Smoking Cheese
- Any type of cheese can be smoked
- I use 1/2 to 1 inch thick cheese slices for smoking
- I prefer a BBQ mesh mat to put my cheese on as it allows for sufficient air and smoke flow
- Instead of using a water pan filled with water, use a container filled with ice in order to keep the cheese cool during smoking. If the temperature inside the smoker goes higher than about 90F the cheese will start to melt.
Temperature
- The smoker temperature should be set at the lowest setting that still allows for smoke generation.
- I use a room temperature smoker and pipe in smoke generated in a separates smoke-generator. This allows the smoke to cool before getting to the cheese. It also allows for creosote to be deposited inside the connector pipe before reaching the cheese.
Smoke generation for smoking cheese
- The pictures above show how I generate smoke to smoke cheese.
- I use an A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker to generate smoke from pellets and then pipe it in through a flexible dryer vent into my electric smoker box.
- I also use a variable speed duct fan to extract the smoke from my smoker box chimney as cold smoke do not rise and that will cause creasote to deposit on the cheese, making the taste bitter. Using the fan to extract the smoke allows for the cheese to continually be exposed to fresh smoke.
Instructions
- Insert a holder with ice into the smoke chamber underneath the rack where the cheese will be placed,
- Start the smoke generator and wait for thin blue smoke to start to come through the smoker chamber.
- Cut cheese to be smoked into 1/2 to 1 inch thick slices and place on a grill mat.
- Smoke for 1 to 2 hours
- Wrap the cheese in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 weeks.
- Enjoy!
