Indulge in the smoky, cheesy goodness of Smoked Mac and Cheese, a tantalizing dish that elevates the classic comfort food to new heights. This recipe combines the irresistible flavors of smoked cheese and bacon, creating a rich and decadent dish that will satisfy even the most discerning palate. Whether you're a fan of traditional macaroni and cheese or looking for a unique twist on this beloved dish, this smoked version is sure to impress. With three variations - Classic, Hatch Chile, and Jalapeño Popper - there's a perfect recipe for every taste preference. Prepare to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the depths of flavor and texture that make Smoked Mac and Cheese an exceptional dish.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE
This smoked mac and cheese is slow cooked in a smoker.
Provided by Taste Bud
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork
Time 4h
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a pizza pan with aluminum foil; lay bacon strips on top.
- Bake bacon in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
- Drain bacon slices on paper towels and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Place in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly.
- Preheat a smoker to 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C). Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions.
- Mix together cream, Cheddar cheese, Colby-Jack cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, butter, and barbeque rub in the warm pasta pot; add drained macaroni. Mix well and let the cheese melt. Pour into a 9x13-inch aluminum pan and sprinkle bacon on top.
- Place the pan on the rack in the preheated smoker. Cook until cheese is bubbly, about 3 1/2 hours.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 847.1 calories, Carbohydrate 30.2 g, Cholesterol 170.8 mg, Fat 69.5 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 26.7 g, SaturatedFat 34.2 g, Sodium 1434.5 mg, Sugar 1.5 g
HONEY BOURBON GLAZED SMOKED SPARERIBS, WITH BEER BACON BBQ SAUCE AND SOUTHWESTERN GREEN CHILI MAC 'N' CHEESE
Steps:
- For the honey bourbon glaze: Pour the bourbon into a saucepan over low heat; ignite bourbon to burn off the alcohol for about 5 minutes. Add the honey and brown sugar and whisk to thicken. Simmer for another 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Pour glaze into a small bowl and set aside.
- For the beer bacon bbq sauce: Heat a large pot on high heat, then add the butter and let it melt for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic. Saute until translucent. Add the beer and bacon and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar and reduce by a quarter, then add ketchup, molasses, granulated sugar, brisket drippings, chili powder, Worcestershire, salt and pepper and cook on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes, then puree in a blender until smooth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the ribs: Whisk together the salt, pepper, chile powder and garlic powder in a small bowl. Drizzle a little canola oil over the ribs, front and back, then rub the oil in. Holding your hand high, season both sides of the ribs with rub. Be sure to get an even coating on both sides, along with the sides of the ribs.
- Soak 5 to 6 paper towels with canola oil, then open the smoker lid and place soaked paper towels in the smoker with 1 chunk hickory, 2 small chunks apple wood and a few handfuls charcoal. Light the paper towels. Let the coals burn down for 20 to 30 minutes. Add a couple more chunks hickory, apple and charcoal, then let smoker come up to 250 degrees F. Place a small pan of water on smoker rack, then place ribs in smoker. Let cook 30 to 40 minutes.
- Add another chunk of each wood and more charcoal; repeat this process every 30 to 45 minutes. At 2 hours into the cooking process, spritz ribs with apple cider vinegar, then spritz every 30 minutes until the third hour of cooking. At the third hour, wrap the ribs in foil and place back on the smoker. At the 4 1/2-hour mark, take the ribs out of foil and glaze with the honey bourbon. Let glaze set in for 20 to 30 minutes in the smoker meat-side up. Let ribs rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice. Drizzle ribs with Beer Bacon BBQ sauce and toss. Garnish the ribs with sliced scallions.
- For the Southwestern Green Chili Mac 'n' Cheese: Meanwhile, heat four cups half-and-half to a gentle boil in a medium-large saucepot. Add the garlic, chipotle sauce, cumin, seafood seasoning and thyme, then add the American cheese, whisking until smooth and melted. Fold in the pasta and green chiles and heat through until lightly bubbly. Add the shredded jack, Cheddar and Gouda. If the pasta is too thick, add in another cup or two of half-and-half to smooth it out. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Garnish with toasted buttered breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of Korean chile flakes.
