Randy Chandler
Smoking cheese is a great way to add flavour to a snack or boost the flavour of pasta or soups. The best cheeses to smoke are firm, semi-hard, or semi-soft cheeses, as soft cheeses tend to absorb too much smoke flavour and can melt, creating a mess. Hard cheeses, on the other hand, may not pick up much flavour due to their density. Popular cheese varieties for smoking include Cheddar, Gouda, Provolone, Mozzarella, Manchego, Edam, Swiss, Gruyere, and Colby Jack. When smoking cheese, it is important to maintain a temperature below 90°F to prevent the cheese from melting. Different types of wood can also be used to impart unique flavours and intensity levels to the smoked cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese types | Cheddar, Gouda, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, Gruyere, Havarti, Provolone, Manchego, Edam, Swiss, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Parmesan |
| Cheese texture | Firm, semi-hard, semi-soft |
| Wood types | Apple, Cherry, Maple, Alder, Hickory, Oak |
| Temperature | Below 90°F |
| Time | 1 hour for a lighter smoke flavor, 2 hours for a bolder smoke flavor |
| Post-smoking process | Wrap in parchment paper or untreated butcher paper, refrigerate for 24-48 hours, seal tightly, vacuum seal, refrigerate and rest for 2 weeks |
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What You'll Learn
Best cheeses for beginners: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda, and Parmesan
Smoking cheese is an excellent way to add flavour to your favourite cheeses, and it's a fun hobby to get into. When choosing a cheese to smoke, it's best to go for firm, semi-hard, or semi-soft varieties. Soft cheeses can melt and create a mess, while hard cheeses don't tend to pick up much flavour due to their density.
Some of the best cheeses for beginners to smoke are Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda, and Parmesan. These cheeses are readily available and offer excellent results for those new to the process.
Cheddar is a versatile choice due to its diverse aging profiles. Mild cheddar melts beautifully, adding a gentle, buttery flavour to dishes. Medium and sharp cheddars offer more complex flavours and require more heat to melt, but they create a satisfying sauce base.
Monterey Jack is another excellent melting cheese with subtle buttery sweetness. It is a great choice for beginners as it is easy to work with and adds a smooth, creamy texture to dishes.
Gouda is a semi-hard cheese that also melts well and adds a unique flavour to dishes. Smoked Gouda offers an intense flavour with hints of butterscotch and a bacon-like saltiness. When smoking, it's best to use young Gouda for the perfect balance.
Finally, Parmesan adds a salty depth to dishes and is an excellent choice for beginners. It can be incorporated into sauces or used as a topping, adding nutty notes and complexity to recipes.
Remember, when smoking cheese, it's essential to keep the temperature below 90°F to prevent melting. Choose mild wood varieties like apple, cherry, maple, or pecan for a subtle smoky flavour.
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Semi-soft cheeses to avoid: Gorgonzola and Provolone
Smoking cheese is a great way to enhance its flavour and extend its shelf life. While there are many types of cheese that can be smoked, some semi-soft cheeses should be avoided. These include Gorgonzola and Provolone.
Gorgonzola is a semi-soft Italian blue cheese with a strong, sharp flavour. It has a high fat content and tends to melt easily, making it unsuitable for smoking. Similarly, Provolone is a semi-soft Italian cheese that is mild in flavour. Its high moisture content and soft texture make it challenging to smoke.
Both Gorgonzola and Provolone absorb smoke quickly, making them difficult to work with on a smoker. They also have lower melting points compared to harder cheeses, increasing the risk of them melting during the smoking process. This can result in a messy and ineffective smoking experience.
When smoking cheese, it is essential to maintain temperatures below 90 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the cheese from melting. Harder cheeses, such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda, and Parmesan, are recommended for beginners as they are less likely to melt and can withstand longer smoking times.
In conclusion, while Gorgonzola and Provolone may be delicious cheeses, they are not ideal for smoking due to their soft textures and propensity to absorb smoke quickly. Instead, opt for harder cheeses or semi-hard cheeses like Cheddar or Gouda for a more successful and enjoyable smoking experience.
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Fruit woods for a tangy, mild, and sweet flavor: Cherry and Apple
Smoking cheese at home is a rewarding process that can be made simple with the right tools and ingredients. Fruitwoods, such as cherry and apple, are excellent choices for infusing cheese with tangy, mild, and sweet flavours while preserving its natural taste.
