hoogl Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Just finishing my first cold smoke. I couldn't wait to try out the Cold smoke generator. Decided to go with Oak. Put the CSG in the bottom. Water bowl empty foil on bottom from last smoke. Grease proof paper over the grates after I stabbed holes in it. 5kg Mature CheddarCostco 800g Gouda - Asda 18:30 - Lit the CSG 18:45 - Cheese in the WSM 19:45 - Checked the taste of one block of Cheddar. - Very light smoke 20:45 - Checked the taste of the same block - A nice wee smoke flavour appearing. (Decided to brave one more hour) 21:45 - Quick taste as I take off the WSM and rest in the fridge for an hour or so - Very nice smoke flavour and smell. 22:00 - Throw on some random Rock salt I have since the CSG is still going. 🤷♂️ 22:45 - Start Vac packing. (I hope my neighbours don't mind the noise) 00:10 - Finish packing (last block wouldn't work so used cling film.) I've included pictures. I did put some labels on the cheese with a use after date on it. Up to 6 blocks are going to be used next week for my Dad's Bowling club Cheese and Wine night ( there will be other cheese available plus once the wines open they won't care😁). The rest i'll keep or give to friends/family and ask for feedback on the taste. I did read previously that 3 weeks is an ideal rest period but thought I'll give it a bash. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icefever Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Looking gooood....I did a test on time spent in the smoker on mature cheddar last year I think it was. The first lot had one hour, then a section came out every 30 mins after that up to 5 hours. Now for our taste, the 3-hour mark was the better of all the blocks...so I stick with that now. Ice. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotv Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 What an impressive amount of cheese. Hope it all works out in time, ok for the bowling club.do. I've used the Asda Gouda to smoke as well and it tasted lovely. The 18 month old Gouda at Lidl although more expensive, cold smokes beautifully as well. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 (edited) Well done. to quote a tip from wade, when you take cheese out of the smoker. leave it outside for an hour (I put a loose bit of clingfilm on top ) before vaccing. Helps with the mellowing and moisture content on the cheese. Does not matter to much but takes up a little level of smoothness in my experience. Curious, did you read the cold smoke cheese smoking thread before doing this? Experience has led me to do 3 hour smoke, 1 hours open rest, then vac. Nice to see your fridge full of cheese , mine is too, I am up to 3 weeks now, so into the zone of tasting but I will leave it another week. I will bring some to the spring tailgate next weekend and see what people think. Edited May 2, 2019 by Justin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted May 5, 2019 Author Share Posted May 5, 2019 On 5/2/2019 at 2:24 AM, Icefever said: Looking gooood....I did a test on time spent in the smoker on mature cheddar last year I think it was. The first lot had one hour, then a section came out every 30 mins after that up to 5 hours. Now for our taste, the 3-hour mark was the better of all the blocks...so I stick with that now. Ice. Excellent, I'm doing a rest test. I have some blocks marked to "use after" and have them set at 1 Week, 2 Week and 3 Week. So the plan is to open them at these intervals and see how the mellow effects them. I'll probably do a smoke test and see how that changes the flavour at a later date. Though my GF is kinda wanting the fridge back. 😊 On 5/2/2019 at 7:52 AM, sotv said: What an impressive amount of cheese. Hope it all works out in time, ok for the bowling club.do. I've used the Asda Gouda to smoke as well and it tasted lovely. The 18 month old Gouda at Lidl although more expensive, cold smokes beautifully as well. Cheers, There is going to be other cheese on the night so if it doesn't work then it's nothing major. I'm looking forward to the Gouda, I'll need to try the Lidl cheese (I don't mind paying more for a better quality) I think they doing 400g blocks soon for 99p. So i may invest in some. 😀 On 5/2/2019 at 8:48 AM, Justin said: Well done. to quote a tip from wade, when you take cheese out of the smoker. leave it outside for an hour (I put a loose bit of clingfilm on top ) before vaccing. Helps with the mellowing and moisture content on the cheese. Does not matter to much but takes up a little level of smoothness in my experience. Curious, did you read the cold smoke cheese smoking thread before doing this? Experience has led me to do 3 hour smoke, 1 hours open rest, then vac. Nice to see your fridge full of cheese , mine is too, I am up to 3 weeks now, so into the zone of tasting but I will leave it another week. I will bring some to the spring tailgate next weekend and see what people think. Yeah I had read through the cold smoking section here particularly the cheese posts including yours. Great source of advice 🙂. I did rest uncovered in the fridge for an hour before vac. I had tasted it during an hour of smoke, Two hours, Three hours and after rest and I'd say it wasn't over smoked. I'll see how it tastes on Thursday morning /evening and I'll update. