The First Cheese Smoke is Scheduled Now

Puff · Post by **Puff** » December 7th, 2013, 10:30 am

Yesterday was 62 degrees. Today it's 37... The first cheeses will hit the rack today in about 2 hours. Heres hoping it works out. Once I get a series of pictures over then next few hours, I'll send them in. Using corn cob mixed with a little oak.

SoloQue · Post by **SoloQue** » December 7th, 2013, 11:40 am

this is definitely the season for smokin cheese.

Puff · Post by **Puff** » December 7th, 2013, 1:21 pm

I guess I was too excited to start so I did not install the racks in the barrel so, grabbed a piece of expanded metal and some maple legs. Presto ...here's a quick pic

Puff · Post by **Puff** » December 7th, 2013, 2:43 pm

I am about two hours into the cheese smoke ... Things are going too well it seems. The internal temperature on the rack is about 59 degrees and the outdoor temp is just about 40. A steady flow of thin smoke is puffing out of the stack and the process is moving along. Most interesting thing so far is the cross hatch expanded metal pattern on the cheese surface

Hardest part now is leaving it alone and not messing with it

Post by **Rodcrafter** » December 7th, 2013, 2:58 pm

I don't know from my own experience, but I've read that you don't want to take a bite right after smoking the cheese. They say it will taste like an ash tray. They say let it sit wrapped up in the fridge for a few days. Is that what you have experienced also?

Puff · Post by **Puff** » December 7th, 2013, 4:58 pm

Oh yeah, I have read that in several areas ... Most seem to think two weeks minimum. I am about 4 hours into the smoke now and it still just looks good. The color is getting a bit more amber looking, internal temp is still only about 57 and the smoke is still puffing out beautifully. Looks like a nice slightly forceful flow not just escaping from the stack.. I did plug one of the 5 3/4" intake holes and that did increase the "Venturi" type flow.

I have enough corn cob and oak in the tray to burn another 3 hours so I am going to let it burn itself out and then just keep making notes. There is a country store in Vermont we used to shop at and they sold cob smoked hams and cob smoked cheddar but it was always quite a strong cob taste so if 7 hours is too much, I'll cut back next time. So far, happy.

YouTube · Post by **Frank_Cox** » December 7th, 2013, 7:00 pm

sounds awesome!

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » December 7th, 2013, 8:28 pm

I love smoked cheese

Puff · Post by **Puff** » December 7th, 2013, 9:20 pm

So the day ends up pretty good... This is one of the sharp cheddar cheeses that came out today. I tend to think , but I won't know for a few weeks, that I might need to cut down the time to 4 hours or just a bit over but time will tell. The facts are as they all seem to say, it has a nice aroma of smoke, looks nice in color, and close up....it smells like an ash tray. I. Guess all that is right on target.

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » December 7th, 2013, 10:13 pm

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » December 8th, 2013, 1:12 am

I like cheese....

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