This smoke would have used cheese from Kroger that was on sale (of course) and following primarily Mr. T’s advice at SMF.  The cheese to be smoked was a sharp Cheddar and Pepper Jack but the MES would not run below 90 degrees given the Amazen tray inside the MES and the ambient temp.

5:30 AM – First step was to cut it into pieces about the size of a 1/4 lb of butter, covered with plastic and put in the garage to warm up to the high 60s so it goes in the MES at ambient temp. Yes, it is that warm in early February, on Super Bowl 51 Sunday morning, in Houston TX.

6:25 – Began experiment to see if MES will get too hot to smoke cheese given the ambient temp. Humidity is 98% with an occasional sprinkle.

Time      Amb.    3rd Grate    2nd Grate  [Grate count is with the top grate as no. 1]
6:25         66          67                    67         Inserted smoking AMNZN tray with chip loader chute in
6:30         66          75                    77
7:00         66          95                    92
7:25         66          95                    97         Appears to have stabilized
— Pulled Chip loader out and smoke speed increased
8:10         67          104                 107        TO HOT with loader in or out so CANCELLED

Conclusions

1. With the chip chute in the temp differential between ambient and MES was 30 degrees.
2. With chute pulled out the differential was 40 degrees.
3. Need to build the mail box mode and try again.