Kamil Perry
Gruyere is a nutty, melt-in-the-mouth cheese that is often enhanced with smoke to bring out its natural flavours. When it comes to smoking cheese, the type of wood used can make a big difference to the final flavour. For example, applewood is a popular choice for cold-smoking cheese as it has a mild, fruity flavour that won't overpower the cheese. Similarly, cherry wood is ideal for cheeses with a naturally mild flavour as it adds a subtle sweetness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wood type | Applewood, cherry wood, maple wood, hickory wood, oak wood |
| Flavour | Mild, fruity, sweet, delicate, intense |
| Cheese type | Mild, robust |
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What You'll Learn
Applewood is a good choice for cold-smoking cheese
Gruyere is a natural choice for smoking, as its nuttiness and meltiness make it the perfect cheese to infuse with smoke to enhance its natural flavours.
Cherry wood is another option for cold-smoking cheese. It brings sweetness with its heavy smoke that quickly infuses the cheese. Cherry wood also provides a rosy tint to the finished product, making it ideal for aesthetic purposes.
Maple wood is perhaps one of the most popular woods for smoking cheese. It has a delicate, sweet palate that permeates the cheese, imparting a sweet aroma.
Hickory is the perfect wood for lovers of an intense aroma as it has a strong taste. It's not a mild option like the cherry, apple, and maple, but the hickory flavour won't overshadow the cheese's natural flavours.
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Cherry wood is ideal for mild-flavoured cheeses
Gruyere is a mild-flavoured cheese, and as such, it is best smoked with a mild-flavoured wood. Cherry wood is ideal for mild-flavoured cheeses, as it brings a sweetness with its heavy smoke that quickly infuses the cheese. The fruit wood is similar to the flavour of the fruit itself, and it is one of the unique features of cherry wood that it imparts a rosy tint to the finished product. This makes it ideal for aesthetic purposes.
Applewood is another good option for cold-smoking mild-flavoured cheeses. It has the highest concentration of mild flavours but still allows you to savour the cheese's natural taste. Applewood smoked cheese is perfect for sandwiches and salads. Maple wood is also a popular wood for smoking cheese, with a delicate, sweet palate that permeates the cheese, imparting a sweet aroma.
If you want a more forward flavour, you could try Hickory or Oak. Hickory has a strong taste and is most commonly used for meat smoking, but it is also ideal for cheese smoking. It is not a mild option like cherry, apple and maple, but the hickory flavour won't overshadow the cheese's natural flavours. Oak is considered one of the most versatile wood flavours on the market.
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Hickory is a strong-tasting wood for an intense aroma
Hickory is a strong-tasting wood that is perfect for those who love an intense aroma. It is often used for meat smoking, but it is also ideal for cheese smoking. While it is not as mild as cherry, apple, or maple, the hickory flavour won't overpower the natural flavour of the cheese. Fruit woods like cherry and apple are also fantastic options for smoking cheese. Cherry wood brings a sweetness with its heavy smoke, quickly infusing the cheese. Applewood has the highest concentration of mild flavours, allowing you to savour the cheese's natural taste. It is perfect for sandwiches and salads.
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Maple is a popular, sweet-tasting wood for smoking cheese
Applewood is another good option for cold-smoking cheese. It has the highest concentration of mild flavours but still allows you to savour the cheese's natural taste. It has a mild, fruity, and sweet taste that will enhance the cheese's natural flavour.
Cherry wood is also a good option for smoking cheese. It brings sweetness with its heavy smoke that quickly infuses the cheese. It also provides a rosy tint to the finished product.
Hickory is a good option for those who like an intense aroma, as it has a strong taste. It is not a mild option, but the hickory flavour won't overshadow the cheese's natural flavours.
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Alder is a good option for a milder smoke flavour
Applewood is another good option for a mild, fruity, and sweet taste. It has the highest concentration of mild flavours but still allows you to savour the cheese's natural taste. Cherry wood is also a mild option, bringing sweetness with its heavy smoke that quickly infuses the cheese. It will also give your gruyere a rosy tint.
If you're looking for something a little more intense, you could try hickory or maple. These woods have a stronger taste that will complement the robust flavour of gruyere without overshadowing its natural flavours. Oak is also considered one of the most versatile wood flavours on the market.
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Frequently asked questions
Applewood, cherry wood, maple wood, and hickory wood are all good options for smoking Gruyere cheese.
Applewood has the highest concentration of mild flavours, which means you can still savour the cheese's natural taste.
Cherry wood brings a sweet flavour and a rosy tint to the finished product.
Hickory has a strong taste and a distinctive aroma, but it won't overshadow the cheese's natural flavours.
