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So you want some smoked cheese ??

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Some times I come up with some pretty good ideas, a lot of times I wonder why I didn't think of something good sooner .... most of you know I love to use my smokers. If there's meat to be eaten, there better be a smoker nearby. Anyway, it just dawned on me while at work today to use the scent smoker to " cold" smoke cheese. Quite a few of you already know what cold smoking is .... it's where you smoke something that you don't want any heat near the food. Cheese is a pefect example. As much smoke as the scent smoker puts out, this is perfect. Sooo, the next time you'e staring at that container you're planning on using to smoke up your clothes, throw a chunk of cheese inside. This week I shall have hickory smoked swiss cheese.
 

rooster85

Junior Member
1,409
78
Lake County
Ive been smoking cheese with my smoker for years. Never thought of a scent smoker though. Last year i was giving away several dozens of eggs a week and thought what else can i do with these? Hard boiled then cold smoked with garlic and cayenne and some of the best egg sandwich ever.
 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
How long do you marinate the cheese in the smoke?

Good question. Since I've never done this before, I had to go to my smoker forums to find out. I'd have to say it would be a trial & error experiment. It would depend on the type of cheese & the thickness. Another thing is to pay attention to outside temps as well. Some will put ice inside whatever container if it's too hot out. I'm seeing where some do a batch over a few hours, but as much smoke our smokers put out, along with good air flow, then perhaps one good filling of the canister. The best thing to do is google or even go to you tube to get a better understanding, which I'm doing. There's a lot of neat ideas .... don't forget trail bolonga & kielbalsa !!
 
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Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Ok... update. I smoked a block of chedder & colby. I don't like it. The cheese tastes like.... a campfire. I smoked TOO canisters worth of hickory for about two hours. I switched from using my clothing tote to a smoker due to gunk build up from the smoke inside. I put the smoker inside the firebox ( no heat ) & just am not thrilled with my 1st attempt. Perhaps too much smoke, I dunno. My wife & dogs like it though....lol
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Ha! When I do jerky (after it comes out of the dehydrator), I just give it a light smoking...like I'm taking it hunting. A little goes a long way.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Perhaps if you were to trim the outer 1/16 inch you'd find the remaining more pleasing? Just a thought, but the smoke shouldn't have penetrated too deeply and it may have just enough smoke flavor if you trimmed a bit.
 
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Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Brock, you are correct. The more we're eating, the less of the heavier flavor it becomes. That would only make sense & I've had that thought in the back of my mind TOO. I do find myself eating more & noticing a difference since I posted my update. Just the same, I feel as if I did use too much smoke. This is something I wanna get right because I plan on having this at Strouds & this is something that others here will probably wanna try as well. When I bought the cheese, I saw that Gouda Jesse mentioned. I held off on buying that then since it's a bit pricey & I didn't wanna screw it up, so perhaps next time around.
 

Outdoorsfellar

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
Ok, here we go again with a new batch. I have to admit, I posted my opinion of my 1st attempt a bit TOO soon. I'm really liking the taste more & more. It's not the hickory flavor my taste buds envisioned, but there's something there that draws me back for more. I decided to make a " cheese smoker " today, in a hastily afro american engineered kinda way. I wanted to make sure there wasn't as much smoke being used & less smoke time as well, so I came up with this contraption .....





I did a quick seasoning of the buckets & got things rolling. I wanted this to to be something that I can bring TOO my camps to smoke up more cheese.
 

reo

Junior Member
484
68
N.E. Ohio
All smoked cheese will taste like crap right out of the smoke. Let it mellow wrapped up or vac sealed in the fridge for AT LEAST 2 weeks after smoking.
 

reo

Junior Member
484
68
N.E. Ohio
Exactly what I am doing. I plant to squirrel away several pounds for deer camp.
I have found that 4 weeks mellowing is way better than 2 with 2 being the minimum.
I have gone as long as 6 but that only seems a little better than 4. Key is to get a bunch
smoked so you are not breaking into your entire stash when the will power breaks down.
Oh, and if it is vacuum sealed after smoking it will last at least 6 months in the fridge.