Smoked Mac & Cheese Recipe

Author: Mark Ashby

Cooked on my Monument Grills Pellet Smoker and flavored up with Kosmo's Q BBQ & Grilling SPG rub, this macaroni and cheese recipe is one to keep in your logbook for use later.

Ingredients:

- 2 Tablespoons Butter

- 2 Tablespoons Flour

- 2 Cups Heavy Cream

- 1LB. Extra Sharp Cheddar (shredded)

- ½LB. Monterey Jack (shredded)

- 1-2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce

- 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning

- 1 Cup Mayo

- 1 Cup Sour Cream

- 12oz Elbow Macaroni Noodles

- 1/2 Cup Panko

- 12oz Thin Sliced Bacon

Cooking Method:

Get your smoker up to 350 degrees and allow to stabilize for 15 – 20 minutes. 

Prepare pasta (al dente) according to package directions and set aside.

Cook bacon until crispy. Immediately remove bacon and allow to drain on a paper towel. Finely chop bacon with food processor and set aside.

In saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour over medium heat. Cook until the roux starts smelling a little nutty. At that point, add 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and stir until sauce thickens. Add an additional 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir for 1-2 minutes and then add final 1 cup of heavy cream and stir until sauce is smooth and thick.

Add grated cheese to sauce slowly stirring until the cheese is blended and sauce is smooth and creamy. Add 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce (depending on the heat level you desire).

Mix together pasta, sauce, mayo and sour cream and pour into a smoker-safe dish. If possible, use a 13-inch cast iron skillet – and make sure it has been oil, seasoned or sprayed with a good non-stick spray. Be sure not to over-fill.

Mix ½ cup of panko with chopped bacon. Top mac & cheese with panko/bacon mixture.

To smoke the mac & cheese, place the skillet in your 350-degree Monument smoker for 1 hour (or until mac & cheese becomes hot and bubbly). Make sure to check halfway through the cooking time because smokers and grills will vary. If mac & cheese is getting too dark, you can always cover with foil and continue cooking.