Pellet Smoker Cooking: Applewood Smoked Gouda and Cheddar

I am not looking for winter to come but was happy to get cool enough weather to cold smoke some cheese. I had a new toy, the Amazin Tube Smoker, to try out. It was made to give added smoke to pellet smokers. I used it for hot smoking a couple of times but too early to say if it actually made the meat I did any smokier tasting. I also installed a manual fan switch on my Traeger 07E so I could run the fan only. I use it when shutting down and just new it would also be great for cold smoking.

I had 2 pound each of Dutchmark Gouda and Vermont white cheddar I bought at Sam’s Club. I cut the Gouda in 3 pieces 1 inch thick and the cheddar in 6 pieces 1 inch thick and set it out 2 hours before smoking. I planned to do some for a single smoke of 2 hours. Then I would double smoke the rest for another 2 hours after a 2 hour rest.

I was using some Smokin Brothers 100% apple wood pellets that my brother had given me. I filled the tube smoker with the pellets and got it lit. I laid it across the back and placed the cheese on a frogmat, turned the fan on. After 15 minutes I was not getting any smoke from the stack, just some at the top of the lid. I turned the fan off and within a minute I got smoke from the stack. It smoked well the whole two hours, nice blue smoke coming from the stack and some from the top of the lid. Whenever I opened the lid the barrel was full of smoke.

After the two hours I took the cheese inside and covered with saran wrap to rest for two hours. I had to go out and empty the tube smoker to stop the fire and refill for the second smoke. When I went inside I smelt the sweet smoky smell of apple wood; and my smoking deck never smelled so good before. I tasted a small slice from each, a mild smoke taste; I cut the 3 pieces of Gouda in half so I had six. I saved out 2 pieces each of the Gouda and cheddar to vacuum pack for a single smoke; so I ended up with 4 pieces each for the double smoke.

After the 2 hours I relit the tube smoker, placed it across the back and put the cheese on. After 15 minutes was not getting much smoke so had to relight the tube. The trick is to get it lit right the first time. All went well for the second smoke. All the cheese is now vacuum sealed and in the fridge for two weeks to mellow out, if I can wait that long!

Note: One tip is after lighting the tube smoker and you want to move it do not grab it in the middle but on the opposite end or use some tongs to move it! Never too old to learn, even the hard way!

Link to Tube Smoker Site

The Cheese