After months and months of trial and error on smoking meats, I decided to make the leap and upgrade to a Yoder Smoker. Given the investment I made on the new smoker, cooking at home will likely be taking a leap and eating out could take a hit.
After smoking ribs, ham and pork butts over the past week, we decided to take a break from the meats and try something different. We settled on Smoked Mac & Cheese and found a recipe from Hey Grill, Hey.
I loved the smokiness of the bread crumbs laid over the top. It added a nice crisp texture to mix in with the rich mac & cheese. It’s much different from your typical dish as it’s not as creamy but the flavor was far better.
This was thoroughly enjoyed at home and a great start to our Yoder Smoker meals.
Below is the recipe but if you would like to watch Susie Bulloch show you how, I’d recommend the YouTube video they have:
Ingredients
- 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
- 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
Instructions
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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).
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Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F using a mild hardwood. My favorite is cherry or apple.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Combine the melted butter, sweet rub, and panko bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
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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.
Happy Dining,
Eddy
Have a great recipe to share? Please e-mail us as we are always open to suggestions.
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