Applewood is a popular choice for cold-smoking cheese due to its mild, fruity, and sweet flavour profile. It has the highest concentration of mild flavours among fruitwoods, allowing the natural taste of the cheese to shine through. Applewood-smoked cheese is versatile and can be enjoyed in sandwiches, salads, or on its own.
Cherry wood is another fruitwood option that brings a unique sweetness and a heavy smoke that quickly infuses the cheese. Cherry wood also imparts a rosy tint to the cheese, making it aesthetically pleasing. This option is ideal for harder cheeses with mild natural flavours, as it enhances the cheese's flavour without overwhelming it.
When smoking with fruitwoods, it is important to consider the natural flavour of the cheese and choose a wood that will complement it. Fruitwoods are best suited for cheeses with naturally mild flavours, as they add a tangy, mild, and sweet dimension to the cheese.
In addition to apple and cherry wood, other fruitwoods such as maple are also popular choices for smoking cheese. Maple wood is known for its delicate, sweet palate, making it a versatile option that pairs well with various cheeses.
By selecting the right fruitwood and paying attention to the natural flavour of the cheese, you can create delicious, smoky cheeses with a tangy, mild, and sweet flavour profile.
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More forward flavor options: Hickory or Maple
If you're looking for a more pronounced flavour, you might want to try smoking your cheese with Hickory or Maple wood. Hickory is known for its strong taste and intense aroma, and while it is more commonly used for meat smoking, it works beautifully with cheese too. Maple, on the other hand, is one of the most popular woods for smoking cheese, as its various proteins complement most cheeses.
When using Hickory or Maple wood, it's important to consider the type of cheese you're smoking. Hard cheeses like Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gouda, and Parmesan are great options for beginners, as they don't easily become oversmoked and can withstand the strong flavours of Hickory or Maple. These cheeses also have a lower risk of melting, which can create a mess in your smoker.
However, if you're looking for a more adventurous option, you could try smoking a semi-soft cheese like Gruyere or Provolone. These cheeses have a higher risk of melting, so it's crucial to maintain temperatures below 90°F. The strong flavours of Hickory or Maple can also be balanced by the natural tanginess of a semi-soft cheese.
When smoking cheese with Hickory or Maple wood, it's essential to maintain the right temperature, typically below 90°F, to avoid melting the cheese. Additionally, consider using a smoke tube to infuse your cheese with the smoky flavour and always wrap and refrigerate your cheese after smoking to prolong its lifespan.
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Temperature requirements: Below 90°F to avoid melting
Smoking cheese is a great way to add flavour to a snack or boost the flavour of pasta or soups. It is important to keep the temperature below 90°F to avoid melting the cheese. This can be achieved by using a cold smoker, or by laying the cheese on a pan of ice while it smokes if you are using a hot smoker or traditional grill.
The ideal temperature for cold smoking is when the outside temperature is in the low 40s. The smoke box should be close to the ambient air temperature. A smoke tube can be used to infuse the cheese with a smoky flavour.
It is recommended to smoke hard or semi-hard cheeses, as soft cheeses can fall through the grill grates and take on too much smoke flavour. Hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan, gouda, and pepper jack are good options for beginners as they do not easily become oversmoked. Semi-soft cheeses such as gorgonzola and provolone are not ideal for smoking as they absorb smoke quickly and do not take long to melt.
Firm, semi-hard, or semi-soft cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, provolone, mozzarella, manchego, edam, swiss, gruyere, and colby jack are also good choices for smoking. It is important to pick a cheese that you enjoy, as this is ultimately what will make the best smoked cheese.
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Frequently asked questions
Generally, hard or semi-hard cheeses are best for smoking, as soft cheeses can melt and create a mess. Some good options include cheddar, gouda, parmesan, pepper jack, mozzarella, provolone, and manchego.
Fruit woods like cherry and apple add a sweet and tangy flavour to mild cheeses. Maple is another popular option, and hickory is great for a more intense aroma.
Smoke the cheese for about 1 hour for a lighter smoke flavour, or 2 hours for a bolder flavour. Then, wrap the cheese and refrigerate it for 24-48 hours. After that, vacuum seal the cheese and put it back in the fridge for 2 weeks to allow the smoke flavour to distribute.
