nickel plate
Veteran Member
Having never done this before I was a little apprehensive so I financially baby stepped in case things went south and bought the Tillamook brand of sharp and mild cheddar and monterey jack.
There's plenty of information on the internet as to how to go about this so I averaged out a game plan from what I saw and read.
TYPES OF CHEESE: Hard cheeses only as they melt at a higher temperature.
SMOKING DEVICE: Bought a stainless steel A-MAZE-N smoke tube that burns pellets and REALLY puts out the smoke. This is the only heat source required.
PELLET MIXTURE: I made a blend of apple and cherry.
SMOKING TIME: Two hours.
SMOKING TEMPERATURE: Under 90* preferably around 80* so a thermometer is needed.
OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: Avoid the warmer summer months. I started just before sun up around 50*/55* in late spring. Cool evenings work just as well.
TYPE OF BBQ: I used my Weber kettle but ANY type of charcoal, gas or pellet stove with a lid will work just as well as the only heat comes from the smoke tube.
PREPARATION: Cheeses are "block" sized, 2"x4" or thereabout, don't use sliced or graded due to their lower melt temperatures. Unwrap them and set out overnight to allow for some evaporation, smoke adheres better on the drier skin. Set the cheeses on a clean grate. I bought a small one that is just for this purpose. With the smoke tube pre-started place it below and away from the cheeses above. You can also use ice cubes in a tray placed directly above the smoke tube if overheating is a possible factor. Close the lid-that's basically it! All that's left to do is monitor the temperature and turn the cheeses about every twenty minutes.
THE HARD PART: Wrap or bag (as airtight as possible) the cheeses after they cool down and refrigerate for at least ten days or even better, two weeks. From what I've read, if you can't control your urge to immediately want to taste test, go back outside and lick the inside of the BBQ's lid! The new smoke has to age and work its way into the cheese and that takes time.
THE TWO WEEK WAIT OUTCOME: OMG! I don't think I can ever go back to eating unsmoked cheese.
Not long after that first batch I did another but this time with the higher priced stuff. Gouda, mozzarella, gruyere and swiss all turned out wonderful. The cheese in the photo is actually a bit darker than it looks.
There's plenty of information on the internet as to how to go about this so I averaged out a game plan from what I saw and read.
TYPES OF CHEESE: Hard cheeses only as they melt at a higher temperature.
SMOKING DEVICE: Bought a stainless steel A-MAZE-N smoke tube that burns pellets and REALLY puts out the smoke. This is the only heat source required.
PELLET MIXTURE: I made a blend of apple and cherry.
SMOKING TIME: Two hours.
SMOKING TEMPERATURE: Under 90* preferably around 80* so a thermometer is needed.
OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: Avoid the warmer summer months. I started just before sun up around 50*/55* in late spring. Cool evenings work just as well.
TYPE OF BBQ: I used my Weber kettle but ANY type of charcoal, gas or pellet stove with a lid will work just as well as the only heat comes from the smoke tube.
PREPARATION: Cheeses are "block" sized, 2"x4" or thereabout, don't use sliced or graded due to their lower melt temperatures. Unwrap them and set out overnight to allow for some evaporation, smoke adheres better on the drier skin. Set the cheeses on a clean grate. I bought a small one that is just for this purpose. With the smoke tube pre-started place it below and away from the cheeses above. You can also use ice cubes in a tray placed directly above the smoke tube if overheating is a possible factor. Close the lid-that's basically it! All that's left to do is monitor the temperature and turn the cheeses about every twenty minutes.
THE HARD PART: Wrap or bag (as airtight as possible) the cheeses after they cool down and refrigerate for at least ten days or even better, two weeks. From what I've read, if you can't control your urge to immediately want to taste test, go back outside and lick the inside of the BBQ's lid! The new smoke has to age and work its way into the cheese and that takes time.
THE TWO WEEK WAIT OUTCOME: OMG! I don't think I can ever go back to eating unsmoked cheese.
Not long after that first batch I did another but this time with the higher priced stuff. Gouda, mozzarella, gruyere and swiss all turned out wonderful. The cheese in the photo is actually a bit darker than it looks.