How to Smoke Cheese, Crackers and Summer Sausage on a Smoker and a Grill

Up your tailgate or party game by smoking crackers, cheese and summer sausage in a smoker, or on a gas or charcoal grill using a pellet-filled smoke tube. 

Everyone will be talking about the smoked crackers and cheese you brought to the tailgate. I know this because Jason and I didn’t stop talking about the smoked Cheez-It crackers a guy shared with us at a Minnesota State University Maverick hockey game. Soon afterward, we starting smoking Cheez-It, Chicken In A Biskit, saltine and Club crackers.

A year later, we started smoking cheese because our brother-in-law Russell smoked some on his grill using a smoke tube and we couldn’t stop talking about how good it was.

Watch my KELOLAND Living segment for smoking crackers and cheese:

Do I have to use a smoker?

No. For the crackers, you need heat from your grill or smoker. To smoke cheese and summer sausage, you don’t want heat, only the smoke from a smoke tube. This means you can smoke cheese, crackers and summer sausage even if you only have a grill, as long as you have a smoke tube and pellets, which you can purchase at most stores that sell grills.

How to smoke crackers

1. Place crackers of your choice in a large disposable aluminum pan. (Large enough to stir the crackers without spilling.)
2. Whisk together olive oil, liquid smoke and seasonings of choice.
3. Pour over crackers and toss to coat.
4. Place pan of crackers on smoker filled with pellets of choice. Heat to approximately 175°F. Smoke for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. OR, heat grill to approximately 175°F. Place pan of crackers on grill. Light smoke tube filled with pellets of choice. Smoke with lid closed for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. 
5. Remove crackers from heat and cool 5 minutes. Place in airtight container or zipper bag. Refrigerate at least 3 days for optimal infused smoke flavor.

About the crackers

1. Use any flavor of crackers you like. We’ve also smoked gluten-free crackers.
2. If the crackers you are smoking already have a flavor (e.g. Chicken In A Biskit crackers or rosemary and olive oil Triscuits), you don’t need to add seasonings. When we smoke Chicken In A Biskit, we only use olive oil and liquid smoke.
3. You could also smoke croutons to step up your salad game.

How to smoke cheese and summer sausage

1. Place block(s) of cheese and whole or thick-sliced summer sausage on wire cooling rack. Place on cold grill or smoker. Place smoke tube filled with pellets on the grill or smoker. Light smoke tube. Close lid.
2. Smoke 2-3 hours. You should be able to see the dark smoke color throughout the block. Immediately store in airtight container in refrigerator. Cut the hard rind off before eating.

Another option to try is Traeger’s Cold Smoked Cheese using heat on the smoker and ice in the pan.

About the cheese

1. Use any flavor of hard cheese (we haven’t tried soft cheese like cream cheese, feta, Brie or ricotta).
2. It can’t be really hot outside when you smoke the cheese. You don’t want it to start melting or sitting 3 hours at a hot temperature. 60°F and below is a nice environment.
3. You can freeze smoked cheese but freezing cheese can change the texture of it.
4. Cut the hard rind off the smoked block of cheese. You don’t eat that part.

Other uses for smoked crackers

Use smoked cracker crumbs for the crust on my Taco Cheesecake or Smoky Bacon Cheesecake with Gouda and Gruyere.

Soak up smoked saltine crackers in my Magic Chicken Noodle or Ham and Bean soups.

Smoke oyster crackers or corn chips to top off my Rainy Day Chili or Beer Chili.

Use smoked Chicken In A Biskit crackers to coat Air Fryer or Baked Chicken In A Biskit Chicken Strips.

Sweet and smoky wishes,