It was a cold day in the Ozarks and my back has been in spasms for weeks now but the cool day got me inspired to do a little smoking. Cold.

I have a set of tenderloins from a buck fawn there which will get grilled in a little while and two cream cheese blocks for Christmas and a block of mozzarella. Look how yellow that motz got! I will try it with a homemade pizza. Wicked!

How did the cheese turn out?

It's insanely good. Was a hit for a Christmas dinner invite. I will be making more soon.

Ann, what wood did you use to smoke with? I have used my smoke tube to cold-smoke cheddar and pepper jack cheese, but the apple-flavored Traeger pellets I use leave a harsh taste that mellows after about a month.
I only heard about smoking cream cheese a few days ago when someone posted this link on another forum:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...feature=emb_imp_woyt

Bill, I use maple pellets made by Bear Mountain. I think most of the commercial pellets out in stores are mostly alder wood as a base and a percentage of the target flavor. Smoked cheeses are supposed to be 'mellowed' for a few weeks so I wrap mine individually in cellophane/plastic wrap and tuck them into the back of the fridge.

I would not say the result is much like say maple syrup flavor. It's definitely a mild wood smoke flavor with subtle hints of maple. I'll probably buy a bag of hickory pellets soon to try them as well. I have some Cabot cheddar and more cream cheese to smoke. Hickory is a stronger smoke for sure.

I also cold smoke meats. Delicious.

I've never thought of smoking cream cheese either, need to try that. I have used peach wood in the past with good results on smoking turkey.

Of all the smoked cheeses I have tried or done cream cheese is hands down the very best. It's insanely good. Of course when you serve it do so at room temp. It will be the first to go on a charcuterie board. I've tried a few different kinds of crackers with it. Plain salty Triscuits or saltines are best IMO.

I think it is because cream cheese is on the sweet side for flavor and man that works so well with smoke.

I smoked a little D&W Cheddar Hatch Chili and some D&W Steakhouse Onion Cheddar this week. I used apple pellets. I figure to break into it about the 20th. (I kept 1/2 pound of the Hatch Chili Cheddar unsmoked to tide me over.)

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
I smoked a little D&W Cheddar Hatch Chili and some D&W Steakhouse Onion Cheddar this week. I used apple pellets. I figure to break into it about the 20th. (I kept 1/2 pound of the Hatch Chili Cheddar unsmoked to tide me over.)

I bet it will be delicious.