- If you prefer baked mac 'n' cheese, place pasta into a casserole dish, sprinkle a handful of extra Cheddar and jack cheeses on top and bake at 350 degrees F until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE
I found this smoked mac and cheese recipe years ago in a magazine, and kept adding and taking away ingredients until I found the perfect combination. You can bake it in the oven, but grilling or smoking the dish is the real way to go. -Stacey Dull, Gettysburg, Ohio
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 1h
Yield 2 casseroles (8 servings each).
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Preheat grill or smoker to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in Velveeta, 1 cup smoked cheddar, cheddar cheese, milk, eggs, heavy cream, half-and-half, provolone, Colby-Monterey Jack, pepper jack, salt, pepper, paprika and, if desired, liquid smoke and cayenne pepper., Transfer to 2 greased 13x9-in. baking pans; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese. Place on grill or smoker rack. Grill or smoke, covered, until a thermometer reads at least 160°, 20-25 minutes, rotating pans partway through cooking. Do not overcook. Let stand 10 minutes before serving; if desired, sprinkle with bacon.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 403 calories, Fat 23g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 117mg cholesterol, Sodium 670mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 18g protein.
MAC AND CHEESE WITH APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON
This is your basic mac and cheese recipe, with a couple simple additions that I think made it one of the best I've tried/made (and I've tried/made a lot).
Provided by foodgoblin
Categories Weeknight
Time 1h15m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cook bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain.
- Cook noodles, al dente, drain and set aside.
- For sauce: melt 3-4 tablesppons butter and whisk in equal amount of flour to form a paste.
- Add the half cup or so of pureed, or finely chopped, onion and stir for minute or so to cook the onion.
- Add the heavy cream and milk.
- Cook until smooth.
- Add the cheese, cubed or grated is fine, cook until melted and smooth.
- Season with salt, pepper, and CAYENNE to taste.
- Combine the sauce with drained noodles and stir in frozen peas.
- Pour into baking dish and top with crushed mixture of chips and panko crumbs.
- Cook for about 20 minutes at 400 and then top with a few pats of butter and continue cooking til bubbly and brown.
- Enjoy!
SMOKED GOUDA MAC AND CHEESE
This is a marvelously smooth mac and cheese with a bit of a bite. My family loves this. I got the idea from a recipe made on a popular cooking show, and adapted it to my own recipe and tastes. Delicious contrast if served with a 'sweet' main dish.
Provided by rhondamary
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until a roux forms. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth and thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
- Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce; transfer to prepared dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 328.5 calories, Carbohydrate 46.2 g, Cholesterol 31.8 mg, Fat 10.3 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 13.8 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 321.2 mg, Sugar 5.8 g
SMOKED GOUDA MAC AND CHEESE
Steps:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, set aside. (don't forget this step!) Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisking constantly, cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low and stir in salt, black pepper and most of the cheese, reserving about a cup of cheese. Pour the pasta in a lightly greased 8 x 11 x 2 baking dish. Spoon the cheese sauce over the pasta, stirring lightly to even out the sauce in the pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of cheese and the paprika. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven, and prepare yourself for out-of-this world macaroni and cheese.
Tips:
- Use a variety of cheeses to create a rich, complex flavor. A good starting point is to use a combination of cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
- Smoke the mac and cheese for at least 1 hour, or until it is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. This will give the mac and cheese a deep, smoky flavor.
- If you don't have a smoker, you can also smoke the mac and cheese in a Dutch oven over low heat. Just add a few wood chips to the bottom of the pot and cover it tightly.
- To make the mac and cheese extra creamy, add a splash of milk or cream. You can also stir in some cooked, crumbled bacon or sausage for a savory twist.
- Serve the mac and cheese immediately, or let it cool slightly and then reheat it in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Conclusion:
Smoked mac and cheese is a delicious, comforting dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With its smoky flavor and creamy texture, smoked mac and cheese is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it.
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