Smokin-It User Forum!
Recipes => Cold-Smoking => Topic started by: smokinwannabee on December 10, 2017, 12:23:15 PM
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Hello: Been smokin but haven't been on the forum in awhile. Thanks to the good folks here on the forum have produced some tasty brisket, pulled pork, thanksgiving turkey, chicken and ribs. Looking to add cheese to the list. Have read thru many of the threads on cheese now have a few questions. See home depot has A-maze-n 6", 12" and adjustable size tubes and the maze. Suggestions on which to get? Does it matter? Also, have the 3D wondering how low temp can be set or what is used for a heat source? Seems that 50-80 is the prime temp window for cold smoking cheese? How long to smoke the cheese?
Thanks for your input. Jeff
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I have not yet delved into smoking cheese though I know many others have and it was successful. I am thinking if you use the A-Maze-N device to generate the smoke, there may be no point in even running the smokers heating element.
https://www.amazenproducts.com/category_s/70.htm
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Ah. Didn't realize smoker may produce enough heat to cold smoke. Thanks
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Jeff -
Do a search for A-Maze-N. Bound to be a lot of helpful hints and tips. The whole idea behind cold smoking is to generate smoke without generating heat, or limiting the amount of heat being produced.
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I have the tube and the Amps the tube burns hotter with more smoke, while the amnps burns cooler especilly when using sawdust
Hth Paul
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Thanks, gentlemen. Paul - does tube produce enough heat on its own? Would 6 inch tube do the job or need either the adjustable or 12 inch?
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Thanks, gentlemen. Paul - does tube produce enough heat on its own? Would 6 inch tube do the job or need either the adjustable or 12 inch?
All their products work well if you use the right fuel, have enough oxygen and light them correctly (propane torch). 6" will be okay for cheese but a 12" would give you some more options for longer cold smokes.
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Hadn't though of that SuperDave. Thanks for the input. Looks like I'll probably go with the 12 inch tube.
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The only temp concern I have when “cold smoking” cheese is to ensure temp doesn’t get 90 or above. I like it to stay 80 or below which is no problem with all the real estate I enjoy in the 4D. To my knowledge there is no minimum temp required. Using a cold plate and the element allows you to create smoke and control the temp from getting to high. The Tube smoker after lighting as a Dave says with a torch will create some heat but in a 3D I think you would be fine. I always put a full pan of ice on bottom shelve to give me insurance of not getting up to 90, you could easily do the same. I typically do about 30#’s at a time and vacuum pack 2 4 oz chucks to each Vac pack. As for time, in the 3D it will take less time than in the 4D because space is smaller. I have in the 4D gone as much as 4 hours while if I use my Pellet grill with much less space as little as 1-11/2 hours. You will have to find your own timing for your desired smoke profile. Test with small amounts and increase time if desire a more heavy smoke profile, just st as you do on oz of wood for a smoke as even cold smoking you can get to much very easily. Hope this helps and I didn’t ramble to much.
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Doug. Helps a lot. Seems a different mind set than smoking meats. I was concerned temp may be too low and seems it can get too high rather easily. Showing my ignorance am not familiar with a cold plate. Any help on this?
Thanks for your info.
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Jeff,
The cold plate is basically a baffle between your food and the heating element. I use ceramic tile on a shelf under my cheese. On the shelf with the tile, I use foil pans with ice or frozen water bottles.
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Jeff, I have no experience with a cold plate as I have always used the tube smoker and ice no matter what smoker I use for the cold smoke. I think Kari uses a cold plate and has posted several times about it. I also like Dave’s method he mentioned.
To answer one of your earlier questions regarding which tube smoker to get...the 6 inch will smoke for 2 hours, the 12 inch 4 hours. I believe I have that right, if not someone please correct. Good story about customer service, my first tube smoker was a 18 inch. (Not sure if It is still available) I communicated with Todd and he suggested I cut and make a 6 and a 12. He (Amazen) sent me the extra end caps I would need to make the other. Awesome service you never forget.
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This was a summer smoke where I was able to actually drop the box temp several degrees from the hot summer ambient temp.
(https://www.smokinitforums.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi40.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fe204%2Fdave_rce1%2F1cheese2-16-17_zpsb0qoui7k.jpg&hash=cf7ce169119cbcc0f10fa4e2ff45fb4bf8e2878e)
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Doug and Super Dave. More info that helps. Thanks for pic. Ready now to get rest of supplies, jump in and do a trial run within the next few weeks. Off to reheat some ribs I did Saturday for dinner. Always appreciate the spot on info and help. As I've mentioned before, this forum has made my learning curve quite steep and quick. Never done a forum before and may never do one again but this one has been worth my time.
