Cold-Smoked Muenster Cheese
A monster block of Muenster, cut down and cold smoked overnight with pecan pellets below 50°F, then vacuum sealed to mellow.
Cold weather means cold smoking. I picked up a monster block of Muenster from Restaurant Depot and turned it into a fridge full of smoked cheese, with plenty left over to give away.
Why cut it down?
Smoke only flavors the surface, so smaller blocks mean more surface area and more smoke in every bite. I cut the big block into manageable pieces before it went in.
Keep it cold
The whole trick to cold smoking is keeping the cheese below 50°F so it never sweats or melts. I lit two smoke tubes with Smokin' Pecan pellets, which add a deep, nutty aroma that pairs really well with cheese, and ran a fan to keep the temperature down. It smoked for about six hours and then sat in the smoker overnight, with the ambient temperature down around 35°F. If it's not that cold where you are, move it to the fridge, uncovered, for the night.
Let it mellow
Freshly smoked cheese tastes harsh and ashy. I vacuum sealed some blocks whole and cubed up a few more. Let them mellow for at least one to two weeks before you dig in. The cubes make great holiday gifts.
Watch the cook
And More!
Cold-Smoked Muenster Cheese
A monster block of Muenster, cut down and cold smoked overnight with pecan pellets below 50°F, then vacuum sealed to mellow.
Print- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Cook
- 6 hours cold smoke
- Total
- 6 hours plus 1–2 weeks mellowing
- Yield
- As much cheese as you smoke
- Method
- Cold smoke
- Wood
- Smokin' Pecan pellets
Instructions
- Wait for a cold night. You want the smoker to stay below 50°F.
- Cut the cheese into manageable blocks to increase the surface area for smoke.
- Fill and light two smoke tubes with Smokin' Pecan pellets and set them in the smoker.
- Set the grill to fan-only mode (I use 10% speed) to keep the temperature down, and arrange the cheese on the grates with space between the blocks.
- Smoke for about 6 hours, until the pellets burn out.
- Leave the cheese in the smoker overnight if it's cold enough outside (around 35°F). Otherwise, refrigerate it loosely covered.
- Vacuum seal the blocks whole or cubed.
- Refrigerate for about 2 weeks to a month to let the smoke mellow before eating.
Pitmaster Notes
- Pecan pellets give it a deep, nutty flavor. Muenster takes on a lot of smoke.
- Cubing it before it mellows gives you smokier edges and a milder center. Cubing before smoking adds even more smoke, but it's tedious and can be overwhelming.
- Two smoke tubes can generate some heat. One is plenty for a lot of setups.
- This method works for gouda, cheddar, Colby, pepper jack and more. They make great holiday gifts.
Product links are things I actually used. Some are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Times and temps are my starting points. Every cooker and every cut runs a little different, so cook to temperature and feel, not the clock.
