Cheese is one of the most popular foods in the world. If you are reading this, it’s likely that you love the taste of cheese.

However, did you know that there is a way to get more out of your favorite food ‘Cheese’? That is to Smoke cheese!

Smoking cheese is a magical process that transforms regular food into gourmet cuisine. The process of smoking cheese is easy and can be done in your own kitchen with an electric smoker.

Different types of smokers are available in the market that can help you out with smoking your favorite type of cheeses. Masterbuilt electric smokers are ideal for smoking cheese, providing many different recipes for guests to try.

Check out this detailed article to learn how to smoke cheese in an electric smoker.

What is “Cold Smoking” and How Does it Work?

Smoking cheese is an easy way to infuse smoky flavors into the cheese.

I am sure you must have noticed that most restaurants offer smoking cheese dishes on their menus. They use the smoke to cool down these dishes and give them an extra flavor that sets them apart from other dishes.

Smoked cheese can be enjoyed with crackers, smoked almonds, fruit, or even vegetables like carrots and potatoes. It’s up to you!

Smoking can be done in a variety of different ways – but the most important thing about it is that the temperature needs to stay low enough for the smoke to stay in the cheese without burning it or making it bitter.

The term “cold smoking” is applied to many different flavors of cheeses that are produced by using cold smoke rather than the traditional process of heating and baking.

Cold smoking is the process of smoking foods without exposing them to direct heat, usually at temperatures below 85°F (30°C) while Hot smoking uses smoke from a fire to cook.

The ultimate secret to the perfect cold smoke cheese is the temperature.

Cheese has a different texture and taste when smoked. It’s best to keep the electric smoker at low temperatures when smoking cheese because it will melt at higher temperatures.

When the electric smoker is set on low, cheese melts into a cooked, smoky consistency. With other meats, the electric smoker needs to be at a higher temperature to get this type of direct smoke flavor.

It’s really easy to use a Masterbuilt electric smoker for smoking cheese because of its amazing features. With a Masterbuilt electric smoker, it is easy to set the temperature you need, so there’s no added guesswork.

With precise temperature control, you’re able to preserve the quality of your cheese and it won’t dry out as fast as other smoking methods.

You must make sure that your Masterbuilt electric smoker’s temperature is below 30°C for three to four hours so that the cheese can soak up the smoky flavor.

What’s the best cheese for cold smoking?

The best cheese for cold smoking is any type of cheddar, Gouda, Swiss, or Brie, Halloumi, Mozzarella, and Pepper Jack. The Parmesan is not recommended for cold smoking because it can be a bit pungent and unpleasant.

Don’t feel the need to pay for expensive cheese in order to smoke it. Even simple supermarket cheese can easily be smoked and provides a delicious end result.

How to smoke cheese in an electric smoker

Directions

How to smoke cheese in a Masterbuilt electric smoker – Set up an electric smoker

• Set up the electric smoker and ensure that nothing is left on.
• The racks of an electric smoker have to be cleaned properly so that any flavor from previous smoking doesn’t overwhelm the cheese.
• Set up the temperature of your electric smoker to cook food at around 20 degrees Celsius. Avoid melting the cheese by not passing the temperature of 30 degrees Celsius.

Use Regular wire shelves or mesh wire rack

1- You can place cheese on the grate of the electric smoker. Use Regular wire shelves or mesh wire rack in Master built electric smokers.

Many have found that regular wire shelves found in Masterbuilt electric smokers are best for smoking cheese.

Because they are able to better conduct heat, which keeps your cheese from sinking, while still giving it a great smokey flavor!

2- It’s not a great idea to use a pan because It will completely block the entire bottom surface of the cheese.

One of the best and easiest ways to protect your cheese is by placing it on a rack. A different type of mesh wire rack is better than one with holes. This is a common trick to help you create a smoke line shape on your cheese.

The crosshatch marks will make it look more professionally smoked and appetizing.

3- To avoid the cheese sticking to the grill, simply rub a little bit of cooking oil on the mesh wire rack before adding your cheese.

Remove any protective coatings around the cheese for maximum smoke infusion.

1- Cheese comes in two types, with or without rinds. Cheese rinds are the natural outer-most layer the cheese gives off once it has been completely processed.

Rindless cheese is preferred for smoking since the rind can prevent smoke from being able to penetrate. If you are looking to cook cheese without a rind, it is important to remove any wax coating beforehand.

2- Soft cheese is better at absorbing and retaining flavor than hard cheese.

3- Cut the cheese into smaller pieces if you want to smoke it faster or leave it as a whole if you want to serve it on a charcuterie board.

4- Put the blocks of cheese directly on the grate and apply light smoke for around 4 hours

Refrigerate and Store the Smoked Cheese.

• Now remove the cheese from the grate and remove excess moisture from the cheese.
• Unlike smoked meat, you can not eat smoked cheese straight away. Smoking cheese is a process meant for extended storage. If you take a bite out of some freshly smoked cheese, all the smoke flavors will still be concentrated right on the surface of the cheese and taste acrid and bitter.
• After you remove the cheese from the smoker, wrap it in a cloth or some parchment paper and refrigerate it for 24-48 hours.
• After 24-48 hours of resting patiently in the fridge, you need to give your cheese time to “mellow.” Put it in a sealable plastic bag. (put label and date!). Store and refrigerate the cheese for two to three weeks before eating to maximize flavor.

How to Control the Temperature of the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker When Cold Smoking Cheese

When you are cold smoking cheese, it is important to keep an eye on the temperature of your electrical smoker. You can set the temperature using two different methods.

1. The first method is to use a Masterbuilt temperature control right on the top, which only allows the smoker to heat up or cool down at specific temperatures.

Set the electrical smoker’s heat at the lowest setting. The inside temperature of the electrical smoker should not exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit because most cheese melts at this temperature.

2. The second method is to monitor the internal temperature of your smoker using a digital probe thermometer. You can use this one from ThermoPro.

3. The electric smoker should be set up outside near an outlet in an area where it can be shaded. If you have trees in your backyard, the electric smoker will do the best under there or better yet, on your patio.

4. You can also place a tray with ice cubes underneath the cheese. It will help to maintain the temperature down around the cheese.

Best Wood for Smoking Cheese

The choice of wood chips for smoking cheese in your Masterbuilt electric smoker is entirely up to you. You may like to experiment and find what flavors work best for you.

Choosing the right wood to use for smoking cheese is not easy because there are so many different types of wood including apple, cherry, oak, pecan, mesquite, hickory, and maple.

In general, Oak would make for a good smoke.

Apple and Maple are other types of wood that can be used to smoke cheese.

You can also check the best smoke flavor for Turkey.

How long does it take to Cold Smoke Cheese in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?

Cold Smoking cheese can take 2 to 4 hours. Turn the cheese every 30 minutes so it is evenly exposed to smoke from all sides.

Conclusion:

You can never go wrong with adding smoked cheese to a basic recipe. Learning how to smoke cheese allows you to save on overpriced cheese purchases.

To enjoy smoked cheese, you should consider getting a Masterbuilt electric smoker. This electrical smoker is a common design that doesn’t need a lot of any direction. So it’s very easy to use and will provide you with what you need.

The tall design means you’ll have enough space to smoke different kinds of cheese at once in this smoker!

If you’re looking for a fun weekend, give DIY smoked cheese a try!