Author Topic: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker  (Read 1945 times)

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Offline Old Dave

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Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #-1 on: October 10, 2017, 01:32:17 AM »
I have been waiting patiently for some cooler weather as we are completely out of smoked cheese. I need a day or morning at about 50 degrees or under.



This smoke was about 10 pounds of cheese including the following:

2 pound pepper jack
2 pound sharp cheddar
2.28 pound 4 year aged cheddar
1.14 pound Swiss
8oz monterey jack
8 oz mild cheddar
8 oz sharp cheddar
1.67 pound three alarm colby jack



I started the smoke early in the morning as I wanted the coolest temperatures of the day.



I used a half hotel pan full of ice to help hold down the temperature inside the cooker.



I used 5 all hardwood briquets for my fire and a couple of chunks of hickory for my smoke wood for this cook.



Was a nice morning with a cooler temperature of about 50 degrees. The cheese took 90 minutes to get done. I was able to keep the temperature inside the cooker at under 70 degrees which is great for smoking cheese.



The results of my smoke ready for the vacuum pack machine.



Bagged and ready for the fridge.



This should hold us for a few months.



Gotta love smoked cheese off of a Hasty Bake. And for any folks that have not tried real smoked cheese, you are missing out on a great treat. Most all smoked cheese available in outlets hasn’t been even close to a smoker... it is done with chemicals.
Old Dave
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Offline akruckus

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« on: October 10, 2017, 02:41:22 AM »
How long do you keep it vacuum packed before you open the cheese?
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Offline Old Dave

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2017, 05:06:32 AM »
If the cheese is not over smoked, it doesn't need any time in the vacuum packed bags. Most folks do over smoke this treat and somehow hope that it will cure out in the bags. Remember, "Ashtray in the bag...Ashtray out of the vacuum bag".

The reason the vacuum bags are used is to prevent mold as many folks including my self will keep the cheese in the fridge for over a year without any problems.

Some additional information on smoking cheese.

You want to cut the cheese into the rectangular pieces or bars no larger than about 1-1/2 wide as the smoke doesn't penetrate the cheese and is only deposited on the outside. Just size it to be eaten with some crackers.

When you check your smoked cheese for the amount of smoke, take a piece off of the cooker and cut off the end piece as this piece will be over smoked due to the larger surface area, and then cut a second piece off and taste this one and you just want a hint of smoke and if it is right for you, it is done.

The cheese must be kept under 80 degrees measured on the smoking surface while smoking.

The cheese must never come to a sweat or you might as well toss it.

The cheese should look just like it did when it went into the smoker when it comes out of the smoker. It shouldn't be any darker or any different in color if done correctly.

And again, "ashtray in..ashtray out".

When it's right, you will throw rocks at store bought smoked cheese!
Old Dave
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3 Backwoods--3 Big Green Eggs--2 Char-Broils
1 Cobb--1 Original Fast Eddy Pellet Cooker
1 Traeger & 2 Green Mountain Pellet Cookers
1 Genuswine Rotisserie Smoker--2 Hasty Bakes
1 Orion Cooker--6 Webers--Several Homebuilts

Offline akruckus

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2017, 07:55:40 AM »
Thank you.  I used Amazen tray and pellets for smoking salmon but I wanted to try some smoked cheese too.  I will have to experiment, thanks Dave
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Offline Roget

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2017, 10:04:22 AM »
Great lookin' cheese Dave.
Good choices on the variety of cheeses.

I live about fifty miles south of you & I have been waiting to smoke mine also.
(I smoke cheese twice every year, in April & again in October.)
After vacuum packing I try to let mine age for at least two months and like you I have kept it for over a year (& more) and it just gets better.
It definitely improves with age.

"When it's right, you will throw rocks at store bought smoked cheese!"
You are certainly right about that.
For snackin' and for cookin' it can't be beat.

I always smoke enough to give my son several packages at Christmas. He loves it.


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Offline Pam Gould

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2017, 10:18:59 AM »
Lookin great Dave..not cool enough to smoke here yet..but I will..I haven't smoked last year but I'm out so soon as it get cooler..it's on..I'm ready and so is smoker..I made some for the 1st Augusta gather and it disappeared..must have been terrible..lol. I made my own lil smoker also form an old Coleman cooler..added the smoke daddy and it's ready to go.   .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ. r
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Offline Smokerjunky

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2017, 11:23:34 AM »
Great post and thread.  This is fantastic - I HAVE to try it this fall.  Thanks for the inspiration
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Offline Old Dave

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2017, 04:38:41 PM »
Roget,

We smoke cheese several times a year as well and usually do it in a much larger smoker. We also make jerky and pig candy to go with the cheese for several holidays.





Smoker setup and some smoked Cheese



Jerky



Pig Candy



One of our Christmas Baskets for family, friends, and neighbors. It contains 2 blocks of smoked cheese, a package of my standard jerky, a package of my spicy hot jerky, a couple of packages of pig candy, and a bottle of Jack.

Old Dave
Ribs & Bibs Competition Cooking Team

3 Backwoods--3 Big Green Eggs--2 Char-Broils
1 Cobb--1 Original Fast Eddy Pellet Cooker
1 Traeger & 2 Green Mountain Pellet Cookers
1 Genuswine Rotisserie Smoker--2 Hasty Bakes
1 Orion Cooker--6 Webers--Several Homebuilts

Offline Pappymn

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Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2017, 05:11:27 PM »
Now that basket of goodies looks awesome. Lucky recipient


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Offline RAD

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Re: Smoking Cheese in a Hasty-Bake Gourmet Cooker
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2017, 05:30:24 PM »
Now that basket of goodies looks awesome. Lucky recipient


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x2. That is one of the best gifts ever.
Love to cook and eat