Pellet Smoker Cooking

Dec 04 2012

I wanted some smoked cheese for Christmas so needed to get it done; it needs to age a couple of weeks after smoking. Monday I bought a chunk of Gouda, from Holland and a chunk of sharp provolone from Wisconsin. I would have enough to give some away for gifts too.

I smoked a batch awhile back that turned out good. Cheese needs to be cold smoked, keeping temps. below 90 deg. F. It was just below 60 deg. today so that would work. I used my Traeger pellet smoker for the smoke chamber and for the smoke I used an Amazn tube smoker and a RSI, reusable spice smoker, from Smokn Spice to generate the smoke. I filled them both with 100 % apple wood pellets.

When I got them both lit and smoking good on the bottom rack; I placed the cheese on a frog mat on the second shelf. I have the ability to just run the blower fan on my Traeger but found the smokers work better without it. I place a wooden clothespin under the front edge of the lid for some air intake.

I placed my remote temp probe on the top grate just under the cheese to monitor the temperature. I was able to keep it below 80 deg. F. I smoked the cheese for two hours and had a nice color.

I got it all vacuum packed and in the fridge. It should be just right for Christmas.

The cheese


My smoke set up


Cheese sliced up


After one hour of smoke


Cheese is done after two hours


I cooled it in the fridge awhile before vacuum packing


All packaged up


Smokin Don

I am not looking for winter to come but was happy to get cool enough weather to cold smoke some cheese. I had a new toy, the Amazin Tube Smoker, to try out. It was made to give added smoke to pellet smokers. I used it for hot smoking a couple of times but too early to say if it actually made the meat I did any smokier tasting. I also installed a manual fan switch on my Traeger 07E so I could run the fan only. I use it when shutting down and just new it would also be great for cold smoking.

I had 2 pound each of Dutchmark Gouda and Vermont white cheddar I bought at Sam’s Club. I cut the Gouda in 3 pieces 1 inch thick and the cheddar in 6 pieces 1 inch thick and set it out 2 hours before smoking. I planned to do some for a single smoke of 2 hours. Then I would double smoke the rest for another 2 hours after a 2 hour rest.

I was using some Smokin Brothers 100% apple wood pellets that my brother had given me. I filled the tube smoker with the pellets and got it lit. I laid it across the back and placed the cheese on a frogmat, turned the fan on. After 15 minutes I was not getting any smoke from the stack, just some at the top of the lid. I turned the fan off and within a minute I got smoke from the stack. It smoked well the whole two hours, nice blue smoke coming from the stack and some from the top of the lid. Whenever I opened the lid the barrel was full of smoke.

After the two hours I took the cheese inside and covered with saran wrap to rest for two hours. I had to go out and empty the tube smoker to stop the fire and refill for the second smoke. When I went inside I smelt the sweet smoky smell of apple wood; and my smoking deck never smelled so good before. I tasted a small slice from each, a mild smoke taste; I cut the 3 pieces of Gouda in half so I had six. I saved out 2 pieces each of the Gouda and cheddar to vacuum pack for a single smoke; so I ended up with 4 pieces each for the double smoke.

After the 2 hours I relit the tube smoker, placed it across the back and put the cheese on. After 15 minutes was not getting much smoke so had to relight the tube. The trick is to get it lit right the first time. All went well for the second smoke. All the cheese is now vacuum sealed and in the fridge for two weeks to mellow out, if I can wait that long!

Note: One tip is after lighting the tube smoker and you want to move it do not grab it in the middle but on the opposite end or use some tongs to move it! Never too old to learn, even the hard way!

Link to Tube Smoker Site

The Cheese


Sliced & ready to smoke


Smoke after turning the fan off


The pit temp


The smoke I was getting from the tube


The first smoke


After the second smoke


All vacuum packed


Smokin Don

I have wanted to smoke cheese every since I got my pellet smoker over 2 years ago. I almost bought a small charcoal smoker I could hook a dryer hose too and use my Traeger for the smoke source. Then on pelletheads I started to read about the Smoke Daddy. I just about ordered one until I seen a video demo & there were sparks falling from it. That was out since my smoker is on a wood deck.

I recently got a Smok’n Spice RSI, Reusable Smoke Infuser, for adding smoked spices. It worked good with the spice pellets so I experimented with wood pellets & was able to get over an hour smoke from it. I also tried some apple wood chips, they didn’t do as well as the pellets.

After reading up on smoking cheese on the net and all I could find posted from my fellow pelletheads; I felt I was ready to do some cheese. I had bought a brick of Cabot aged Vermont sharp cheddar and a brick of Auricchio aged sharp provolone, two lbs each.

I would only smoke half the cheese, in case I ruined it! I cut each brick in half & some samplers from each one. My plan was to do the provolone for one hour & the cheddar for two hours; based upon what I read. Some said theirs was too acrid & strong tasting right out of the smoker but most said it mellowed out after aging.

I loaded the RSI unit with half 100% Hickory pellets and the rest with apple wood chips. I got it smoking good & put my cheese on. Ambient temp. was 56 deg. I monitored the smoker temp. it never got over 70 deg. I tasted both cheeses at 1 hour, 1 ½ hours, 2 hours, and 2 ½ hours. The RSI was about out at 1 ½ hours, with tongs & a fork I was able to get the lid off, filled with hickory pellets, and relit.

During the tasting it never did taste too strong to me so I ended up doing both cheeses for 3 hours. I didn’t have a brown color I was expecting but had a nice gold hue to them. The samplers tasted great. I think the provolone was better than the cheddar, had a sweet smoky nut taste to it. My daughter-in-law tasted it & thought it was good. I vacuum packed the cheese & in the fridge to age for one month.

I guess you will have to tune in next month for the real results! Thanks to many pelletheads for your posts on smoking cheese!

The Cheese


Ready to Smoke


The Smoke


The Smoke at 1/2 Hour


After 3 hours on Smoke


Ready to Vacuum Pack


Ready to Age


Smokin Don