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Super Dave - Again showing my ignorance, looking more closely at your pic what are you using for heat source and smoke? The smoker box? Other?
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I've used this set up from day one of doing my first cheese smoke. Initially, I used the smoker element but that requires turning the smoker on and off periodically as the temp starts to rise too high. I use the same set up now but use the Amazn maze for my smoke supply. Being in Colorado, you have the advantage of cold weather to help control too high of temps. My recommendation, no matter which method you choose, is to do a dry run without cheese in the box. See how successful you are at producing smoke with minimal heat. There are several ways to accomplish this. My two examples are just a couple.
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Ah. Like the idea of the dry run. Had not thought of that. Thanks
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sorry for not getting back right away, you got a lot of good info here. as always. when i smoke cheese
I prefer sawdust that I make from Todds` Pellets by using a blender dry in the microwave then load into the tray which has 4 binder clips I use for legs. I have the SI #4 and it works fine for me.
I like the lesser cooler smoke for a longer time I do the same with bacon but I smoke it twice it`s a matter of taste. I also bought the fiberglass matts he sells.
HTH Paul
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So for the tubes/trays I understand one uses sawdust... where does one obtain the proper sawdust? Does sawdust provide the same kind of smoke as chunks?
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All good Paul. Just happened to have a window of time to be on so much the past few days. Look forward to giving the cheese smoking an attempt.
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Jeff,
I just noticed your in Col. and I`m a flatlander from the Jersey Shore which is about 17/64th
of an inch above sea level which will give you a" attitude " problem :) So you need guys` with the same attitude :)
HTH Paul
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So for the tubes/trays I understand one uses sawdust... where does one obtain the proper sawdust? Does sawdust provide the same kind of smoke as chunks?
Larry, as Paul mentioned, you can somewhat make your own by crushing some pellets. I crumble mine up a little in a ziplock baggie with a hammer and then pulse it up in an old coffee grinder. I also make most of my own sawdust by cutting limbs on the saw with a box underneath to catch the sawdust. I've noticed that you can also order sawdust online. There are some testimonials on here where some like straight pellets better than the sawdust. I've had a difficult time keeping the pellets lit but maybe it is the brand of pellets that I'm using. My standard cheese smokes are a combination of crushed pellets and sawdust made from my wood cutting.
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Cheese Cheese and more Cheese. This batch went in yesterday afternoon. The small slices on top are for Crackers and a slice of sausage on top. The last picture was just cause I was hungry and is waiting to get melted and warm.
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NICE JOB!!!
You should be set for a couple of weeks :P
Very wise to use frozen water bottles instead of a tray of open ice too. Melting ice makes creates moisture and humidity which can, in turn, result in smoke droplets of water falling on the cheese and this is not good.
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Looks great, Greg. Like the idea of the frozen bottles. Curious how first smoke turns out.
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Well, those thin slices on the top racks, the one destined for use with crackers and topped with sausage! They were mistakenly put in freezer instead of refrigerator! My bride misunderstood my directions so it was frozen for a day. I know your not suppose to freeze cheese but I don’t know if one day is long enough to do whatever damage freezing does. Anybody have any advice?
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You are correct in that you really should not freeze cheese.
However, all is not lost. The biggest issue with freezing cheese is that it changes the texture of the cheese and makes it more crumbly. I would have no problems at all still eating the cheese especially if you were able to pull it out of the freezer after only a day.
Even though I have not actually done this, my guess is that you will be just fine with your sliced cheese.
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Smoke on cheese is always strong on the outside and needs time to mellow by absorbing into the block. I have more concerns about smoking a slice than the one day in the freezer.
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Thanks Gregg and Dave. I was hoping that in just one day it might not change the texture. My bride now knows to never freeze our cheese! Dave, I wondered about the slices myself and tested it out last year and it worked out great for some snacky’s for a small function.
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I was wondering about the smoke level on those slices too. My guess is that with some aging, they would mellow just like other cheeses and even out the smoke temp.
Thanks for sharing your 1st cheese smoke with us. This reminded me that I have some 2-year-old aged cheddar in my cheese stash that I should try again. :)