People who love cheese should try smoking the best cheese for a unique yet pleasing flavor. Here is how to smoke cheese in a Bradley smoker as a guide for starters like myself.
You have to read this post as this method was so easy and I could not believe that this is how easy to smoke cheese in a Bradley smoker.
This guide is a very easy one, and you can do it with other smokers with a smoke tube. There is no doubt that a smoker does best in making this recipe, but a Bradley smoker brings an extra flavor.
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That goes literally and figuratively as you get a new experience on how to smoke food while the smoke tube also adds extra flavors to the cheese. It is a very convenient smoker which you can use.
Bradley smokers are known to produce a lot of smoke with the help of wood bisquettes. This fuel is pure wood, which brings out the authentic smokey flavor from the best wood you can get.
You can also select whichever type of cheese you want to smoke, we will be using cheddar cheese for this guide. It is a slightly challenging type of cheese as it is relatively soft.
Aside from the types of cheese that are great for smoking, you will learn how exactly you should smoke them. I loved smoking my cheese in Bradley smoker and if you have ever smoked cheese, you would know how amazing the smoke cheese tastes when it’s done.
Choosing Bradley Smokers to smoke the best cheese is probably one of the best things you could do and once you taste the finished product, you are going to be making these in huge batches just like us.
Follow the guide and practice making your cheese taste the best with a smoky flavor.
Setting Up The Grill
There are some specific things that you need to know and focus on when smoking the best cheese. This is not similar to how you smoke meat as you will need much lower temperatures to make it.
First, you will need to get a heat shield or platform that blocks the heat that directly goes into the booking grates. Make sure that it does not completely close off the firebox.
You just need something to block the heat but not the smoke. You can do this or make sure that the smoker does not gather too much heat during the process so the cheese doesn’t melt.
There are some tricks that you can do here, such as preparing a tray of ice. Of course, this will melt eventually during the process, but it helps neutralize or lower the temperature.
A smoke tube will also come in handy as it can produce lower temperatures while still providing the decent amount of smoke needed. A smoke tube is great for cold smoking without a smoker.
You will also need a separate tray or a wire mesh rack to place the cheese on. If you choose to use a tray, prepare some barbecue sticks to prevent the cheese from sticking to it.
As for the grill itself, you will need to set it up somewhere relatively cold. One way of doing this is by setting up the grill under a shade or on your patio, especially if the weather outside is hot.
The reason for this is to make sure that the grills do not gather extra heat from the outside. That is also why it is often advisable to smoke cheese when the weather is cold or winter.
Smoked Cheese On A Bradley Smoker
Step 1: Prepare The Things You Need
Get all the tools and equipment that are mentioned above and prepare them before setting the grill up. Make sure that you have everything you need so you can work faster and efficiently.
Prepare the bisquettes that you will use and place them beside the grill.
You will not need too many bisquettes for this process as smoking cheese does not take up too much fuel.
I have noticed that it is better to go with the best wood bisquettes that emit a milder flavor.
The best wood for this are apple, cherry, and other fruity types of wood to add some sweetness along with the smoke.
Step 2: Preheat The Smoker
The best thing about the Bradley smoker is that you have an option to use smoke only.
So while other smokers focus on the heat, you can turn it off with the help of this smoker.
Preheat the Bradley smoker by setting it in the low 100s.
You can go higher during the preheating process but make sure you let it mellow or cool down before putting the cheese in.
Close the lid of the smoker but make sure that the vents are fully open.
After 15 minutes, turn the heat off, switch to the smoke generator, and wait for the smoker to cool down.
Step 3: Set The Cheese And Ice
While you wait for the smoker to cold down, get the cheese and barbecue sticks.
You can snap the barbecue sticks in half if they are too long for the tray that you will put the cheese on.
Take note that the tray you will use for the cheese should be smaller than the tray for the ice.
Place the barbecue sticks on the tray before putting the cheese on it so it does not stick.
Fill up the larger tray with ice and place it first on the smoker directly on the cooking grid.
Next, place the tray of cheese on top of the ice and then start the smoking process.
Step 4:
How do you smoke Cheese in a Bradley smoker?
Now, let’s finally answer this question.
You need to make sure that the temperature inside the smoker does not go over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once it goes lower than that, you can then place the cheese inside the smoker.
Close the lid and let the cheese smoke for at least an hour before checking it again.
Then, check on the temperature regularly and make sure that it stays below the set temperature.
If the smoker’s temperature starts to rise, open the vents or add ice to the tray.
After one hour, check the cheese inside the smoker if it had developed a nice golden brown color.
The smoke should change the look or color of the cheese, but it should not affect the texture that much.
Leave the cheese to smoke for another hour and then check again for the color.
Step 5: Let It Rest
Once you get the cheese’s desired color and are satisfied with it, you can then remove the cheese from the smoker.
The next step is to allow the cheese to rest before storing it. It does not take long to mellow the cheese.
Wrap the cheese with parchment paper but do not close it in, just allow it to mellow a bit.
Make sure that you allow the cheese to breathe so that the moisture is released and the cheese doesn’t melt.
Once it is cold enough or at room temperature, wrap the parchment paper fully around the cheese and place it in the fridge.
Leave it in there for two to three days before eating it
What Cheese Should I Smoke?
Although we have used cheddar cheese in this recipe or guide, it is not advisable for beginners as it is very easy to melt.
In addition, it is one of the softer types of cheese, so it is quite challenging to manage, especially without a smoker.
However, with the same guide and process, you can use other types of cheese that are harder such as mozzarella, gouda, fontina, and brie as they are easier to control when smoking.
Although they are hard, you can still get that smoky flavor induced within the cheese.
I have also tried this on a Traeger grill and other electric grills and although there is a chance that you will get a very high temperature on a Traeger or an electric grill, you can easily neutralize the temperature with ice.
So here’s a useful tip: you can cut or slice the cheese into thinner pieces to get more smoky flavors in it!
Best things to smoke in a Bradley Smoker
You can smoke anything you like inside a Bradley smoker. You can smoke ribs, pork chops, cheese, the list is endless.
Do try new things in this smoker and try smoking different kinds of cheese inside the Bradley Smoker to see great results.
You can also try this method on a Traeger or an electric grill as they can also go to relatively lower temperatures.
Conclusion
Smoking cheese is a unique method of cooking, but it is really fun to do even without a smoker.
You do not have to watch over it all the time, and you get to do other activities while you wait for it to finish.
Just make sure that you control the temperature and it does not go too hot, but that would not be too hard to do, especially if you are using a Bradley smoker when you smoke cheese.
With the guide above, you will be able to make the best-smoked cheeses in town.
They go well with wine, crackers, bread, or just the cheese alone is perfect as a hearty snack!
ALSO READ-
How to smoke Cheese without a Smoker
Smoking Cheese on a Traeger grill
How to smoke cheese in an electric smoker
How to smoke cheese with a smoke tube
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