Smoked Brie

Smoked Brie is the perfect way to add a savory addition to your meal. Since the cold-smoking process is so simple, it's excellent to have as a starter or appetizer, too. The creaminess of the cheese pairs so well with the smoky taste and flavor. 

The best part about this smoked brie recipe is that you literally just need one ingredient. As long as you can open up the package of brie cheese and put it on the charcoal grill, you're well on your way to smoking success. Sometimes, recipes this simple that taste this good are just what we need, right? 

I've also seen people put the cheese in a cast-iron skillet and then sit it on the grill, but I really like putting the cheese directly on the grates to get as much flavor as possible. You can choose to use a small wheel brie or a larger piece, totally up to you. 

Smoke cheese is a concept that a lot of people think is "fancy" and hard to do, but this simple recipe proves it's anything but. Need more proof? Check out my tips on how to make Smoked Cream Cheese as well. 

Ingredients & Tools

Brie cheese - I like to use 8 ounces as it seems to be a good size for dipping, sharing, spreading, and eating up. 

Smoking Tube - This is a small metal tube that you fill with wood pellets. 

Wood - Wood pellets work the best in a smoker tube.

Small Grill with a Lid - We use a charcoal grill without the charcoal. The tight-fitting lid ensures the smoke stays where we want it.

Temperature Probe - You want to keep the temperature low. That is why we add a bowl of ice to the smoker.

How to make Smoked Brie 

As soon as you have your brie of choice, you're ready to get started on smoking it. It's such a simple process with such a smooth and creamy texture. 

Step One: Get the grill temperature to as close to 90 degrees as possible. Check the temperature on your thermometer for accuracy.

Expert Tip: Add a bowl of ice when cold smoking cheese to help keep the temperature cool enough that the cheese does not melt.

Step Two: Place the wheel of brie on the grill and cold smoke for 1 hour. 

Expert Tip: You can vary the flavor of the smoked brie cheese by the type of wood chips you add to the tube. Applewood chips and cherrywood chips are our top choices.

Variations 

Since this recipe has one main ingredient, there isn't a lot of variation that can happen. One thing that you can do is add seasonings to the smoked brie if you'd like. 

Simple seasonings like Everything Bagel would be good to add on top, as would chili seasoning also. (These can also easily be added once the brie is done being smoked as well) 

There are different sizes and varieties of brie that you can do this with. Some brie is already seasoned and flavored at the store, so that means that it's flavored and ready to be taken out of the package and put right onto the grill. This makes it super simple and easy to start smoking it right away. 

Common Questions

Can you cold smoke brie?

Yes, that is our method of choice. We've tried hot smoking brie and it melts too fast. We've tried several times both with it plain and wrapped in a pastry and that method just doesn't work as well as cold smoking. If you like your brie hot simply smoke it cold first and then use it like you would any brie wheel. Wrap in crescent dough, pie crust, or puff pastry with some fig jam, top with nuts, and bake.

Can I smoke the brie in a cold smoker box?

Yes, you can find a great tutorial here on making a cold smoker box. We just keep the cold smoking process simple and use a small charcoal grill with the lid on. It works fine to contain the smoke so that smokey flavour gets absorbed into the cheese.

How do you serve smoked brie? 

There are so many options when it comes to enjoying smoked brie. You can simply add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup on top and enjoy it with your favorite crackers and apple slices for a great snack. We love enjoying some smoked pecans on the side.

If you're a fan of fresh herbs, add a sprig or two of fresh rosemary or fresh thyme on top, and then spread it on top of a slice of French bread. Smoked baked brie is really creamy once spread so it's a great pairing with most types of bread.

Some people even enjoy using smoked cheese as a spread on their burgers or sausage and cheese breakfast sandwiches. Pairing it with prosciutto is delicious, too. 

Don't forget that you can make brie sweet as well. Add some fresh strawberries or sliced berries on top and it's a great sweet dish to enjoy. Topping it with fruit preserves (such as fig jams or sweet fruit jellies) is another delicious idea. 

This is also an excellent addition to any charcuterie board. We like to garnish ours with fresh bay leaves.

What is the best way to store leftover brie?

Brie should be eaten slightly warm or at room temperature, but I wouldn't leave it out for very long. It's best to store it in the fridge covered so that it stays nice and fresh. I also don't recommend putting it in the freezer. This is meant to be served once it's smoked. 

If you do store it in the fridge, remove it and let the smoked brie warm up a bit and come to a warm temperature before eating. As it loses some of that chill, the creaminess will return. If you wanted to warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave at that point in time, you could do that also - just don't overheat it.