Need advice from cheese smokers

[bamabob]

I want to try smoking cheese in my Kamado.  I have one of those pellet tube things, have never used it.  I'm thinking put the tube in the bottom of my keg, use my diffuser, put the cheese up top on the upper rack on a silicone mat.  Thoughts?  How long?

[TMB]

Keep the temp inside the smoker below 90 if possible or you wind up with melted cheese 

You can put a tray of ice in the lower racks and that will help temps.    I don't do a lot but I try to go 3 to 4 hrs for cheese depends on the amount I'm smoking at the time.  After you smoke the cheese you must let it stay in the fridge for 3 to 5 days before eating or it wont taste good at all

I vacuum seal mine and let them rest for 1 week or so before I even think about eating them

[Salmonsmoker]

Cheese seems to smoke the best around 60F, if you can keep the temp. there. I've never looked close-up at a Kamado, but if you can pipe in the smoke from a separate box connected with a 4" or 5" dia. aluminum dryer flex pipe, it'll help keep the temperature down inside your smoker. As Tommy said, ice will help control the temp. Keep one of the dimensions of your blocks of cheese no more than 2" thick ( 4"x4"x2", 3"x4"x2", 5" dia. x 2", etc) for good and equal smoke penetration. Let the cheese temper for a couple of hours after smoking-the smoker is the perfect place, if you can keep it cool. Just remove the smoke source. Use mild flavored woods, pecan, apple, cherry, etc., strong wood flavors will make the flavor harsh. Most important of all: Don't touch the cheese with your hands, from start to finish. Most especially if you don't have a vacuum packer. I use food grade nitrile gloves and tongs to do any handling. No matter how well you clean your hands, there's always enough bacteria on them to start the cheese molding. I allow at least 3 weeks of aging, but usually 4 or more, before consuming. After vacpacking, I stick it in the back of the fridge out of sight, so it doesn't taunt me every time I look in there. Proper handling will give great longevity to your product. I have a vacpacked piece of smoked cream cheese that's at least 8-9 years old that still doesn't show any signs of mold. One of these days I'll open it.

[Ka Honu]

Let the cheese temper for a couple of hours after smoking

As noted, it's important to let the cheese "rest" (or "temper") when it comes out of the smoker - I set mine on the racks under the kitchen ceiling fan for a few hours before vac-packing.

I allow at least 3 weeks of aging, but usually 4 or more, before consuming.

Unless you like the taste of ashtrays, this is probably the most important step of the process. AT LEAST 3 weeks!

I smoke cheese in smallish (no more than 8 ounce) portions - gives me more surface area for smoke and, possibly more importantly, I don't eat the whole thing at once when I eventually open it.

[teesquare]

oh...uh...I mis-read the title of the thread....I thought you were asking for advice from cheese cutters.....

[Ka Honu]

Why am I not surprised?

[teesquare]

Why am I not surprised?

...Beacause 

[Lines]

And I was wondering what kind of "buzz" you get from smoking cheese .

[Salmonsmoker]

bamabob, I did miss one point in my post yesterday. Two hours of smoke is a good starting point for time, then you can adjust from there for your smoke level preference.

[bamabob]

bamabob, I did miss one point in my post yesterday. Two hours of smoke is a good starting point for time, then you can adjust from there for your smoke level preference.

thanks for all the advise salmonsmoker.  Appreciate it much.  The advise about never touching the cheese with bare hands was very enlightenting and makes much sense. 

[bamabob]

Keep the temp inside the smoker below 90 if possible or you wind up with melted cheese 

You can put a tray of ice in the lower racks and that will help temps.    I don't do a lot but I try to go 3 to 4 hrs for cheese depends on the amount I'm smoking at the time.  After you smoke the cheese you must let it stay in the fridge for 3 to 5 days before eating or it wont taste good at all

I vacuum seal mine and let them rest for 1 week or so before I even think about eating them

thanks for the tips Tommy, I like the advise about using the ice.

[bamabob]

thanks to all for the advise about smoking cheese before the amateur comedian crowd chimed in about farting and hijacking the thread.  If I needed advise about cutting the cheese I would've asked my better half.

[bamabob]

Let the cheese temper for a couple of hours after smoking

As noted, it's important to let the cheese "rest" (or "temper") when it comes out of the smoker - I set mine on the racks under the kitchen ceiling fan for a few hours before vac-packing.

I allow at least 3 weeks of aging, but usually 4 or more, before consuming.

Unless you like the taste of ashtrays, this is probably the most important step of the process. AT LEAST 3 weeks!

I smoke cheese in smallish (no more than 8 ounce) portions - gives me more surface area for smoke and, possibly more importantly, I don't eat the whole, thing at once when I eventually open it.

Good bullet points, thank you.