Smoked Velveeta

Oh, yes, people laughed when I brought up the idea of smoking Velveeta. “Why?” “Are you insane?” You name it, I heard it. But I was not deterred because in my mind I had already tasted smoked Velveeta mac-and-cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches and they tasted fantastic.

Smoked Velveeta

I used the exact same process that I use for cold smoking cheese blocks except that I froze the Velveeta overnight first. Velveeta gets soft even at room temperature, so by freezing it I was helping to guarantee that it didn’t melt on a smoker. And it didn’t! It came out absolutely amazing! Next time, I’m loading up my smoker big time with Velveeta! This stuff is awesome!

I use a smoke tube when cold smoking. It gives me perfect control over the temperature and produces consistent smoke. I buy wood pellets (I used apple) and fill the tube completely, then light one end. The tube stays lit for a few hours, perfect for smoking cheese or anything else that doesn’t need higher heat. I highly recommend it. It’s also great for adding smoke flavor to dishes being cooked on a gas grill.

The first thing I made with smoked Velvetta was, of course, macaroni and cheese!

Smoked Velveeta
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5 from 1 vote

Smoked Velveeta

Oh, yes, people laughed when I brought up this idea.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, smoked
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 day 1 hour
Servings 1 pound
Calories 1007kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Unwrap the Velveeta. Place on a plate and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
  • Fire up your smoker for cold smoking.
  • Make sure you keep the temperature below 90 F, and preferably at 70 F.
  • Place the Velveeta on a grate or in a disposable pan and transfer to the smoker.
  • Smoke for 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how strong you want the smoke flavor. If the cheese begins to sweet wipe it dry and make sure the temperature is staying low.
  • Remove from the smoker and let cool completely. Place in a vacuum sealer bag or resealable bag and close. Refrigerate for a least 2 weeks before using.

Notes

Make sure you unwrap the Velveeta completely before freezing!
If you don’t have a smoke tube you can still cold smoke with just a few briquettes and a chunk or two of wood.

Nutrition

Calories: 1007kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 89g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 7194mg | Potassium: 1565mg | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 4454IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 2604mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Smoked Cheeses

I was so happy with how great these smoked cheeses tasted. I mean, they were fantastic. And definitely so much better than any so-called smoked cheese you buy in the store (which are usually flavored with a liquid smoke or chemical and not real wood smoke).

Smoked Cheeses

I made one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I’ve ever had with the smoked sharp cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. I served it with some of my smoked potato chips.

Grilled Smoked Cheese Sandwich with Smoked Chips

The smoked buffalo mozzarella made for the best pizzas I’ve had. It takes pizza to a whole new happy place.

Cold smoking can be a tricky endeavor. The key is to not get above 90 F. The cheese can of course melt if you get your temperatures too high. You also want to not over-smoke the cheese as too much smoke flavor can be a bad thing. The first time attempting it you might want to sample one of the cheeses every 5 or so minutes to see how much smoke flavor you have.

My cold smoke setup is easy: 4 lit charcoal briquettes topped with a piece of apple wood. Once the wood starts to smoke I put on the cheeses or whatever I am cold smoking. I monitor the temperature in the smoker closely, making any damper adjustments needed to maintain 90 F. It’s easier to do on a cloudy, cool day.

You can also use a smoke tube for this process.

Also try smoking Velveeta. It’s seriously crazy good stuff.

Cold Smoke Setup
Smoked Cheeses
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Smoked Cheeses

I was so happy with how great these smoked cheeses tasted. I mean, they were fantastic. And definitely so much better than any so-called smoked cheese you buy in the store.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword cheese, smoked
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 blocks
Calories 4kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For cold smoking

  • 4 lit charcoal briquettes
  • 1 small chunk apple wood

For the smoked cheeses

  • 4 blocks cheese use your favorites. I used Tillamook sharp cheddar, Tillamook pepper jack, and a log of fresh buffalo mozzarella.

Instructions

For cold smoking

  • Place the 4 lit briquettes in the bottom of your smoker.
  • Add the wood chunk.
  • Once the wood is smoking, you can add the cheeses.

For the smoked cheeses

  • Place the cheeses onto a disposable grill topper or in a vegetable or fish basket.
  • Smoke 15 or so minutes until the desired smokiness is achieved. For us, 20 minutes was just perfect. Sample as you cook to find the amount of smoke you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.