Smoking Gouda - What Not to Do!

[vogironface]

Debi,

I read your soldering iron idea and thought that was such a good idea.  However, I decided to modify it and have clearly not improved on the situation.  I do not know what hapened because I came inside for a few minutes and went out to check my cheese.  This is what I found (image below).  The gouda is on the left, the soldering iron on the right... sort of.  I now have a wonderful cardboard box and plastic flavored cheese :'(.  I underestimated the heat of the iron and placed the can inside the box on a flap.  I believe that is what caught fire. 

So, everyone learn from my mistake and don't do what I did.   

[Baby Chee]

Oh, man.  That looks anti-tasty.

[DeejayDebi]

Gee sorry. I always set the can on the cement porch the can will get hot and "set the box on top." That looks like a huge soldering iron. Bet it got hot enough to burn the box lid. The box is just to hold in the smoke not to contain the can. Good lesson learned here.

1. Use a low wattage soldering iron ($5 at the dollar store)
2. Put the can on a concrete suface - not the box lid.
3. use the box as a cover only not a container
4. it only takes about 30 minutes don't leave it unattended.

[vogironface]

Yes Debi, That was the lesson learned.  I believe the fire started because the box was being used as a container, not because of the iron.  The soldering iron was 30 watts, not big.  Fortunately I got it at the dollar store just for this experiment.  I will be doing it again tonight with a small 1 lb cheddar.  Wish me luck.

By the way, do you think plum wood would be good smoke for cheese?

[DeejayDebi]

plum wood is awsome! Mellow but sweet and not over pwoering. I get about 10 ponds a year trimming from my trees and save every scrap. Great for ham and duck too!