Smoked Cheddar
The perfect first cold-smoking project. Buy cheddar on sale, smoke it on a cool afternoon, and in two weeks you'll have cheese that tastes like it came from a specialty shop.
Ingredients and equipment
- 2 lb block cheddar, sharp or medium (store-brand is fine)
- Wood pellets: apple, cherry, pecan or maple
- Pellet tube or maze smoker
- Kitchen torch or lighter
- Vacuum sealer or plastic wrap
- Pan of ice (optional, for days above about 60°F)
Instructions
- Check the weather. Aim for an outdoor temperature below about 60°F, out of direct sun.
- Cut and dry. Cut the cheddar into blocks 1–1½ inches thick. Leave them on a rack at room temperature for 30–60 minutes until the surface is dry to the touch.
- Light the tube. Fill the pellet tube, torch one end for about a minute, let it burn for 10 minutes, then blow out the flame so it smolders with thin smoke.
- Set up cold. Put the tube in your smoker or grill with the main heat source off. Add a pan of ice under the grate if it's mild out.
- Smoke. Arrange the cheese with space between blocks. Smoke for 2–3 hours, flipping halfway. Keep the chamber under 90°F. If it creeps up, vent the lid or add ice.
- Chill. Pat away any beads of oil with a paper towel, then refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to firm up.
- Seal and wait. Vacuum-seal or wrap tightly, label with the date, and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before eating.
Don't taste it on day one and give up. Freshly smoked cheese tastes bitter and ashy. Two weeks in the fridge turns it smooth and balanced. Three to four weeks is even better.
How to use it
- Slice it for a cheese board with apples and crackers.
- Melt it on burgers, or stir it into mac and cheese.
- Wrapped well, it keeps in the fridge for months. Vacuum-sealed blocks make great gifts.
Gear I use
Your picks: pellet tube, vacuum sealer
The two things that make this recipe easy.
Want to smoke other cheeses? See How to Smoke Cheese for times for gouda, mozzarella, pepper jack and more.