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[reubenray]

I have done this several times when the temps were in the 30's.  It appears that those temps may be gone down here in South Alabama.  It jumped straight from a mild winter to summer.  Our lows are in the mid to upper 60's and highs in the upper 70's for the next week or so.

What is to warm to smoke cheese?

[bregent]

The important temp is what's in the smoker. Ambient will obviously affect that, but it all depends on how you are generating the smoke and if you are adding ice or not. I try to maintain temps in the smoke chamber below 75F. If you use a smoke tube/tray and vent it to the smoker with ducting, it won't have much affect on the temperature inside.

[pmillen]

The preceding is good advice.  Cheese begins to "sweat" at 90°F in the pit.  I think it's ruined when it gets above 92°.

[Bar-B-Lew]

The preceding is good advice.  Cheese begins to "sweat" at 90°F in the pit.  I think it's ruined when it gets above 92°.

I would tend to agree with this depending on the type of cheese.  Some start to deform earlier than others.  I try to stay below 80 degrees but have had smoke chamber in the low 90s before.

[Bentley]

I felt safe if I could keep it 90° or under!  A little sweat never bothered me...Maybe I ruined the cheese, who knows...

[reubenray]

Great - it sounds like I can get some more cheese smoked this week.  My wife is from Wisconsin and loves smoked cheese.  She want to take enough with us on our three month long trip in our RV that we leave on in four weeks (hopefully).  I want to try smoking some Provolone which is what I eat on my burgers.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Provolone is soft so you may want to check on it as you are smoking it.  It may be good to put some trays of ice in the smoker but don't put the cheese on top of them if you think there is risk the ice will melt and turn to steam.  Not sure of what your setup looks like so can't give any more specific advise to help you out.

Are you heading to Juke Joint Festival again?

[reubenray]

Provolone is soft so you may want to check on it as you are smoking it.  It may be good to put some trays of ice in the smoker but don't put the cheese on top of them if you think there is risk the ice will melt and turn to steam.  Not sure of what your setup looks like so can't give any more specific advise to help you out.  A lot of festivals down here are cancelling them.

Are you heading to Juke Joint Festival again?

Not this year.  I have been planning a three month/7,000 mile trip to Arizona, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota for a year or so.  We are scheduled to leave in 4 weeks, but this Coronavirus thing may kill that.

Being Provolone is softer will it absorb more smoke than I want?  I have been smoking the cheese for my wife for two hours.  This Sunday the temps are to be down to 60 degrees and this may be my best time to smoke the cheese.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Hmmm...not sure I can answer your smoke absorption question.  I've had cheese smoke anywhere from an hour to about 4 hours.  I then let it sit open for 2-4 hours, then have been putting it in a paper bag in the fridge to help soak up the sweat.  The fridge will smell like a cigarette for a few days after you take the cheese out so be careful there.  I use the garage fridge that usually only has beer in it or meat.  After a day or two in the fridge, I vac seal and let sit in the fridge again for about 4 weeks.  I have not heard any one say an hour of smoke tasted different than 4 hours so I'm not sure.  I think 1-2 would be fine.  Of course, my 4 hour smokes were during 20-30 degree days.