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 Smoked Cheddar 
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Since getting my Bradley electric smoker, I have cooked countless racks of pork ribs. It was time to branch out a little and try my hand at cheese.

Started off with a 5lb block of mild cheddar
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Divided up into large chunks and placed in the smoker.
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To help keep temps and moisture under control, I used a dish of ice that I had to refill once and hour.
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I then smoked it using apple wood at temps varying between 65-80 degrees for 3 hours.
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Out of the smoker, the cheese has a nice "bark". The taste of the cheese at this point is akin to licking your smoker, and ryan and I verified that (yuk).
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So now she will sit for 7-10 days to age in the fridge. Wrapped in wax paper.
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I'll have more to add in 7-10 days!


Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:46 pm
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I have 3 lbs of cheddar in the smoker Right now!!!

Using a Traeger, and Just starting the second hour of smoking.

Any lessons learned to pass on?


Sun Feb 26, 2017 3:50 pm
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:drool:

Beautiful work.

Why mild instead of medium or sharp or extra sharp? Do the flavors compete?


Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:10 pm
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I'm smoking sharp cheddar. Why the 7-10 day wait after smoking?


Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:21 pm
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Arisaka wrote:
I have 3 lbs of cheddar in the smoker Right now!!!

Using a Traeger, and Just starting the second hour of smoking.

Any lessons learned to pass on?


This was my first time, so I wouldn't take any advice from me for at least 10 more days :bigsmile: . I would just say rotate the block(s) every 30 minutes or so and keep it below 90 degrees unless you want a mess.

PMB wrote:
:drool:

Beautiful work.

Why mild instead of medium or sharp or extra sharp? Do the flavors compete?

I guess the sharper the cheese, the more density it has. So with a mild cheddar you smoke with fruit and nut variety (hence the apple) that is a lighter smoke. With Sharp and Extra Sharp you want to use a smoke that can penetrate the density of the cheese, so most people recommend hickory or mesquite.

I probably could have gone Medium with Apple on this, but being y first round I wanted to smoke something that favors my inexperience.

Arisaka wrote:
I'm smoking start cheddar. Why the 7-10'daynwait after smoking?

The aging will help draw the smoke flavor evenly into the entire block and diffuse the harsh "I just licked the inside of my smoker" taste that comes from freshly smoked cheese.


Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:23 pm
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I used hickory on the sharp cheddar. I guess I will try to wait it out for 7-10 days, but I might not make it that long.


Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:29 pm
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Arisaka wrote:
I used hickory on the sharp cheddar. I guess I will try to wait it out for 7-10 days, but I might not make it that long.


By all means, grab a slice when it comes off the smoker. Maybe your experience will be different. I'll probably test mine in a few days, and a few days after that, etc.


Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:47 pm
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Don't you need wood to create smoke? Not sure how burning hockey pucks works..... :peep:

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Sun Feb 26, 2017 4:54 pm
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I am not much of a fan of orange annatto cheese. But that probably is pretty tasty!!

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Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:11 pm
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Jagerbomber35 wrote:
Don't you need wood to create smoke? Not sure how burning hockey pucks works..... :peep:



I'm still a n00b. I have a Rec-Tec mini en route though, pellets.. Still not to your caliber though.


Sun Feb 26, 2017 5:28 pm
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:ROFLMAO:


I did the same, hickory smoke tempt near 65 COLD SMOKE!!


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Sun Feb 26, 2017 7:32 pm
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Some good looking product here! I'm no pro, but have found that aging definitely mellows the acrid smoke taste you get right out of the smoker. 2 weeks is even better. I can't afford to let my spare fridge get tainted with too much smoke odor, so I wrap the blocks in paper towels and refrigerate overnight, then go ahead and vacuum seal it.
I definitely turn the blocks too so they get an even coat, and it keeps them from melting. The sharper and/or more aged the cheese is, the harder and drier it is and less likely to melt.

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Sun Feb 26, 2017 9:58 pm
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So when is the taste testing?


Sun Feb 26, 2017 11:06 pm
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Mike in Wa wrote:
So when is the taste testing?



For me, the first block opens in 10 days


Mon Feb 27, 2017 6:19 am
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Yup. Fucking delicious!! Have a. Inch away and keeping a block to slice off of over the next 2 weeks to see how it continues to improve.

Next up, MOAR cheese.


Mon Mar 13, 2017 1:54 pm
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