This post is a guide on how to smoke cheese with a smoke tube, and you should try it.
It is one of the easiest and safest ways to smoke cheese without it melting when done.
Most smoked cheese recipes require you to either use a smoker or a grill.
While this is effective, there are chances where the heat from the firebox can be too hot for the cheese.
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When the cheese cooks at certain temperatures, there is a point where it can melt.
That is the first thing that you should avoid when smoking cheese as you need the outer crust.
That is why smoking cheese requires cold smoke, which highlights the control on the smoke rather than the heat. You do not need to go to high temperatures to smoke cheese.
There are many ways to smoke cheese when you want to get it to have a nice flavor.
This improves the cheese so much, and you cannot find the flavor it gets on any store-bought cheese.
So if you are trying to upgrade your rather simple cheese, then this is the way.
Ensure to read through the post to get some pointers and tips to improve your smoking skills.
Setting Up
When you use a smoke tube to smoke cheese, you still need a grill.
The difference is that you do not need the grill’s firebox to produce the smoke and heat that you need for the cheese.
The grill is the enclosure that maintains the temperature and the smoke inside.
That way, the smoke will roll multiple times onto the cheese before it gets out in the open air.
For this, I recommend that you use a Traeger grill or a grill that has great insulation.
This is especially important if you live in an area with a lot of sunlight or hot weather.
Once you get your grill ready, prepare the smoke tube by filling it up with wood pellets or chips all the way through. From there, you can prepare the cheese that you want to smoke.
One tip that I can give you is that it is better to smoke cheese when cold outside.
This will help keep the temperature low so that the cheese will not melt while it is smoking.
I have experienced smoking cheese at outdoor temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and unless you have a well-insulated grill, the heat will simply rise to the melting point of the cheese.
Smoking Cheese With A Smoke Tube
Step 1: Prepare The Things You Need
For this part, you have to get all the tools and ingredients ready.
With this process, you will need the grill to be set up somewhere with shades, preferably on the patio, for a cooler temperature.
You will also need some parchment paper as much as you can or enough for the cheese you are smoking.
The smoke tube and wood pellets should be ready before you smoke.
Use either a heat gun or cotton balls soaked in alcohol to start the fire.
Once you get everything set up and ready, get your mesh rack and place the cheese on it before placing them in the grill.
Step 2: Light Up The Smoke Tube
Once you fill up the smoke tube with the wood pellet or chips of your choice, get your heat gun and then start the fire by pointing the heat gun on one end of the smoke tube to light the pellets.
It is safer to place the smoke tube on the grill first before lighting up the pellets, so you do not burn yourself with the flames.
Fire up the heat gun and then let it light up the pellets.
The pellets should also get set on fire to make sure that they will last longer and light up the other pellets on the back.
Leave the smoke tube inside the grill once lit up.
Step 3: Smoke The Cheese
Place the rack of cheese on the grill grates and then close the lid of the grill.
After an hour of smoking, check the cheese if it has gathered enough browning on the crust at the bottom.
If the color is slightly golden brown to orange, flip the cheese over and close the lid again.
Let the cheese continue to smoke for another hour uninterrupted unless the heat dies inside.
The flames should be out after the smoking process, and all the pellets are burnt.
You can also extend the smoking process by refilling the smoke tube with more pellets.
This will add more color and flavor to the cheese, but you have to be careful not to melt them.
Make sure that you get just the right heat without going over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 4: Let It Rest
Once you get the color that you want on the cheese, make sure to let them rest.
Remove the cheese from the grill and then immediately wrap it with the parchment paper that you prepared.
Do not close the parchment paper entirely and let the cheese breathe for at least 5 minutes to cool down and release the steam. Seal it once the cheese reaches room temperature.
Place the cheese in the fridge and check again after three days.
This is usually when the cheese has the best flavor and texture, but it can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
What Kind Of Cheese Should I Smoke?
Many types of cheese come out with the best flavor and texture when smoked.
However, I do not recommend smoking any kind of cheese, especially if it is not hard enough.
Cold smoking is to make the cheese have a harder texture on the outside, with the smoky flavor penetrating through the whole cheese. You cannot do this with soft cheeses.
For the easier parts, I would recommend using mozzarella cheese when smoking.
Brie and Gouda cheese are also great for smoking since they have a relatively hard rind or outer part. You can try smoking some vegan cheese as well, I have never done it myself but would love to know how it turned out for you.
I even tried smoking homemade fresh mozzarella cheese and the results were amazing.
Can I Smoke At 100 Degrees Fahrenheit?
Cold smoking is a process that involves as little heat as possible, usually around 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is where you get to enhance the smoke flavor without much heat.
However, this is almost impossible with most grills.
That is why you need tricks to get the temperature lower such as a gallon of ice beside the cheese while it is smoked.
You can also use the smoke tube technique we have just discussed as it does not produce too much heat.
You can smoke at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but the process should be shorter.
Is It Healthy?
Smoked cheese is very healthy since it has less fat content than fresh cheese.
Some of the fats are either locked or evaporated during the process of smoking the cheese.
The only concern that you need to watch is the chemicals coming from the smoke.
So you need to get fresh dry wood chips or pellets to make sure you do not get as much chemical as possible.
Conclusion
While there can be bad things about smoked cheese, everything is good with regulation.
This type of food is perfect for making the best garnishes or sides on your favorite dish.
You can also eat smoked cheese directly, but you need to regulate it.
Aside from that, you will enjoy the best flavors from the cheese that you have smoked with nuttiness and smoky flavor.
Make sure to smoke the cheese when it is relatively cold outside.
That way, you will maintain the temperature inside the grill and not allow it to get too hot while smoking.
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