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I cold smoked 2 lbs of Tillamook 2 YR Aged Extra Sharp Cheddar (cut into 1/2 lb chunks) and 3 wheels of Gouda Cheese. Hickory saw dust (Amazing Smoker), cold Cookshack Elite, set on grates, 5 hrs. Here's a picture of the smoked cheese:



Both tasted great. Nice smoke flavor. They'll pick up more smoke flavoring overnight. They would have looked better if the grates were clean. Doesn't bother me since it's strictly for home use. May consider rotating halfway through the smoke next time to even out the color (notice the cheddar).
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I vacuumed sealed 2 Gouda and 3 chedder saving one of each for current consumption (let me check my math. Yep. That's correct). I, too, couldn't wait. Tastes great.

Don't place any cheese above the A. S. cause even that slight heat will discolor and slightly melt the cheese. Place the A. S. in a corner on the bottom grate with the cheese placed around it on the above and bottom grates.

You won't get the grate marks with clean grates. I clean my grates every 2nd or 3rd time and didn't think about the marks on the cheese.

Halfway through the smoke, consider rotating and flipping the cheese for more even color and flavor. I flipped, didn't rotate. Funny, the bottom of the cheese will be lighter if you don't flip them, meaning less smoke on the bottom.

Also, the cheese on the bottom grate gets less smoke than the cheese on the top. This affect will be more prevalent in your smokers versus my smaller Elite. The A. S. won't put out as much smoke as the Cookshacks so it doesn't fill our smokers as well with the exhaust hole acting as a release valve preventing heavier smoke at the bottom side.

Fill your top grate with cheese (placement as suggested) working down. Unless you're smoking a large quantity of cheese, you won't even need your bottom shelves.
Last edited by pags
Thank you for the advice. I think I'll try putting the AS on the bottom of the FEC close to where the firepot is. That area is covered by a drip shield that should prevent any direct heat to the shelves above. Since it's in the 30's here today I shouldn't have to worry about too much heat buildup in the FEC.

I'm thinking I could place some foil over the exhaust and poke a hole in it to keep more smoke in the FEC. For this first batch I'll probably just leave the exhaust alone and adjust if needed on my next cold smoke. Thanks again. I'll let you know how this first batch goes.

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