Today I smoked ten pounds of upstate NY cheddar using apple wood and an external smoke generator. The IT of the cheese was 34 going in and 54 coming out after three hours of smoke. Ambient was around 85. Cheese is now vacuum packed and mellowing in the fridge.
Cheese with external smoke generator
- Thread starter Limey
- Start date
gregbooras
Moderator
Roger,
What is the external generator are you using for the smoked cheese.
Also, from the things I have read (I have not yet smoked cheese) three hours seems long?
Thanks Greg
What is the external generator are you using for the smoked cheese.
Also, from the things I have read (I have not yet smoked cheese) three hours seems long?
Thanks Greg
gregbooras
Moderator
Wow, this would buy a lot of cheese.....
Just saying
Greg
Just saying
Greg
DivotMaker
New member
Nice custom-build on the holder/setup, Roger!!
Greg, I actually use the Big Kahoona size generator by Smoke Daddy. It retails for $125 with free shipping and, yes, that does buy a lot of cheese. However with winters in the Keys and summers in Upstate NY cold weather is hardly ever on my agenda(thank goodness!). Normally I smoke cheese for about two hours but in this case the elapsed time was three hours because I was not happy with the amount of smoke during the first hour. In fact the fire went out. You tend to forget that with one of these you are essentially tending a very, very small stick burner.
gregbooras
Moderator
Limey said:
Hey Roger,
Some of the things I buy, you could also buy a lot of cheese
Really $125.00 is really not a bad price, since you could use it for fish, cheese and bacon.
One of my goals it to smoke some mozzarella for my home made pizza, so I may consider the external smoke generator.
Thanks Greg
Greg,
These things work great if you like to cold smoke and do it in hot weather. I don't think that the smoke quality is quite as good as we get from the SIs but it is still very good tbs. I have a couple of them(one at each house along with a #3) and use them regularly. In fact a bunch of king salmon from a recent fishing trip is about to go in the smoker.
These things work great if you like to cold smoke and do it in hot weather. I don't think that the smoke quality is quite as good as we get from the SIs but it is still very good tbs. I have a couple of them(one at each house along with a #3) and use them regularly. In fact a bunch of king salmon from a recent fishing trip is about to go in the smoker.
gregbooras
Moderator
Limey said:
Hey Roger,
I see that you have the smoke going in the top of the SI, I take it that the smoke exits from the drain hole in the bottom of the SI?
Greg
Greg, that's right. I have tried it with a long tube in through the blowhole and pumping smoke out at the bottom of the unit i.e. by the smokebox. However the smoke is sufficiently cold that its natural tendency is to sink down so I have settled for a short tube with smoke in at the top and out at the bottom.
Walt
New member
Limey,
Originally, If I remember correctly, you installed the Big Kahuna useing 2 cord hangers. Did that not work well? Is the new setup home made & hows it working for you? Santa's bringing the Big Kahuna so I would like to learn from your experience. Any input would be greatly appreciated. South La & the keys have very similar summer weather. Thanks for putting this on my radar.
Originally, If I remember correctly, you installed the Big Kahuna useing 2 cord hangers. Did that not work well? Is the new setup home made & hows it working for you? Santa's bringing the Big Kahuna so I would like to learn from your experience. Any input would be greatly appreciated. South La & the keys have very similar summer weather. Thanks for putting this on my radar.
Hi Walt,
You are exactly correct-the first Big Kahuna(BK) I installed using two cord hangers and this installation worked, and continues to work, very well. At that house my smokers and my grills are on the same level so if I want smoke in a grill I can simply route the pipe from the BK into the grill, leaving the BK attached to the SI. At my other house the grills and the SI are on separate levels so I built the stand for the BK so that I can easily carry it around. That having been said I am about to install the second BK using cord hangers since nearly all my smoking is in the SI and not my grills and it is quick and easy to detach the BK and put it in the stand if I need to use it with my grills. I really recommend the cord hanger installation. It is quick, easy and requires no drilling. Good luck with your BK-I think you will find it very useful. If I can help in any way let me know.
You are exactly correct-the first Big Kahuna(BK) I installed using two cord hangers and this installation worked, and continues to work, very well. At that house my smokers and my grills are on the same level so if I want smoke in a grill I can simply route the pipe from the BK into the grill, leaving the BK attached to the SI. At my other house the grills and the SI are on separate levels so I built the stand for the BK so that I can easily carry it around. That having been said I am about to install the second BK using cord hangers since nearly all my smoking is in the SI and not my grills and it is quick and easy to detach the BK and put it in the stand if I need to use it with my grills. I really recommend the cord hanger installation. It is quick, easy and requires no drilling. Good luck with your BK-I think you will find it very useful. If I can help in any way let me know.
Do you have pictures/explanation for the cord hangar arrangement?Dale it's very simple. Just attach one cord hanger to the right rear of the SI and use a large hose clamp to secure the external smoke generator to it. Then install a second cord hanger, upside down, on the side of the smoker to stabilize the tube coming from the smoke generator.
Pictures are in my post "Cold Smoking in a Hot Climate." This uses all original hardware and no drilling is required. I did replace the existing bolts with slightly longer ones with washers but don't think this is really necessary.
Pictures are in my post "Cold Smoking in a Hot Climate." This uses all original hardware and no drilling is required. I did replace the existing bolts with slightly longer ones with washers but don't think this is really necessary.
I borrowed Rogers idea for a stand for the Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna as an external smoke generator for my 3D. Home Depot had the 5/8-7/8" hose to attach to the BK and I used aluminum strap 1 1/2" wide, drilled a 3/4" hole with a hole saw to attach the BK outlet and a standard water hose male adapter to attach the hose to the outlet. I used JB weld to attach the strap to the bread pan.
It has been a challenge to keep the BK going and finally read about using lump charcoal and not just chips/pellets.
Anyone have more advice for keeping the BK smoking without having to relight it several times? I think using alternate chips-pellets-charcoal will keep it going.
Carl
It has been a challenge to keep the BK going and finally read about using lump charcoal and not just chips/pellets.
Anyone have more advice for keeping the BK smoking without having to relight it several times? I think using alternate chips-pellets-charcoal will keep it going.
Carl
