Letting Smoked Cheese Rest: How Long To Wait?

Smoking your own cheese at home is a great way to add a gourmet touch to your snacks, sandwiches, or pasta. However, it's important to let smoked cheese mellow before consuming it. The cheese will need to be vacuum-sealed and left to rest in the refrigerator for at least a couple of days, with some sources recommending up to two weeks. This resting period allows the intense, harsh, or acrid flavors to mellow and develop, creating a more balanced and gentle smokey taste.

How long to smoke cheese

Smoking cheese is a fun and easy process that can be done on any grill, even without a fancy smoker. The amount of time you leave your cheese to smoke depends on the strength of the flavour you want. Some leave cheese to smoke for two hours to develop a strong smokey flavour, while others prefer a more subtle flavour and leave the cheese in the smoker for just an hour. Softer cheeses absorb flavours faster, so they may not need as long, while semi-hard cheeses will take longer to soak in the flavours.

Before you start smoking, cut your cheese into small wedges or blocks. It is also recommended to freeze the cheese for two hours before smoking, so that the cheese melts less quickly, allowing the smoke flavour to be better dispersed throughout the cheese.

To smoke your cheese, you will need to prepare your grill by cleaning it thoroughly and placing a small mesh rack on it so that the cheese doesn't fall through the grill grates. You will also need to prepare your smoke source, which can be done by using a smoke tube, or by placing charcoal and wood chips in a small pan or tin plate and lighting them.

Once your smoke source is ready and your grill is set up, place your cheese on the grill grates, making sure that they aren't touching and that there is airflow around each piece of cheese. Close the lid and smoke for 1-2 hours, depending on your desired level of smokiness.

After smoking, remove the cheese from the grill and wrap it in parchment or untreated butcher paper. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours, then vacuum seal the cheese. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, place the cheese in a zip-top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing. Label and date the cheese, then place it back in the fridge for 2 weeks to allow the smoke flavour to distribute and mellow.

What temperature to smoke cheese

The ideal temperature for smoking cheese is below 90 °F (32 °C). This is because the solid milk fat in cheese begins to liquefy at 90 °F, and cheese can start to morph and melt at temperatures between 80 °F and 90 °F. Therefore, it is important to keep the temperature of your grill or smoker below this threshold to prevent your cheese from melting.

To maintain a temperature below 90 °F, it is recommended to smoke cheese during cooler months, such as winter and spring, or during the early morning or night if smoking in warm weather. Additionally, using a foil pan of ice above and below the cheese inside the smoker can help reduce the temperature around the cheese during smoking.

When setting up your smoker, use a mild wood such as apple, cherry, maple, or pecan. Fill a smoke tube with pellets and place it in the smoker. Light the smoke tube and allow the pellets to burn for a couple of minutes before blowing out the flame. The smoke tube will continue to smoulder and impart smoke flavour to the cheese.

It is also important to bring the cheese to room temperature before smoking, as cold cheese will collect condensation when placed in the smoker, which can affect its ability to take on smoke.

Once the smoker is set up and the cheese is at room temperature, place the cheese in the smoker and maintain a light and constant smoke. Smoke the cheese for 2 to 4 hours, turning the cheese every 30 minutes to ensure even exposure to smoke on all sides.

How to store smoked cheese

Once your cheese has finished smoking, immediately wrap it in untreated butcher paper or parchment paper. This will allow the cheese to breathe. Place the wrapped cheese in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

After this resting period, remove the cheese from the paper and vacuum seal it. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, place the cheese in a zip-top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. You can do this by submerging the bag in water, except for the top seal, and sealing it when the zipline is almost underwater.

Properly label your cheese with the date and contents, so you know how long it's been stored. Then, place the sealed bags in the fridge for 2 to 4 weeks. This will allow the smokey flavour to mellow and distribute throughout the cheese.

Vacuum-sealed cheese can be stored in the fridge for at least a year. If you want to store it for longer, you can freeze it for 6 to 8 weeks. However, freezing may alter the texture of the cheese, making it crumbly instead of smooth and creamy.

How to set up your smoker

To set up your smoker, you'll need to follow these steps:

• Choose your smoker: You can use a grill, a pellet smoker, or an offset smoker. Ensure it has good ventilation.
• Prepare your wood: Use a mild wood like apple, cherry, or pecan. Avoid strong-aroma woods like oak or hickory, especially when smoking milder cheeses.
• Light your smoker: Use a tube smoker or cold smoke generator. Light it according to the manufacturer's instructions, ensuring there are only smoke and no flames.
• Monitor the temperature: Use a grill surface thermometer to ensure the temperature remains below 90°F (32°C).
• Place the cheese: Put your cheese wedges or blocks on the smoker grates, leaving enough space between them for good airflow.
• Smoke the cheese: Close the lid and smoke for about 2 hours. For softer cheeses, smoke for about an hour. For harder cheeses, like gouda or cheddar, smoke for 2 hours, turning the cheese over every 30 minutes.
• Wrap the cheese: After smoking, remove the cheese from the smoker and wrap it in parchment paper. Don't wrap it too tightly, as you want the cheese to breathe a little.
• Rest the cheese: Transfer the wrapped cheese to the refrigerator and leave it for 24 hours.
• Vacuum seal: After 24 hours, unwrap the cheese and transfer it to a vacuum-sealed bag.
• Mellow the flavours: Place the vacuum-sealed cheese in the refrigerator for 1-4 weeks. The longer you leave it, the more mellow and developed the flavours will become.

How to mellow smoked cheese flavour

Step 1: Smoking the cheese

The first step in mellowing smoked cheese flavour is to actually smoke the cheese. This process typically takes around two hours but can vary depending on the type of cheese and your desired level of smokiness. It is important to maintain a temperature below 90°F (32°C) to avoid melting the cheese.

Step 2: Initial resting

Once the cheese has been smoked, it should be wrapped in parchment paper or butcher paper and placed in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. This allows the cheese to breathe and helps to develop its flavour.

Step 3: Vacuum sealing

After the initial resting period, remove the cheese from the paper and vacuum seal it. 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.

Step 4: Refrigerate and rest

Place the sealed cheese back in the fridge for at least two weeks. This step is crucial to mellowing the smoked cheese flavour. During this time, the smoke flavour will distribute throughout the cheese, reducing any harsh or acrid tastes.

Step 5: Enjoy!

After the resting period, your smoked cheese will be ready to enjoy! The longer you can wait, the more the smoke flavour will develop and mellow.

Frequently asked questions