I smoke a ton a cheese in my Big Chief. I use good Tillamook sharp, medium colby/jack and that white medium cheddar and cut the loaves in half length wise. I don't put them in the smoker until the smoke is really going good and close the whole thing up. When the first pan is done I take the cheese out to let it cool until the next pan of alder gets smoking and then put it back in until that pan is done. 2 pans of alder seems just right. As soon as they come out of the smoker they get wrapped up in paper towels and put in the beer fridge to cool off then wrapped up in plastic. (I need to get a new vacuum sealer
!) Cool, breezy days are the best for smoking cheese, heat is a killer. I had folks wanting to order some smoked Tillamook Vintage White medium cheddar from me last weekend. That stuff is really smooth and takes smoke well.