Description
This Smoked Mac and Cheese recipe combines creamy cheese sauce with smoky flavors from gouda and smoked seasoning, all cooked to perfection in a smoker. The dish features a crispy panko topping seasoned with steak spices, providing a deliciously rich and comforting twist on the classic macaroni and cheese.
Ingredients
Macaroni
- 1 pound macaroni noodles
Sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 cups half and half
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups smoked gouda cheese, shredded
Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
Instructions
- Boil the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove. Add the macaroni noodles and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions, until al dente. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- Preheat the Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 225°F to prepare for slow smoking the mac and cheese later.
- Prepare the Roux: Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add ¼ cup unsalted butter and let it melt. Once melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Stir in mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Slowly pour in the half and half while whisking, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil. Add the cubed cream cheese and stir continuously until melted and smooth.
- Add Cheeses: Turn the heat to medium-low and stir in the shredded extra sharp cheddar and smoked gouda cheeses. Continue stirring until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Cheese Sauce: Turn off the heat and fold the cooked macaroni noodles into the cheese sauce evenly.
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Mix in the panko bread crumbs and steak seasoning until well combined.
- Add Topping to Mac and Cheese: Evenly sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the mac and cheese in the skillet.
- Smoke the Mac and Cheese: Place the skillet with mac and cheese into the preheated smoker. Smoke for 1 hour at 225°F to infuse a smoky flavor and heat through without drying out the dish.
Notes
- For best results, use a cast iron skillet to hold the mac and cheese during smoking.
- You can substitute the smoked gouda with another smoked cheese if preferred.
- If you don’t have a smoker, you can finish the dish in the oven at a low temperature (around 250°F) to mimic slow cooking, but the smoky flavor will be minimal.
- The steak seasoning adds a robust flavor to the breadcrumb topping – you can make your own or purchase a pre-made blend.
- Be careful not to overcook the macaroni noodles to maintain texture after smoking.
