Author Topic: Liquid Smoke  (Read 20866 times)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2009, 10:18:57 PM »
Chee the wood chips are tiny shavings and don't burst into flame they just smolder with a tiny soldering iron. You only need a tiny handful maybe a 1/4 cup of wood chips. The box should be big enough to hold your rack and therefore big tall enough to be at least 3 times the height of the tin coffee can. An old tin pie pan and an incandescent drop light will work too but has a better chance of catching fire than a small soldering iron because the heat is not consentrated in one spot.

As far as liquid smoke a little goes a long way!

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2009, 10:20:13 PM »
I'm trying to get my head around that idea.  Wouldn't the wood burst into flames and the fruits just fizzle?

Yesterday I was at another supermarket and they had Wrights, so I got Wrights.  Got two bottles of smoke now.  If they don't work for me, I can use them on cooking items.

I think DejayDebi meant wood fruit fruit trees or nut trees. So apple, cherry, pecan, walnut, etc. If you use a low heat like a 25W soldering iron, the wood wouldn't really burst into flames. The can also prevents good air circulation, so there's not enough oxygen for the wood to really ignite.

exactly!

Michelle

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #17 on: October 20, 2009, 12:34:52 AM »
Hi Linuxboy

And I think you meant to say "wood from fruit trees or nut trees"

These damn computers are always changing our typing when we're not looking... ::)

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #18 on: October 20, 2009, 12:39:57 AM »
Does that flavor permeate the entire cheese or just a surface taint?

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #19 on: October 20, 2009, 03:01:27 AM »
Do you have a soldering iron? Throw some fruit or nut wood chips in a tin can and put a soldering iron in the can. Put the cheeses on a rack and put a box with a few holes punched around the sides and top, on top of the rack. Wait about 30 minutes and check you cheese.

I did say fruit or nut wood ... but instead of limbs they are wood chips. I guess I am to used to speaking with people that smoke food regularly they know what I mean. Wood chips made from fruits trees or nut trees.

Here is my chart that'l explain it better.

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #20 on: October 24, 2009, 09:13:38 PM »
Thanks for the chart.  You really are a chain smoker!!

:P

If I go in that direction, I now have good reference.

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #21 on: October 29, 2009, 02:24:52 AM »
Ok, everyone.  I put my 4 gallons in the large pot for the night, to warm.
CaCl2 is in.
Added 2 Tablespoons to the milk (went up in dose from tsp. because I believe the liquid smoke will not be entirely trapped in the curd).

The milk tastes great.  If that level of smoke is achieved in the cheese, I'll be happy.  If the curds have little or no smoke flavor, I'll add a little more Wright's smoke into the later curd stages.  If the rennet stalls because of the smoke.... well... lesson learned.  I got more milk to go.

... starter is in, the milk is 90ºF, annatto added.  Everything good.  Now I will add the rennet and we see where it goes.
The milk with the smoke tastes great this morning.

« Last Edit: October 29, 2009, 11:56:35 AM by Baby Chee »

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2009, 01:16:48 PM »
FINAL RESULT:

Liquid Smoke does NOT cause coagulation problems from rennet.

My curds were actually THICKER than normal.  I had to give some pressure to cut into them today, where I can usually just drift through them without feeling much resistance.  The annatto colored the curds well, but there are these reddish slivers all over, which could be a CaCl2 problem.  Those curds taste great!  Wrights has an excellent smoke taste.

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #23 on: October 30, 2009, 12:48:40 PM »
^-^

I have the finished cheese out for a small dry spell before refrigeration later this morning.  The red slivers from yesterday have disappeared from the cheese.  NO IDEA what went on there, but maybe the brine took them from the surface or they have slowly blended into the meat of the cheese with a bit of time.  Either way, they weren't so bad.  Looked like red hairs or stray varicose veins on the cheese.

Here are the two cheeses this morning.  One is nicely orange and the other is a little electric.  I used 1 Tbsp. annatto and 1 tsp. annatto to test the color I got.  1 tsp. is enough for 4 gallons.  The smoke flavor persists in the stray curd bits I tasted, but then I used whey to brine, which had A LOT of smoke flavor left in it.  If the smoke taste stays the same as I tasted, it won't be bad.  If it mellows, that's good too; any stronger and the cheese becomes nasty for straight consumption.

Sailor's 2 Tbsp. Wrights Smoke seems perfect.  One bottle, retailing around $1.50, will handle 5 4 gallon cheese, so it is about $.30 a 4 lb. cheese.  Not bad.  If someone is a real smoke hog, you can buy gallon jugs online for $25 or thereabouts.  That's a lifetime supply if you make a cheese a month.

Cheese Head

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #24 on: October 30, 2009, 12:57:59 PM »
Baby Chee, thanks for info, good news!

Good to hear the reddish slivers disappeared, great fun!

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #25 on: October 30, 2009, 03:34:00 PM »
Seems a little heavy on the Annato. I use 10-12 drops for a 4 gallon batch. It becomes more yellow as the cheese dries and ages.

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #26 on: October 30, 2009, 04:44:06 PM »
My bottle has no dropper.  I'll go south of a teaspoon per 4 gallons, I think.  Maybe 1/2 teaspoon for milder yellow.

At first I thought the CaCl2 + Annatto thread would mean my Annatto would be deadened.  That didn't happen, though.

vogironface

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #27 on: October 30, 2009, 05:39:20 PM »
Chee,  great thread.  I have been questioning how to use liquid smoke in gouda and you and sailor have removed the mystery for me.  Thanks.

Wow, you may have to wear sunglasses once that cheese ages with that much color.  will you posts a photo of the bright one when it is ready?

Baby Chee

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #28 on: October 30, 2009, 06:13:08 PM »
I'll try to remember to do that.  These two cheeses will be gifts at christmas, but I'll try to get a wedge to check taste, and I'll take a picture as well.  The velveeta colored one hopefully fades a little.  My camera is so clunky it makes everything a little yellow, though.

These were actually dry runs for a couple 30 gallon cheeses coming up in mid-November.  Since I figured out the smoke and color well enough, I can go forward and not totally botch the bigger wheels.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2009, 06:24:46 PM by Baby Chee »

mosborn

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Re: Liquid Smoke
« Reply #29 on: November 22, 2009, 04:57:02 AM »
Oh, so NOW I find this thread!   Haha!  I was actually looking for advice on liquid smoke this afternoon, but I didn't find it then, and I went ahead and made a 1-gallon gouda with liquid smoke.  I put in a lot more than 2 tablespoons to 4 gallons.  I put about 1/4 cup for one gallon, but I tasted the curd before it went into the mold and it tasted very good to me.   I used the hickory smoke from Colgin.  I put a couple tablespoons in after the second wash, that is, the second time I added hot water, and then again after I drained off the final whey just before putting the curd in the mold.  (I used Ricki Carroll's "Home Cheese Making" recipe.)

Maybe the curd only takes so much of the liquid smoke?  I don't know.  The why tastes good, too.   Then again, I like strong flavors.