Smoking Cheese in SI#2 with Cold Plate

[BedouinBob]

I was going to do some ribs this weekend (see post in pork) so I decided to take a first shot at cheese with my SI#2 and was really pleased with the result. I used a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and Gouda so that I can make a determination on which we liked better. I put the cold plate at the bottom and added an additional foil covered rack above that with some small holes punched in it (finger thick) to let the smoke in. Topped that with a tray of ice and added 2oz of hickory chips. I went 19 minutes at max temp & then shut it off for 1 hour. Repeated the above cycle a second time. At the end of the 19 minutes the temp in the box only got to 79 deg so I had no ill effects on the cheese. I didn't take a picture of the completed result since the color change is subtle. It was super easy and we're exited at giving it all a taste test!  Have to wait a few weeks for it to mellow though.

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[DivotMaker]

Good day, Bob!  You don't have to wait weeks; just a few days to a week will allow the smoke to penetrate well.  Of course, the older cheese will mellow even more, but don't feel like you have to wait that long to give it a try!

[GeeBee]

Bob
Two more suggestions. I put my ice cubes in a disposable foil pan and set the pan right on top of the cold plate. The other thing I do is let the cheese blocks set uncovered in the 'fridge overnight before I smoke them. I think it helps them absorb smoke. Smoked Gouda is my favorite!

[BedouinBob]

Thanks Gary. I will give that a shot next time around. Overall the temp didn't get very high so it had little affect from what I could see on the quality of the cheese.