Cold smoking cheese?

Mo-Dave · Oct 21, 2014

I have cold smoked a good bit of cheese, nuts and buck board bacon, even chocolate, all with some mixed results.

My question, when doing a cold smoke, in order to maintain a low temp 90 degrees or less, the wood just smolders, and does not burn clean. This sometimes will give off a creosote taste.

How do you burn your wood for cold smoking to avoid this? do you let the wood burn to embers first? are you using chips, splits, or chunks.

I am almost done with my vertical bandera rescue, with the offset fire box, and hope it may be able to do a better job than what I have used in the past.
Dave

oifmarine2003 · Oct 21, 2014

I just use pellets in the A-maze-N smoker and its works great! Hickory smoked Gouda is my favorite!

ButtBurner · Oct 21, 2014

try putting 1 or 2 lit briqs of charcoal in the cooker.

It will heat just enough to cause air movement in the smoke chamber. You are probably experiencing stale smoke as it lingers in the chamber.

A 100w light bulb works too (if you can find one anymore)

I had the same problem with my Amazen pellet burner in my old OK joe and that's what the man that makes the Amazen told me to do and it works

I just needed a little extra heat to keep the air moving up and out of the pit, taking the stale smoke with it

I was using the Amazen with my old electic Bradley with the power off, its insulated so it did not need any extra heat and worked without it but when I tried with the OK Joe I had problems

Mo-Dave · Oct 21, 2014

ButtBurner said:
try putting 1 or 2 lit briqs of charcoal in the cooker.

It will heat just enough to cause air movement in the smoke chamber. You are probably experiencing stale smoke as it lingers in the chamber.

A 100w light bulb works too (if you can find one anymore)

I had the same problem with my Amazen pellet burner in my old OK joe and that's what the man that makes the Amazen told me to do and it works

I just needed a little extra heat to keep the air moving up and out of the pit, taking the stale smoke with it

I was using the Amazen with my old electic Bradley with the power off, its insulated so it did not need any extra heat and worked without it but when I tried with the OK Joe I had problems

I have no problem with enough heat in fact it usually has to much heat, causing the cheese to melt, even when putting a pan of ice under the cheese.

Wonder if a small fan placed so it blows across the exhaust would siphon off the offending stale smoke?
Dave

stickburner plus · Oct 21, 2014

This is my method for cold smoking cheese.The air flow can be controlled for less or more smoke.Hold's right at 80 to 90 ambient degree

It all taste good this way
put into a webber or something

cowgirl · Oct 21, 2014

I use my smokehouse, it has an offset firebox that sits several feet away from the house. I light a couple of wood logs in the firebox, let them burn down most of the way, then add smaller wood chunks or splits for smoke when needed. I've also used hot coals with chips, they work ok but you have to replenish the chips often.
I installed a damper in the smoke pipe that runs from the firebox to the smokehouse for extra smoke/heat control.
The smoke doesn't need to be seen. If you smell smoke, it's doing it's job. A light thin smoke works best for me. :-D

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2008/01/building-cold-smoker-smokehouse.html

ckelly · Oct 21, 2014

I use the A-maze-ing pellet tube smoker now.
Before that, I had 2 pellet poopers.

Would take the chimney cap off both and connect the stacks with a dryer vent hose.
Unit 1 would be fired up on smoke to produce the smoke.
Unit 2 would stay powered off and have the cheese in it, becoming the receptacle for the smoke.

Both have worked like a charm.

dano · Oct 21, 2014

Another for the a-maze-n...does a great job and is easy to use.

aawa · Oct 21, 2014

I use the A-Maze-N smoker that uses the dust. I never have to worry about temps as long as ambient temperature is low 70's.

Mo-Dave · Oct 21, 2014

stickburner plus said:
This is my method for cold smoking cheese.The air flow can be controlled for less or more smoke.Hold's right at 80 to 90 degree.

It all taste good this way
put into a webber or something

Here is something I did that is similar to your can. I should have use something bigger it needed refilling often. In the photo it was just getting started, but did produce much more smoke after awhile.
Dave

Mo-Dave · Oct 21, 2014

cowgirl said:
I use my smokehouse, it has an offset firebox that sits several feet away from the house. I light a couple of wood logs in the firebox, let them burn down most of the way, then add smaller wood chunks or splits for smoke when needed. I've also used hot coals with chips, they work ok but you have to replenish the chips often.
I installed a damper in the smoke pipe that runs from the firebox to the smokehouse for extra smoke/heat control.
The smoke doesn't need to be seen. If you smell smoke, it's doing it's job. A light thin smoke works best for me. :-D

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/2008/01/building-cold-smoker-smokehouse.html

I have this old box taken off my vertical bandera, and replaced with a new one given to me by the person that gave me the bandera. I am thinking I can mount some sheet metal over the fire box hole down in the lower right corner, with a stove pipe round pipe in place, and a long hose attached with a makeshift fire box. I would probably put it up on a few blocks or a metal table. This is similar to your smoke house on a much smaller scale, but would be more than enough room for the amount of food I would be smoking.
Dave

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=103268&stc=1&d=1413915084

IamMadMan · Oct 21, 2014

I use the A-Maze-N Pellet smoker as well with pellets with great results.

Even with chips and pellets you do not have a clean fire so the smoke is visible. Airflow is very important, the smoke passes over the cheese to add smoke flavor to it because your fire is not hot enough to burn or cook.

When you take the cheese off, it will have a strong overpowering smoke flavor to it, which is fine because it is only on the outer layer. Wrap the cheese tightly and refrigerate it to allow the smoke flavor to migrate throughout the cheese. After a few days it will be milder, but I keep it sealed for up to two weeks to allow a consistent smoke flavor throughout the block.

Sometimes I can't wait that long if I only do a few pounds and I start to eat them after 4 to 5 days.

JDM46 · Oct 21, 2014

Dittos for the A-maze-N pellets. Works great.:grin:

cowgirl · Oct 22, 2014

Mo-Dave said:
I have this old box taken off my vertical bandera, and replaced with a new one given to me by the person that gave me the bandera. I am thinking I can mount some sheet metal over the fire box hole down in the lower right corner, with a stove pipe round pipe in place, and a long hose attached with a makeshift fire box. I would probably put it up on a few blocks or a metal table. This is similar to your smoke house on a much smaller scale, but would be more than enough room for the amount of food I would be smoking.
Dave

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=103268&stc=1&d=1413915084

Sounds like a good plan. Looking forward to seeing it in action!

sam3 · Oct 22, 2014

Another vote for the AMZNPS.
I use my Bradley OBS with the power off. Place the lit AMZNPS on the bottom when it's @40* outside. Inside of the box will climb only to 70-75*.
It works real well.

captndan · Oct 22, 2014

stickburner plus said:
This is my method for cold smoking cheese.The air flow can be controlled for less or more smoke.Hold's right at 80 to 90 ambient degree

It all taste good this way
put into a webber or something

That's the way I do it Dave.

Cold smoking cheese?

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