This is my easy method to cold smoke cheese using a cheapo tube smoker found on Amazon.
Course Appetiser
Cuisine Cold Smoking
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 4 hourshours
Total Time 4 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Ingredients
20-30slicesCheesehard (sharp cheddar used in this recipe, use your favorite.)
2TBSJeff's original rub
Instructions
Arrange Arrange cheese slices onto a pan/rack. Be sure to leave a little space between them.
Fill and Light Fill a smoke tube with pellets then lay it on the grate of a smoker or grill right next to an opening or hole so it can get air. Light it using a butane torch. Let it burn until it goes out.
Smoke Place the rack of cheese on the smoker/grill grate.
Season After about 2 hours, sprinkle Jeff's original rub on some or all of the cheese if you desire (it's really good).
Finish When the cheese has smoked for 3-4 hours, it's finished and can be brought into the house to cool on the counter top.
Age Place the cheese slices into zip top bags and into the fridge for 2 weeks to "age" or mellow out.
Notes
Here's some things to consider when you cold smoke cheese. Many of these list items were sent in by readers:
Make sure the ambient temperature is low ( I usually only smoke cheese when it's in the 60's or below)
Make sure the smoker is in the shade (The smoker can get hot in the sun, even if it's cool outside)
Wear latex gloves when handling cheese to prevent oils and bacteria from your hands transferring to the cheese. This will stave off mold and help the cheese to last longer in storage.
Zip top bags are ok for storage but a vacuum sealer is even better.
Let the cheese come to room temperature before smoking it. A thin skin or "rind" will develop and protect the cheese while it smokes.
I used slices but you can also smoke larger pieces if desired.
I used pecan pellets but the “more common” competition blend pellets are also perfect for cheese
The 2 week aging process at the end is the minimum. 2 months is better.