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotv Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Cheese can be quite forgiving, but always best to give it 3 weeks to settle after smoking. Just put 3kg of Wykes Farm Mature from the Deli Counter at Morrisons (on offer £5 a kg) comes in 1kg blocks heat sealed plastic wrap, nice and dry no wetness to the outside of it. Giving it just under 3 hours of smoke, one of my favourite brands of cheese to smoke. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted May 6, 2019 Author Share Posted May 6, 2019 @sotv Sounds good. I'm looking forward to tasting the cheese. Only a couple days left I'll keep my eye out for that cheese next time I'm in Morrisons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) I am eating mine now. I have 3kg of the cheeses smoked, and ready it the fridge! Taking some to the spring tailgate next weekend Edited May 7, 2019 by Justin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor72 Posted May 6, 2019 Share Posted May 6, 2019 Looking forward to that 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 Hi All, I forgot to update. My cheese went down a storm. The Gouda was nice but the Cheddar was dynamite. It was the best cheese of the night. Week one - I found that the flavour was really strong/intense as soon as you bit into the cheese but not overpowering and bitter. Week three - The cheese was really pleasant. The smoke has penetrated deeper into the cheese and developed a more complex flavour. Week seven - Yes I still have some cheese left. 😃 Still has a lovely smoke flavour. I've attached a couple pics of the platters. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Nice . Well done. So easy to do as long as you take the steps properly and are patient. Charcuterie next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub333 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Is there an ideal size of cheese to smoke? When I've done Cheddar, I've cut it into two or three pieces based on some of the pics above. But if I put a big block on without cutting it, would you get an even penetration of smoke all the way through? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor72 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Justin has done a lot of cheese smoking successfully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I slice cheese inch and half or so thick. Convinient for vaccing portions but that is because only I eat it. I do not see why going thicker would matter as the smoke does not penetrate through that far into the cheese and if the block was bigger there is a bigger surface area to take the flavour therefore the rate of smoke taste is the same when you slice it. Ie the ratio is the same as you increase the size of the block Unless you slice thinly and smoke of course. All the above is theory as i have not experimented with bigger blocks of cheese Wade might know better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub333 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Thanks! Am very happy with experiments so far. The amount of smokiness after 3hrs seems to be spot on. Have only tried oak dust so far; will try a couple of others next time 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Cool. I use orange dust for cheddar and red leister. My only failure is Double Gloucester. Does not pick the flavour combination with that cheese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor72 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Justin said: Cool. I use orange dust for cheddar and red leister. My only failure is Double Gloucester. Does not pick the flavour combination with that cheese That’s a tough one to match up with the onion I’m guessing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor72 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Justin said: Cool. I use orange dust for cheddar and red leister. My only failure is Double Gloucester. Does not pick the flavour combination with that cheese What about pecan or cherry I saw in Asda something like spruce smoked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Personal taste. Like I use maple for salmon. i find it a bit softer and not so bitter. I use cherry on ribs too. Sweeter smokes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 13 hours ago, Raptor72 said: That’s a tough one to match up with the onion I’m guessing? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor72 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 1 hour ago, Justin said: ? Double Gloucester and which flavour smoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Orange. It seems to me that it is too fatty and that has impact how the smoke imparts flavour, Maybe I do not like Double Gloucester cheese? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.