Smoking Cheese: How Long Should You Go For?

Smoking cheese is a great way to add a delicious, nutty flavour to your favourite cheese. The process involves curing cheese in smoke at a low temperature, creating a rich, unique flavour. The time it takes to smoke cheese depends on the desired flavour and texture. The actual smoking process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on how smoky you want the cheese to be. However, the cheese then needs to be wrapped and left to rest in the refrigerator for at least a week, and preferably two weeks, to allow the flavours to develop and mellow. The longer the cheese is left to rest, the better the flavour will be. Therefore, the whole process, from smoking to eating, can take up to several weeks.

How long to smoke cheese

The length of time you smoke cheese depends on your taste preferences and the type of cheese you're using. The smoking process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours, with longer sessions resulting in stronger flavours. In general, softer cheeses require less smoking time than harder ones.

If you want a lighter smoke flavour, leave your cheese on the smoker for around one hour. For a bolder smoke flavour, two hours should be enough to impart a good amount of smoke flavour without becoming overwhelming. Harder cheeses, such as Cheddar, may take up to two and a half to three hours to smoke.

After the smoking process, the cheese needs to be wrapped and refrigerated for at least 24 hours to allow the flavours to mellow and develop. The cheese can then be vacuum-sealed and stored in the refrigerator for up to several weeks. The longer it rests, the better the flavour will be.

Cheese smoking temperature

Smoking your own cheese at home is a lengthy process that requires specific materials and equipment. The temperature is crucial when smoking cheese, as fatty milk solids start to liquefy at about 90 °F. Therefore, you must keep the temperature of your grill or smoker well below 90 °F.

To ensure the temperature stays low enough, it is recommended to smoke cheese when the weather is cool, ideally 60 °F or below. You can also use ice pans to help keep the temperature down. These are similar to the water pans used for hot smoking, but they are filled with ice instead.

When preparing your smoker, you should use a smoke tube or cold smoke generator and mild wood such as apple, cherry, maple, or pecan. Light the tube smoker or generator, ensuring there are no flames, just smoke. Use a grill surface thermometer to make sure the temperature does not exceed 90 °F.

Once the smoker is ready, place your cheese wedges or blocks on the smoker grates, leaving enough space between them to allow for good airflow. Close the lid and smoke the cheese for 1-2 hours, depending on how smoky you want the final product to be.

After smoking, remove the cheese from the smoker and wrap it in parchment paper or butcher paper. Place it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Then, remove the cheese from the paper and vacuum seal it. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use a zip-top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible.

Finally, place the sealed bags in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks to allow the flavours to develop and the smoke flavour to mellow.

Best cheese for smoking

Smoked cheese is typically only seen at high-end grocers or specialty stores and it comes with a price tag. Luckily, if you’ve got any type of grill at home, you can easily recreate those expensive results. Plus, you get to have a lot of fun doing it!

It is recommended to use hard or semi-hard cheeses for smoking. Soft cheeses tend to absorb too much smoke flavour and can be difficult to keep from falling through your grill grates.

Some of the best cheeses for smoking include:

• Cheddar
• Hard mozzarella
• Pepper jack
• Gouda
• Monterey Jack
• Gruyere
• Parmesan
• Brie
• Swiss

For beginners, hard cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, gouda, and parmesan are great options as they don't easily become over-smoked.

How to Smoke Cheese

To smoke cheese, you will need:

• An outdoor grill
• A cool day (below 90°F or 60°F)
• A smoke tube
• Wood pellets
• A vacuum sealer (optional)
• Select a grill. You won’t be turning on your grill as a heat source, it’s simply acting as the vessel for holding your cheese and keeping the smoke flowing around it.
• Light the tube smoker inside the grill. Make sure the flame is extinguished and only smoke is produced.
• Arrange your cheese on the grates, ensuring they aren’t touching and there is airflow around each piece.
• Close the lid and smoke the cheese for 1-2 hours.
• Once the cheese is done smoking, remove it from the grill and wrap it in parchment or untreated butcher paper.
• Refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
• Vacuum seal the cheese. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, place it in a zip-top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible.
• Refrigerate for 2 weeks. If you sampled the cheese right after smoking, you will notice that the smoke flavour is very strong. As it sits in the fridge, the smoke flavour will distribute and mellow out.

How Long to Smoke Cheese

There is no hard and fast rule for how long to smoke cheese. You can leave it on the smoke anywhere from 30 minutes to over 2 hours depending on how smoky you would like the final product. For a lighter smoke flavour, leave your cheese on the smoker for around 1 hour.

How to store smoked cheese

Once your cheese has finished smoking, it's important to wrap it and let it breathe for a while before vacuum sealing and storing it in the refrigerator.

Firstly, remove the cheese from the grill and wrap it in untreated butcher paper, parchment paper, or wax paper. Then, place the wrapped cheese in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. After this initial resting period, unwrap the cheese and vacuum seal it for long-term storage. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can place the cheese in a zip-top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Label and date your cheese so you know how long it's been stored.

Finally, place the sealed bags in the fridge and let the cheese rest for about two weeks. This waiting period allows the strong smoky flavour to mellow out and distribute evenly throughout the cheese. Properly stored smoked cheese can last for at least a year in the refrigerator. Freezing smoked cheese is not recommended as it can affect the texture, making it crumbly instead of smooth and creamy.

How to set up a smoker

How to Set Up Your Smoker

You can use your grill, or if you have one, a pellet or offset smoker. Just make sure that it has good ventilation. You will need either a tube smoker or cold smoke generator for this.

Use a mild wood like apple, cherry, or pecan. Try to avoid strong aromas like oak or hickory, unless you are experimenting with harder cheeses.

Light your tube smoker or generator, making sure there is only smoke and no flames. Use a grill surface thermometer to make sure that the heat doesn’t ever go above 90°F (32°C).

Place your wedges on the smoker grates. Make sure there’s enough space between them to allow good airflow.

Close the smoker or grill lid and leave for a couple of hours. This should be enough time to allow the smoke to do its thing without letting it get to the point where the flavours overpower your cheese.

Additional Tips for Smoking Cheese

• Smoke your cheese for around two hours.
• Choose a cool day to smoke your cheese, ideally when the outside temperature is no higher than 60°F (15°C). Warmer temperatures can cause your cheese to melt.
• For consistent smoke penetration, you should ensure all surfaces of your cheese gain sufficient exposure to smoke. Turn your cheese every 15 to 30 minutes.
• The best smoking wood for cheese is applewood or other delicate fruitwoods like cherry and pecan. If you are smoking something hard and strong in flavour, try something equally punchy like oak or hickory.
• To help smoke penetrate the entire cheese block, prepare it by removing the rind and cutting it into small wedges four inches in length. If you prefer a softer inside with a smoky skin, cut it into larger pieces.
• Allow your cheese to rest at room temperature for one or two hours before smoking. Wipe off any moisture to help it develop better skin.

Frequently asked questions