Comfort food meets grill-infused flavors in this delicious smoked mac and cheese recipe. Perfect for a weekend dinner or a summer barbecue, this smoker recipe can be made using a charcoal grill with wood chips or a pellet grill. The result is a cheesy goodness with great flavor that will leave everyone at the dinner table asking for more. With the option for various combinations of different cheeses, like parmesan cheese, colby jack, and gouda, or infuse the creamy cheese sauce with a little bit of hot sauce, this dish is the epitome of comfort food.
Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Table of Contents
This recipe will show you how to prepare a creamy macaroni and cheese dish topped with crispy, crumbled bread crumbs or if you prefer, try a crumbled bacon topping. From melting butter to spooning the creamy mac mixture into your cast iron dish, this recipe will take you through every step to make the best smoked mac and cheese ever.
Smoked mac n cheese takes mac and cheese to a whole new level. What kid doesn’t love mac and cheese? Let’s face it, as parents, traditional mac and cheese is easy, but I can’t help to wonder just what is in that magic cheese powder. Surely it can’t be all that good for anyone to consume. Seems more like a science project than a cheese recipe.
So you want a great recipe for homemade smoked mac and cheese? We are about to get into it, but first, I want to share a thought with you. It can be intimidating for me when I hear of new recipes that start with making a roux followed by a long list of ingredients. However, after some time starting a few roux recipes of my own, it’s truly very simple. Just hang in there and give it a try. You will find it is not all that difficult and seems to sound fancy and more complicated than it is.
If you don’t know what a roux is, a roux is simply a mixed base of flour and a fat. The fat is typically an oil that could be olive oil, vegetable oil, or grease from having cooked the fat down in beef, bacon, or sausages for example. Experiment and do not be intimidated by recipes starting with a roux base. It is a great place to add great flavor to your dish.
Now on to the smoked macaroni. Homemade mac and cheese is the perfect side dish for about any meal. Today you will see on the grill that I am cooking mine with smoked pork loin.
Start by boiling a large pot of water to cook the elbow macaroni noodles. I use a large stock pot to boil a 1-pound package of elbow noodles. Cook the noodles for 8 minutes or to any specific time listed on the package directions. The general rule for pasta is eight minutes.
In a large bowl or countertop, shred 1 cup gouda cheese and 3 cups of sharp cheddar cheese. Keep in mind that these are the cheeses I typically use to make it. You can use any cheese if you are a cheese lover or have your own cheese mixture. I have wanted to try using different types of cheese like pepper jack or monterey jack for a little kick.
As the water comes up to a boil to cook the macaroni noodles, I take a large Le Creuset pot and start my butter and flour roux on medium heat. Start by putting half a cup of butter in the pot, and as it melts down, add in the 4 tablespoons of flour with the melted butter and mix together slowly, forming that butter roux base.
Once mixed, I add one tablespoon of mustard powder and a bit of smoked paprika. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of whole milk and bring that to a slight boil. Once it starts to boil, add in 6 ounces of Philidelphia Cream Cheese.
Now, reduce the heat and add your shredded cheese. Stir everything together and allow it to melt down. Once it is melted, add your cooked macaroni noodles and mix them all together.
In a small mixing bowl, melt a quarter cup of butter and add 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika. Mix together.
In a large cast iron skillet or if you have a cast iron dutch oven, transfer the entire pot of mac n cheese into the Lodge Dutch Oven or skillet. Now cover the top of the mac with the panko bread crumb mixture and sprinkle on some fresh black pepper.
Place the cast iron dutch oven or large skillet on your pellet smoker or grill for that smoky flavor. I enjoy using my Weber Kettle grill with a mild wood for that extra punch of flavor. Today I am using cherry wood for my smoky mac and pork tenderloin.
Smoked Mac and Cheese on Weber Kettle Grill
Using the charcoal snake method, the Weber will burn at 225 degrees for several hours for a low heat cook. Place two charcoal briquets along the outer edge of the kettle grill from about the 7 pm mark around to the 1 pm mark. The longer you run the charcoal around the outer edge the longer it will burn. Then place another briquet down the middle and sprinkle in your cherry wood chips.
I let the entire pan or uncovered dutch oven sit on the grill and take in that smoke flavor. Know that the mac n cheese will absorb the smoke flavor quickly, so I like to let it stay on for about 45 minutes to an hour. Also, remember that you do not want your dish to stay on too long, or you risk over cooked or dried-out pasta.
As the charcoal burns around, it will light the wood chips and let that smoke flavor permeate your mac and cheese. If you are using a Traeger pellet Smoker, I would set the temperature to 225 and let the mac and cheese stay on for 45 minutes or until the desired level of smoked flavor is reached.
Recognize that if you do not care for the smoked flavor, do not put it on the grill to smoke. You can skip this entire part of the recipe. The mac n cheese is done before going to the grill to smoke. If anything, you can place it in the oven at 225 for 45 minutes to complete the cook and melting of the cheese.
Smoked Mac and Cheese Ingredient List
- 1 pound of elbow macaroni noodles (or your noodle of choice)
- 3 cups of cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of gouda cheese
- 4 oz of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 4 tablespoons of flour
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
- 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup of butter
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Smoked Mac And Cheese
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Prep Time: 8 min -
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Smoked Time: 45 min -
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Cook Time: 10 min -
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Total Time: 1 hour 3 minutes -
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Category: Dinner -
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Method: Grilled -
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Cuisine: American
Prep Time:
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Pin RecipeDescription
Flavor infused smoked mac and cheese finished in a Lodge cast iron Dutch Oven over charcoal and cherry wood chips on the Weber kettle grill. Topped with a crunchy Planko breaded crust.
Ingredients
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- 1 pound of elbow macaroni noodles (or your noodle of choice)
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- 3 cups of cheddar cheese
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- 1 cup of gouda cheese
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- 6 oz of Philidelphia Cream Cheese
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- 1 cup of heavy cream
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- 1 cup of whole milk
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- 4 tablespoons of flour
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- 1/2 cup of butter
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- 1 tablespoon of mustard powder
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- 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
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- 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
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- 1/4 cup of butter
Instructions
In a large pot that will boil 1 pound of elbow noodles, fill it 60% of water, add a dash of olive oil, and bring water to a boil.
Cook elbow pasta for 8 minutes or per specific instructions on the pasta of your choice.
While you wait for the water to boil, shred 3 cups of cheddar cheese and 1 cup of gouda cheese.
In a large Le Creuset pot on medium heat add 1/2 cup of butter and let melt.
Once melted, add in the 4 tablespoons of flour and mix slowly, forming your butter roux base.
Add one tablespoon of mustard powder and a teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Add 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of whole milk and bring that to a slight boil.
Once it starts to boil, add 6 ounces of Philidelphia Cream Cheese.
Reduce the heat and add your shredded cheese. Stir everything together and allow it to melt down. Once it has melted, add your cooked macaroni noodles and thoroughly mix them.
In a small mixing bowl, melt 1/4 cup of butter
Add 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
Add 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika and mix all together.
Transfer the entire pot of mac n cheese into the Lodge Dutch Oven or a large cast iron skillet.
Cover the top of the mac and cheese with the panko bread crumb mixture and sprinkle on some fresh black pepper.
For that delicious smoked flavor, place either on a Traeger Smoker or as I do, use the snake charcoal method with cherry wood chips on a Weber kettle grill.
Get grill or smoker temperature to 225 degrees.
Let the mac and cheese sit on the smoker for 30 to 45 minutes depending on how much smoke flavor you prefer.
Enjoy!
Notes
I smoke my mac and cheese for 45 minutes on 225
Keywords: Smoked Mac and Cheese
