The preparation process is divided into two stages:
The preparation process is divided into two stages:
1. Preparing Mozzarella according to our recipe (see: Mozzarella Cheese Recipe)
Some recommendations/corrections that would be important when preparing Mozzarella for smoking:
- You can use any fresh milk (cow, sheep, or goat). Traditional Oscypek is made exactly from sheep's milk, however, most are made by mixing milks together;
- You need to prepare firm mozzarella. To do this, you need to stretch the cheese for a longer time or squeeze out any excess whey;
- Smoked cheeses are usually saltier, so in addition to the basic salting mentioned in the recipe, we recommend soaking the already formed cheese in a salt brine for several hours. Adjust the salting time yourself according to taste, it could be up to 6 hours.
2. Smoking process
Once the cheese is already salted and dried with paper towels, you can start smoking process. Through experimentation, we've concluded that the most effective method is 1-3 hours of smoking at a temperature of 50-70C. At a lower temperature, the cheese needs to be smoked for a longer time, but at a higher temperature, the cheese matures faster, although there's a risk that it might lose its shape and soften.
We've made our own smoker, in which it's very difficult to maintain the temperature regime, so it needs to be preheated first to get the hot coals. Then we place the cheese inside the smoker, close the door, and occasionally add the designated firewood.
After smoking, the cheese should be placed in a container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.