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Smoked cheese for the year

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pz:
Every year about this time I start thinking about smoking cheese for the next year. The batch in these photos from last year lasted about a year, and every time I do the smoke, I try to refine which cheeses to smoke based on what friends and family likes. I still have four packets of cheese left, some of which were from the year before.

The method:

* I like to smoke cheese on a cool fall day because you can always turn up the temperature, but turning it down is not a viable option.
* The smoker was kept at about 80 degrees with an Auber PID, which helps prevent the oils (sweat) from accumulating on the surface. Surface oils absorb the acrid smoke flavors that people say gives the cheese an ashtray like flavor.
* Six pecan pucks were used for a two-hour run time (the PID controls the smoke time automatically). I like to use the Bradley because it extinguishes the pucks before they start off-gassing unpleasant ash flavors.
* After smoking, the cheese is laid out on the counter for until it cools to the touch, then it is vacuum sealed
* Stored in the refrigerator for about a month before serving, I have stored cheeses for two or more years with great success. I would not eat the cheese if gasses developed in the bag, but this has never happened, not even with cheese nearly 3 years oldThe cheeses on this run:

* Costco Gouda was the favorite last year
* I tried a C&C Gouda, but it was only okay - not great - will not do it again
* C&C Havarti was very tasty, creamy, and became one of my favorites this year - definitely more on the next batch which is coming up soon
* The sharp cheddar also from C&C was too salty for general eating, but was good for cooking - will likely not do this again
* Costco Yancey's horseradish cheddar was a huge hit with my wife and friends - I thought it okay, but still like the Gouda and Havarti better
* Costco Tilamook sharp cheddar was an excellent eating cheese - perfect for cheese trays.
I've also done smoked goat cheese, and for those that like that kind of cheese, makes a great omelet. Another good one I'll do this year is smoked cream cheese - absolutely fantastic with home prepared gravlax, onion, and capers.

Click the pics to toggle full/normal size

These are most of my cooking rigs - I'm using
the Bradley almost exclusively for cheese and
salmon because that is what it does well. Although
I've tried smoking brisket, butt and other things,
only the salmon and cheese come out perfect
every time.   The cheeses for today. Gouda was the favorite
so that is what I'm doing most.   
Cheese is cut and ready to go into the smoker.
Looks like lots, but will fit into a single load using
the method seen in the next photo.   Smoking merrily away. This is a four-rack
Bradley, but I purchased a second set of four,
inverted them, and effectively have eight racks
of cheese. This works perfectly for cheese and
salmon.   
All cheeses are smoked (pecan this time)
for about two hours - enough to give a mild
smoke flavor that is not overpowering.       

pmillen:
There ya' go, Bar-B-Lew.  I've been waiting for PZ to post this.  He's my cheese-smoking idol.

Kristin Meredith:
Great tutorial, thanks!

pz:
Thank you for the kind comments!

Cheese is quite forgiving, and there are likely as many good methods as there are people smoking cheese. Each smoker type will likely have a different cooking method requirement.

Quadman750:
Great post that is a lot of cheese,  I don't think I could eat that much in a year.

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