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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Since getting my Bradley electric smoker, I have cooked countless racks of pork ribs. It was time to branch out a little and try my hand at cheese. Started off with a 5lb block of mild cheddar Divided up into large chunks and placed in the smoker. To help keep temps and moisture under control, I used a dish of ice that I had to refill once and hour. I then smoked it using apple wood at temps varying between 65-80 degrees for 3 hours. Out of the smoker, the cheese has a nice "bark". The taste of the cheese at this point is akin to licking your smoker, and ryan and I verified that (yuk). So now she will sit for 7-10 days to age in the fridge. Wrapped in wax paper. I'll have more to add in 7-10 days!
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:46 pm |
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Arisaka
Site Supporter
Location: Tacoma Joined: Sat May 4, 2013 Posts: 6226
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I have 3 lbs of cheddar in the smoker Right now!!!
Using a Traeger, and Just starting the second hour of smoking.
Any lessons learned to pass on?
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:50 pm |
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PMB
In Memoriam
Joined: Wed Mar 6, 2013 Posts: 12018
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Beautiful work. Why mild instead of medium or sharp or extra sharp? Do the flavors compete?
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:10 pm |
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Arisaka
Site Supporter
Location: Tacoma Joined: Sat May 4, 2013 Posts: 6226
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I'm smoking sharp cheddar. Why the 7-10 day wait after smoking?
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:21 pm |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Arisaka wrote: I have 3 lbs of cheddar in the smoker Right now!!!
Using a Traeger, and Just starting the second hour of smoking.
Any lessons learned to pass on? This was my first time, so I wouldn't take any advice from me for at least 10 more days . I would just say rotate the block(s) every 30 minutes or so and keep it below 90 degrees unless you want a mess. PMB wrote: :drool:
Beautiful work.
Why mild instead of medium or sharp or extra sharp? Do the flavors compete? I guess the sharper the cheese, the more density it has. So with a mild cheddar you smoke with fruit and nut variety (hence the apple) that is a lighter smoke. With Sharp and Extra Sharp you want to use a smoke that can penetrate the density of the cheese, so most people recommend hickory or mesquite. I probably could have gone Medium with Apple on this, but being y first round I wanted to smoke something that favors my inexperience. Arisaka wrote: I'm smoking start cheddar. Why the 7-10'daynwait after smoking? The aging will help draw the smoke flavor evenly into the entire block and diffuse the harsh "I just licked the inside of my smoker" taste that comes from freshly smoked cheese.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:23 pm |
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Arisaka
Site Supporter
Location: Tacoma Joined: Sat May 4, 2013 Posts: 6226
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I used hickory on the sharp cheddar. I guess I will try to wait it out for 7-10 days, but I might not make it that long.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:29 pm |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Arisaka wrote: I used hickory on the sharp cheddar. I guess I will try to wait it out for 7-10 days, but I might not make it that long. By all means, grab a slice when it comes off the smoker. Maybe your experience will be different. I'll probably test mine in a few days, and a few days after that, etc.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:47 pm |
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KeystoneCowboy
Site Supporter
Location: Burlington Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 Posts: 5999
Real Name: Kyle
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Don't you need wood to create smoke? Not sure how burning hockey pucks works.....
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:54 pm |
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Pablo
Site Supporter
Location: Everson, WA Joined: Sun Jan 6, 2013 Posts: 28196
Real Name: Ace Winky
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I am not much of a fan of orange annatto cheese. But that probably is pretty tasty!!
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Because the eagle sounds like a hawk.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:11 pm |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Jagerbomber35 wrote: Don't you need wood to create smoke? Not sure how burning hockey pucks works..... I'm still a n00b. I have a Rec-Tec mini en route though, pellets.. Still not to your caliber though.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:28 pm |
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cmica
Site Supporter
Location: I-5 /512 Joined: Thu Dec 8, 2011 Posts: 15237
Real Name: chris
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I did the same, hickory smoke tempt near 65 COLD SMOKE!!
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:32 pm |
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Chip
Site Supporter
Location: Edgewood Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2011 Posts: 860
Real Name: Chip
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Some good looking product here! I'm no pro, but have found that aging definitely mellows the acrid smoke taste you get right out of the smoker. 2 weeks is even better. I can't afford to let my spare fridge get tainted with too much smoke odor, so I wrap the blocks in paper towels and refrigerate overnight, then go ahead and vacuum seal it. I definitely turn the blocks too so they get an even coat, and it keeps them from melting. The sharper and/or more aged the cheese is, the harder and drier it is and less likely to melt.
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:58 pm |
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Eagle Chaplain
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Location: England Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 Posts: 2954
Real Name: Michael
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So when is the taste testing?
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Sun Feb 26, 2017 11:06 pm |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Mike in Wa wrote: So when is the taste testing? For me, the first block opens in 10 days
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Mon Feb 27, 2017 6:19 am |
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Massivedesign
Site Admin
Location: Olympia, WA Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 38319
Real Name: Dan
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Yup. Fucking delicious!! Have a. Inch away and keeping a block to slice off of over the next 2 weeks to see how it continues to improve.
Next up, MOAR cheese.
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Mon Mar 13, 2017 1:54 pm |
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