Description
This Smoked Mac and Cheese recipe combines creamy, cheesy macaroni pasta with a delightful smoky flavor infused by slow smoking in a BBQ or smoker. With a rich cheese sauce made from cheddar and gouda, and a crisp panko breadcrumb topping, this dish takes classic comfort food to the next level, perfect for gatherings or a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound dry elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 ounces cream cheese (½ brick)
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1½ cups shredded or cubed gouda cheese
Topping
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Cook the elbow macaroni to al dente according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly and set aside to keep warm.
- Prepare smoker: Preheat your smoker or BBQ to 225°F. Add wood chips to the coals or use a smoking box to generate smoke for flavor infusion.
- Make roux: Melt ½ cup unsalted butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and whisk continuously, cooking for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add spices: Whisk in the mustard powder, ground black pepper, and garlic powder evenly into the roux.
- Incorporate half-and-half: Slowly pour in the half-and-half while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the mixture gently to a simmer.
- Melt cream cheese: Stir in cream cheese until fully melted and smooth, creating a rich base for the cheese sauce.
- Add shredded cheeses: Stir in the cheddar and gouda cheeses until completely melted and creamy. Remove the skillet from heat and fold in the cooked macaroni until fully coated.
- Prepare topping: In a separate bowl, mix the Panko breadcrumbs with ¼ cup melted butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle this breadcrumb mixture evenly over the mac and cheese in the skillet.
- Smoke the dish: Place the skillet in the smoker or BBQ set at 225°F. Smoke for 1 hour to infuse the mac and cheese with a delicious smoky aroma and flavor. Serve hot.
Notes
- Using a cast iron skillet allows for even heating and is ideal for smoking the mac and cheese.
- You can adjust the type of wood chips for smoking based on preference; hickory or applewood work great with cheese dishes.
- If you don’t have a smoker, a covered grill with indirect heat and wood chips can be used as an alternative.
- Ensure the pasta is al dente so it doesn’t become mushy during the smoking process.
- The breadcrumb topping adds a nice crunchy texture to contrast the creamy mac and cheese.
