How to Cold Smoke Cheese That will Mellow out

by Joost Nusselder | Last Updated:  June 24, 2021

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If you’re into cheese, then you are probably aware that smoking it can make it taste better and even more flavorful. But since the cheese could sweat when exposed to a temperature of 90 degrees, cold smoking cheese is the best way to go.

How to cold smoke cheese is an easy process everyone can do. In fact, it doesn’t require a lot of effort for as long as you have a reliable smoker. This device doesn’t cost a lot of money, which makes for a great addition to your pantry.

You can serve the smoked cheese as an appetizer or give it to friends as a Christmas gift!

But before you start cold smoking cheese, here are some of the things about that you should know .

cold-smoking-cheese

Tips for Cold Smoke Cheese

Best Cheese to Smoke

If you don’t mind spending more, you can always choose premium cheeses to cold smoke. Some of the best ones are farmhouse cheddar, artisanal mozzarella, Greek feta, Manchego, halloumi, and imported Gouda cheese. You can also choose to smoke cheeses that you can buy from your local supermarket including sharp cheddar.

best-cheese-to-smoke

Almost all types of cheeses will respond well to cold smoking. However, try to avoid the softer varieties since they won’t be able to absorb the smoke well. You can also choose to cut the cheese in smaller blocks before cold smoking it.

Preparing the Fuel

Make sure you have enough supply of fuel for cold smoking your cheese.
Here are some of the ways you can accomplish this:

  • Wood Chips and Charcoal
    The best way to minimize heat is to use a few pieces of charcoal. Use the natural lump charcoal and group them together. When they start producing ashes, add a few wood chips. Before adding the chips, smoke them in water for about 30 minutes and drain them. Once the wood chips are added, place the cheese on the grill grate. Make sure it’s far away from the heat and leave some space to allow the air to flow. The smoking time will vary greatly, depending on the smoke flavor that you want to achieve.
  • Sawdust
    You can also use a tin pie plate that’s filled with sawdust when cold smoking cheese. However, this has a tendency to smolder for quite a while. If you prefer to use this, however, make sure that the sawdust doesn’t burst into flame. Get the fire started using a match, electric hot plate, or a workshop torch.
  • Smoking Pellets
    One load of smoking pellets is enough to generate cold smoke for several hours. As mentioned, arrange the cheese on the grate in such a way that it’s far from the heating unit. It’s also possible to use an enclosed grill that’s run by electric, charcoal or gas.
  • Straw or Hay
    Several years ago, people used straw or hay in smoking cheeses. In Italy, for instance, smoked cheeses, such as the pear-shaped mozzarella, are exposed to the smoke produced by hay or straw.

Best Wood for Smoking Cheese

choose-wood-chips
How to buy a bbq smoker video
How to buy a bbq smoker video

It depends on the favorite taste of each person, so if you would like a balcony sort of smoke flavor go for hickory or pecan and need an excellent sweet taste flavor go for sugar maple

How to Cold Smoke Cheese

Follow these easy steps for mellow cold smoked cheese.

  1. Rip your cheese into a block about 0.5 lb just speculate.cut-the-cheese-into-blockPro tip: let it sit there for about 1-2 hours to build a rind.
  2. Filled your favorite pellet smoker taste in smoker tube or amaze smoker tray then light it up with butane torch. Put it in the bottom of the grill, make sure that it far away from cheeses then put the grate.light-up-wood-pellet
    Pro tip: Hickory & pecan will give a balcony sort of smoke flavor. Sugar maple will give a nice sweet smoke.
  3. Throw block of cheeses in the grill close the lid make sure that cold smoke it below 90°F for 4 hours more or less depending on your tastecheese-in-the-grill
    Pro tip: prop the lid up a bit to let air flowing or keep the temp below 90°F. use heat deflector if pellet tray too close the cheeses
  4. Take the cheeses of the grill and try it out if you can’t wait anymore then pat dry with a paper towel and wrap all rest with plastic wrap or packed in saver back and sit in the fridge for a couple weeks or longer to let the smoke infiltrate in the cheese and mellow.packed-cold-smoke-cheese
    Pro tip: let the cheese sit in the fridge longer is better for the taste.

Related : How to Smoke Cheese on a Pellet Grill

How long to cold smoke cheese?

It’s recommended for cheese to cold smoke with a generator for two to four hours make sure that keep temp below 90°F. You can use any smoking device or add wood chips or charcoal briquettes regularly in order to maintain a steady flow of smoke.

How do you store smoked cheese?

Packed cold smoke cheese with the plastic wrap or saver food bag and threw them in the refrigerator.

How long should Cheese sit after smoking?

After you take them out off the grill pat dry with a towel paper and packed them with plastic wrap or saver food bag then let them rest in the fridge a couple of weeks to allow smoke to penetrate the cheese and mellow out.

Can you smoke cheese at 100 degrees?

Yes, you can cold smoke cheese at 100 degrees but shouldn’t be that long. Otherwise, it will melt. When cold smoking cheese, the temperature should be kept at less than 90 degrees.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Lakeside Smokers is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with BBQ Smoking (& Japanese food!) at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.