[Buck Shot]

I put sliced jalapeños and/or sausage in mine. Best snack ever.

[Robby C]

Just ordered the smoke tube, can't wait to try this. How do you add jalapeno's, just place on top of the cheese?

[bklem]

Just getting around to actually smoking the cheese today. Question. I have different size blocks. Some 8oz and some 16 oz. Do I pull the smaller ones off after two hours or go ahead and keep them in for four hours like the 16 oz ones?

[cwill]

I smoked a block of extra sharp white cheddar today, but didn't let it rest before wrapping. I reckon I should go unwrap it now and re-wrap it tomorrow!

[Phillip Fields]

If you can find it try some of the old fashioned hoop cheese.

[cwill]

So I unwrapped mine and rested in the fridge overnight. It sure seems super dry and hard as a brick. I re-wrapped it, but im pretty sure I let it get to dry?

[whitetailfanatic]

Apple Gouda is Awesomeness

[CoachS]

What kind of pellets are y’all using? Are there certain types ex. Hickory that are better for certain types of cheeses?

[donpablo]

OP, I want to thank you for this thread. I'd never even heard of the smoke tubes. Got one and smoked some cheese. Used it to make stacked, smoked red enchiladas and a tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce topped with smoked mozzarella.




It was awesome!

[RWB]

I am glad you found it useful. Your recipes sound delicious

[wytex]

Baby swiss is good with pecan wood smoke, I buy chunks at the deli in Safeway.
Our Safeway deli also has a nice spicy cayenne pepperjack, maybe a cheddar, that smokes well if you like spicy cheese.