Smoked Mac and Cheese by Hey Grill Hey

It’s getting close to the holidays, and catching up and making memories with friends and family is always better when you can cook and share traditional comfort foods. And the comfort food toward the top of nearly everyone’s list is a big pot of gooey Mac & Cheese! Every family has their own way to do it, but this year we asked Susie Bulloch, the pitmaster behind Hey Grill Hey, how she would enhance her family favorite. She called out a couple of unexpected ingredients and of course, she recommends it being made low and slow on the smoker for extra flavor for those chilly holiday evenings! Let’s learn how she does it.

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Smoked Mac and Cheese Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni noodles (cooked according to package instructions and drained)
½ C unsalted butter
4 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 TBSP mustard powder
2 C half and half
4 oz cream cheese
3 C cheddar cheese
1 ½ C gouda cheese

Smoked Mac Breadcrumb Topping Ingredients

1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub

Cooking Instructions

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).

Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225F using a mild hardwood. Susie’s favorite is cherry wood or apple wood.

Make a roux. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt ½ cup of butter and then whisk in the flour until a smooth, thin paste forms. Next, whisk in the mustard powder.

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.

You can add lots of creative ingredients to the Smoked Mac and Cheese recipe from Susie Bulloch of Hey Grill Hey

Susie says this is a great dish to get creative with your extra ingredients, like using BBQ rub in the panko mix, or adding some chilis or leftover meats to enhance the profile of smoked mac and cheese.

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.
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.

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.

Enjoy. Remove the smoked mac and cheese from the smoker. Serve it while it is still warm and the cheese is nice and melty!

Pro Tips for Better Smoked Mac and Cheese

Use cast iron. A 12-inch cast iron skillet will go from stovetop to smoker to the dinner table without too much hassle or too many dishes. Plus, it will give you plenty of surface area for your mac and cheese to take on smoke.
Keep your smoker temperatures low. Anything over 225F will overcook your noodles and make your mac and cheese dry.
Susie uses a mild wood. She recommends lighter woods like cherry, apple, maple, or pecan for this recipe.
Make it full of flavor! This mac and cheese is a great base for other flavor additions like bacon, green chiles, or pulled pork. Get creative!
Want even MORE smoky flavor in the mix? Substitute the shredded cheddar with smoky sharp cheddar, or cheese you cold smoked yourself!