Smoked Mac and Cheese
Smoked mac and cheese is comfort food in a cast iron skillet. This mac and cheese is creamy and rich and topped with a crisp panko topping. It's rounded out with the perfect kiss of smoke flavor from being baked in a backyard smoker.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles (cooked according to package instructions)
- ½ cup butter
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 1 Tablespoon mustard powder
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups gouda cheese
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub
Directions
- 1
Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni noodles until they are al dente, meaning they still have a bit of chew and texture (not too soft).
- 2
Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F using a mild hardwood. My favorite is cherry or apple.
- 3
Make a roux. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and then whisk in the flour until a smooth, thin paste forms. Next, whisk in the mustard powder.
- 4
Finish making the sauce. Carefully pour in the half and half and bring the sauce up to a boil while whisking. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Lastly, whisk in the cheddar cheese and gouda cheese and stir until melted.
- 5
Add the noodles. Turn off the heat and pour in the cooked macaroni noodles. Stir gently until the noodles are coated by the cheese sauce.
- 6
Make the breadcrumb topping. Combine the melted butter, sweet rub, and panko bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
- 7
Smoke. 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.
- 8
Enjoy. Remove the smoked mac and cheese from the smoker. Serve it while it is still warm and the cheese is nice and melty!