Amazing Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe You Should Try at Home! (2021)

Cheese is another great way to make your dinner…

…party feels special. You can find just about any…

…combination of cheeses you like and select from…

…a wide selection of both red and white slices of cheese.

Moreover…

I’ve spent years perfecting and refining my smoked…

…mac and cheese recipe because I enjoy it so much.

I experimented with various the best cheeses…

… milk, creams, toppings, and other ingredients…

…in order to find the perfect flavor and texture…

…combination. This is crucial for any good mac and…

…cheese, but especially for smoked mac and cheese.

Let’s hear Anna’s story…

Everyone has comfort food, mine is smoked mac and cheese…

I always feel happy eating smoked mac and cheese after a long and tiring day…

I’m glad it is easy to make...

Smoked Mac and Cheese is a good side dish for smoked meats; it packs a lot of flavor and pairs well with smoked meats like briskets and pulled pork.

bbqgrillacademy

Here we go…

How to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese

If you’ve ever used a smoker, you’re well aware…

…that porous, wet, or soft items absorb smoke…

…quickly. That’s fantastic news if you’re planning…

…on serving this smoked macaroni and cheese…

…alongside smoked brisket or pork shoulder.

You won’t have to preheat your grill because…

…you’ll be removing your large meats to rest for…

…an hour and put your mac and cheese straight…

…into the smoker.

Let see exactly how this works…

Tips For The Best Smoked Mac and Cheese

You should take a closer look at these tips…

…to make a great smoked mac and cheese!

• Use cast iron. A 12-inch skillet will go from stovetop to smoker to the dinner table without too much hassle or too many dishes. Plus it will give you plenty of surface area for your mac and cheese to take on smoke.
• Keep your smoker temperatures low. Anything over 225 degrees F will overcook your noodles and make your mac and cheese dry.
• Use a mild wood. I recommend cherry, apple, maple, or pecan wood.
• Feed free to mix it up! This mac and cheese is a great base for other flavor additions, bacon, green chiles, lobster, pulled pork… get creative! My favorite thing to do is add my Signature Sweet Rub to the panko topping for that classic BBQ flavor.

Wait, before you are asking how to find mild wood, I’ve been using this best quality mild wood for cooking needs.  These smoked up quickly, and give a nice moderate smoke flavor.

Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

After reading the tips, now time to practice it!

Are you ready? Let’s get busy!

Ingredients Of Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

• 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles (cooked according to package instructions)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 Tablespoons flour
• 1 Tablespoon mustard powder
• 2 cups half and half creamer
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 cups cheddar
• 1.5 cups gouda

BREAD CRUMB TOPPING

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tablespoons Signature Sweet Rub

Because I don’t have enough time to go to the supermarket, last month I bought all of those ingredients on Amazon and here are the items:

Instructions Of Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni noodles until they are al dente, meaning they still have a bit of chew and texture (not too soft).
• Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F using a mild hardwood. My favorite is cherry or apple. 
• Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and whisk in the flour until a smooth, thin paste forms. Then whisk in the mustard powder.
• Carefully pour in the half and half and bring up to a boil while whisking. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth.
• Whisk in the cheddar cheese and gouda cheese and stir until melted. Turn off the heat and pour in the cooked macaroni noodles. Stir gently until the noodles are coated by the cheese sauce.
• Combine the melted butter, sweet rub, and panko bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
• Place the skillet in the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 1 hour. You can smoke for up to 2 hours if you want a stronger smoker flavor, but the noodles will take on quite a bit of smoke fairly quickly.
• Serve your mac and cheese while it is still warm and the cheese is nice and melty!

NUTRITION CONTAINS

Calories: 837kcal|Carbohydrates: 57g|Protein: 30g|Fat: 56g|Saturated Fat: 34g|Cholesterol: 171mg|Sodium: 877mg|Potassium: 231mg|Fiber: 2g|Sugar: 2g|Vitamin A: 1665IU|Vitamin C: 1mg|Calcium: 701mg|Iron: 3.1mg

More about smoked mac and cheese…

Can Smoked Mac and Cheese Be Made Ahead of Time?

This can easily be done in advance. Once the dish is complete…

…cover and refrigerate, then gently reheat it in the oven…

…at 300F for 30 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly.

It will reheat more evenly and more quickly…

…if you let it come to room temperature first.

Keep Your Smoked Mac And Cheese Fresh!

You can freeze it tightly covered for up to three months…

One entire pan can be frozen (disposable aluminum pans…

…are perfect for this) or individual portions can be frozen…

…(these smaller pans work really well).

The best part is that it can be baked or reheated right from…

…the freezer!

My granny always has disposable aluminum pans at her place, because every time she made this delicious dish to keep it frozen in the fridge, it can easily to reheat by the oven.

How to Smoke it in a Smoker

• It’s time to smoke your mac and cheese if you like!
• Use applewood to pre-heat your smoker to 225F.
• Place your mac and cheese in your smoker uncovered once it’s ready.
• For 30-40 minutes, close the lid of your smoker and let your mac and cheese smoke.
• Since we’re using smoked cheeses, you shouldn’t keep it in much longer than this since it will become too smokey.

Can You Really Get the Smoked Flavor Throughout the Mac and Cheese?

Indeed! This is accomplished by not simply “baking”…

…like you would in an oven, but rather by “cooking”…

…in the smoker.

Stir it every twenty minutes or you’ll ruin it. In this…

…way all the ingredients are brought up to the surface…

…allowing the smoke flavor to be infused throughout.

In a similar manner, Smoked Vegetables are prepared…

…on the grill or smoker.

You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand and…

…get that rich smokey flavor.

I’m gonna suggest you to use proper smoker gloves to put the smoked mac and cheese inside. My best recommendation is here:

Smoked Mac and Cheese on Pellet Grill

The pellet grill really simplifies the smoking process, however it does add…

…a few extra steps. I wouldn’t call pellet grill mac & cheese difficult by any means…

…but a little forethought goes a long way.

With that in mind, here are a few pointers to help you get started:

• Prepare your pellet grill by preheating it. Even though this recipe calls for a low temperature of 225°F, preheating the grill makes the process easier and your cooking more consistent. Before you begin working on the mac, simply turn on your grill and adjust the temperature.
• Use a cast-iron skillet for this. A traditional 12′′ diameter skillet is ideal. Not only can cast iron pans make fantastic mac & cheese, but they’re also a breeze to transfer from the stovetop to the pellet grill. This recipe can also be made using a conventional skillet and a disposable aluminum pan, but it will be more difficult to prepare and clean up.
• Use wood pellets with a milder flavor. We recommend oak, cherry, apple, or maple pellets for pellet grill mac and cheese. If you don’t have any other options, hickory will suffice! We wouldn’t use mesquite because the strong smokey tones are likely to dominate the pasta’s more delicate flavors.
• Make your own cheese gratings. The chemicals in grocery store shredded cheese keep it from clumping, but they take away a lot of the flavor. Don’t scrimp on the main ingredient if you’re going to spend over an hour creating pellet grill mac and cheese. You’ll thank us later if you take the time to grate your own cheese.

Sum Up

Making smoked mac and cheese…

..is actually easy if you know all the tips and tricks.

All you need is to make mac and cheese..

..and smoked it properly.

Conclusion

I’m looking forward to hearing how this recipe…

…turned out for you!

Comment below if you’d like! It’s great to hear…

…from you!

Or contact us for more info about smoked mac and cheese!

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