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Smoked cheddar cheese, is it a thing of the past? Anyone smoke their own?

Lil'John

Lil'John

Former #278
Joined
May 20, 2020
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488
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Walking to the Rubicon
Title basically states it.

I remember being able to walk into a store 20 years ago and finding Cracker Barrel smoked cheddar on the shelf.

Is this a thing of the past? Or is this Calif determining that they are death sticks so they can't be sold?:homer:

Follow up: anyone smoke their own cheddar? Any hints?
 
I've looked in to smoking cheese, but never got around to actually doing it. There are a bunch of videos on youtube. Anywhere from a fancy stainless steel contraption to just a couple terracotta flower pots and a tin of wood chips.

Smoked gouda > smoked cheddar. Fight me.
 
Its very popular in the BGE/Traeger groups. I dont like cheese, so.... I dont smoke it :flipoff2:
 
I don't think it's quite as popular as before but it's still available here. But like the other say, pellet smokers and smoke tubes make it pretty straightforward to DIY.
 
evernoob said:
What the fuck?

BAN!
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Found your picture

NDQkozk.jpg
 
Maybe it was Tillamook I was thinking about:homer:

It sounds like I just am having bad luck with my stores.

TheFlyingDildocupine said:
I don't think it's quite as popular as before but it's still available here. But like the other say, pellet smokers and smoke tubes make it pretty straightforward to DIY.
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I wasn't sure if there was some super technique to doing it right.
 
det107 said:
Not trying to sound like a cheese snob, are you talking about processed cheese :shudder: or the real McCoy?

Edit: I see you like pizza, you passed :usa:
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Yes, I would guess mostly processed cheese. I'm 60% it is a mental block from my childhood. I just cant get passed it.

Another example: I dont like apple juice. When I was really young (4yr old??) I came inside from playing and someone gave me a big glass of apple cider vinegar instead of apple juice. I got about 3 big gulps down before I realized it wasn't apple juice. I can't drink it now, lol.
 
I smoke a bunch every fall once the temps drop. I use an A-Maze-n pellet tray I put in an mailbox thats ducted to my Masterbuilt smoker, it's a cold smoke so that keeps the heat away. After smoking it I vacuum seal it for at least 6-8 weeks so the smoke flavor works all the way through it. Good shit ....

I had some aged english white cheddar I smoked when I started dating my now wife, pretty sure thats what sealed the deal..... :grinpimp:
 
TatonkaII said:
Yes, I would guess mostly processed cheese. I'm 60% it is a mental block from my childhood. I just cant get passed it.

Another example: I dont like apple juice. When I was really young (4yr old??) I came inside from playing and someone gave me a big glass of apple cider vinegar instead of apple juice. I got about 3 big gulps down before I realized it wasn't apple juice. I can't drink it now, lol.
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:eek:
wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==
​ Damn that's actually traumatic. Poor 4yo you, that'd be rough for a small kid like that.

det107 said:
Not trying to sound like a cheese snob, are you talking about processed cheese :shudder: or the real McCoy?

Edit: I see you like pizza, you passed :usa:
Click to expand...

Hey hey hey! Pump the brakes, processed American 'cheese food' is awesome on a bologna sandwich, or the big brick of Gubmit Cheeze is awesome in scalloped potatoes or mac & cheese.
 
I smoke some every year for christmas to give to friends, its quite popular. The flavor is different than the store bought, most of those have liquid smoke as an ingrediant

Start with the 5lb blocks of cheddar from Costco/Sams. I've found that the sharp smokes better than mild. Cut into .5-1lb sections. I do mine on the BGE but have used the drum style before also. Start a really small fire and dump a handful of pellets or wet chips on. Put a metal or glass bowl of ice under the rack, keeps it cool. You want to keep the temp under 90ish. Usually you can get about 2-3 hours. Pull it off, cover and put in the fridge. When it's cold vac seal it.

Few gotchas - It tastes better after about 1-2 weeks of being sealed up. At first its meh, but after sitting its much better
You can freeze it. However if you have any issues with the seal and it leaks air the cheese will dry out and have a funny taste/texture. Sealed in the fridge it will last easily a couple months.
Hickory seems to work the best.
 
Fivepointfive said:
Where do you shop for food, the gas station? Even our podunk grocery store has a fancy cheese section with all sorts of flavored cheese, including- yup- smoked.

We also have places like this with a smoke shack out back. https://www.thebrickstore.com/about :smokin:
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My local grocery store doesn't have it. The Safeway and Savemart that are 40 minutes away didn't have it when I lived close to them... I haven't looked since.

I'll grant you haven't scoured the fawk out of the stores checking every last shelf hoping some dumb stock boy puts cheese with veggies or some other odd logic.:homer:
 
Maybe you should try the gas station then. :flipoff2:

Ours is in a boutique type section with fine meats like prosciutto, over by the bakery bread and shit. Not with the sliced yellow american. :laughing:
 
kf4zht said:
I smoke some every year for christmas to give to friends, its quite popular. The flavor is different than the store bought, most of those have liquid smoke as an ingrediant

Start with the 5lb blocks of cheddar from Costco/Sams. I've found that the sharp smokes better than mild. Cut into .5-1lb sections. I do mine on the BGE but have used the drum style before also. Start a really small fire and dump a handful of pellets or wet chips on. Put a metal or glass bowl of ice under the rack, keeps it cool. You want to keep the temp under 90ish. Usually you can get about 2-3 hours. Pull it off, cover and put in the fridge. When it's cold vac seal it.

Few gotchas - It tastes better after about 1-2 weeks of being sealed up. At first its meh, but after sitting its much better
You can freeze it. However if you have any issues with the seal and it leaks air the cheese will dry out and have a funny taste/texture. Sealed in the fridge it will last easily a couple months.
Hickory seems to work the best.
Click to expand...

This except you want to keep the cheese below 70 degrees, above that the texture starts to change. Waxing is better and will last longer than vacuum sealing. Also it will age faster the closer to 50 degrees you keep it, colder than that and it ages slower. This is for softer cheeses not Parmesan, etc.


I used to keep 40 pounds aging at a time in 5lb blocks and rotate them as we used them.

During the fall/spring/winter months I would smoke 20ish pounds at a time in 1lb blocks and stored them in the beer fridge for months. I am still wanting to build a cold smoker down here but have not done it yet.


I used to have a link to a smoker forum that had a cheese sub forumthat had good detailed info, let me see if I can find it.

Edit - Ithink this is it. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forums/smoked-cheese.2166/
 
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Lil'John said:
My local grocery store doesn't have it. The Safeway and Savemart that are 40 minutes away didn't have it when I lived close to them... I haven't looked since.

I'll grant you haven't scoured the fawk out of the stores checking every last shelf hoping some dumb stock boy puts cheese with veggies or some other odd logic.:homer:
Click to expand...

Holiday Mkt. in Cool?
 
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