Text 26571, 77 rader
Skriven 2012-06-27 21:01:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Smoking cheese
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...with a soldering iron.

DIY smoked cheese allows precise control - and fun

SUE RIEDL, The Globe and Mail

Embrace your inner MacGyver: other than a barbecue, you need a tin
can and a 30W soldering iron.  

Step 1: Remove the label from your can. Now open the top with a
can-opener about 2/3 of the way around. Bend back the lid and remove
the contents (save for later). Rinse out the can. Using a triangular
can opener, make a hole in the centre of the opened lid of the can
(where it's still attached). It can be hard to get the right
leverage so I put a pen under the open part of the lid to prop it
up. Make a hole (vent) in the bottom, too.

Step 2: Fill the can with wood chips. Fruitwood is a good choice
because it gives a sweeter, milder note (mesquite chips can be
overpowering for cheese).

Step 3: Insert the soldering iron all the way into the triangular
hole in the top, where the lid is hinged. (I had to make the hole
bigger.) Place the can with the soldering iron at the bottom of your
grill (where the coals or flame would usually be). You want the iron
lying on the bottom of the grill - so the chips in the can fall on
top of it. Replace the top grate, close the lid. Plug in the
soldering iron (you may need an extension cord). Its heat will cause
the chips to smoulder but not catch fire. The barbecue should be
filling with smoke in about 15 minutes.

Step 4: Lay a piece on foil on the grill and lay your cheese on top.
Close the grill. I used three cheeses: Balderson 3-year-old cheddar,
Pecorino Romano and half a ball of mozzarella (regular, not fresh).
Check after 30 minutes to gauge how much smoke flavour you like;
bigger hunks of cheese will take longer. Flip the cheese half way
through to expose all surfaces.

Remove the cheese and let it come to room temperature. If moisture
has beaded up on the surface, dab it with paper towel. Wrap the
cheese and refrigerate overnight (or at least a few hours) to let
the flavours settle. The cheese will be slightly golden but not
intensely dark.

After a bit of troubleshooting, the results were amazing. The
cheddar was flavoured with the sweet, fruity smoke (I will be
melting it on nachos). The Pecorino was also satisfying - the smoke
was a nice match to the sweet/salty notes of the cheese. The m
ozzarella, which had a denser exterior, took on the mildest flavour,
but would add perfect, subtle smoky notes to a pizza.

I tried the process using a gas barbecue and also a Weber Kettle
grill. Both worked well.

Tips for smoking cheese:

Use a soldering iron with a cord. I bought a cordless version that
stayed on only while your finger was pressing the button - back to
the store for me.

When you lift the lid to check your cheese, try to stand to the
side. A single billowing whoosh of smoke managed to make me smell
like a human campfire.

Sue Riedl blogs about cheese and other edibles at
cheeseandtoast.com.

Cheers

YK Jim


... I COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS!!!

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