I wanted some smoked cheese for Christmas so needed to get it done; it needs to age a couple of weeks after smoking. Monday I bought a chunk of Gouda, from Holland and a chunk of sharp provolone from Wisconsin. I would have enough to give some away for gifts too.
I smoked a batch awhile back that turned out good. Cheese needs to be cold smoked, keeping temps. below 90 deg. F. It was just below 60 deg. today so that would work. I used my Traeger pellet smoker for the smoke chamber and for the smoke I used an Amazn tube smoker and a RSI, reusable spice smoker, from Smokn Spice to generate the smoke. I filled them both with 100 % apple wood pellets.
When I got them both lit and smoking good on the bottom rack; I placed the cheese on a frog mat on the second shelf. I have the ability to just run the blower fan on my Traeger but found the smokers work better without it. I place a wooden clothespin under the front edge of the lid for some air intake.
I placed my remote temp probe on the top grate just under the cheese to monitor the temperature. I was able to keep it below 80 deg. F. I smoked the cheese for two hours and had a nice color.
I got it all vacuum packed and in the fridge. It should be just right for Christmas.
The cheese
My smoke set up
Cheese sliced up
After one hour of smoke
Cheese is done after two hours
I cooled it in the fridge awhile before vacuum packing
All packaged up
Smokin Don
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