He Makes His Own Smoked Cheese

He Makes His Own Smoked Cheese FARM HOME Food Gary Mull plans to build a small wooden smokehouse but for now his 55-gal drum cold smoking setup works great for smoking cheese and meat “Smoke enhances the flavor of cheese and preserves it longer ” says Mull who notes he loves the flavor of smoked cheese but not the high prices at stores Instead he buys plain cheese to smoke The trick is to keep the smoke temperature low enough - between 60 to 70 F - so it doesn’t melt the cheese Mull’s smoke source is the firepit on his Colfax La property Smoke rises through a 10-ft long 4-in diameter steel pipe that goes into the bottom drum of two drums welded together The pipe angles up to create more smoke swirl that adds flavor Mull says As many as 30 blocks of cheese fit on the barbecue grill racks inside the top drum Cheese also can be wrapped in cheesecloth and hung on hooks on bars near the top of the smoker “Generally it takes between 12 and 18 hrs to smoke cheese ” Mull says noting the exterior is a crusty rind and the center is soft He adds flavor through the smoke by burning different woods and plants from his family’s garden “Sassafras adds a good flavor So does thyme rosemary garlic and onion tops ” Mull says To create smoke the oak pecan or sassafras wood is soaked in water and thrown into the fire wet He’s experimented with all types of cheese from cheddar pepper jack and mozzarella to other cheeses and a variety of seasonings Even soft cheeses such as gouda can be smoked in cheesecloth bags as long as the smoke is kept cool enough The process isn’t that difficult though the fire needs to be watched and fed and the cheese needs to be turned The results are worth it Mull says He has a video of the smoker on his YouTube channel: Off Grid Gary - Smoking Cheese Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Gary Mull 1465 Hwy 471 Colfax La 71417 ph 318 290-1661; garychevymull1972@gmail com

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