How long to smoke mac and cheese?

For more smoke flavor and color, use a lower temperature in the smoker and leave it in for longer. 45 minutes at 225 degrees for a 9x13" pan works well. For less flavor and color, 15 minutes at 325 degrees will be perfect.

What can I add to mac & cheese to make it better?

First, you need to start with cheese that has enough flavor. Use sharp cheddar cheese and Swiss. Both have enough personality to make the cheese sauce taste like cheese! If you want even more flavor, try adding any of the following: cooked bacon, jalapeños, BBQ sauce, or BBQ rubs.

Smoked Mac and Cheese (Easy Video Recipe)

Name: Smoked Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 ounces dried pasta, usually macaroni or cavatappi; 1/2 cup salted butter; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 2 1/2 cups half and half; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoons sweet BBQ rub; 2 teaspoons garlic jalapeno rub; 1 teaspoon garlic butter rub; 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated; 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, freshly grated; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Ingredients

Scale

16 ounces dried pasta, usually macaroni or cavatappi

1/2 cup salted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 1/2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons sweet BBQ rub

2 teaspoons garlic jalapeno rub

1 teaspoon garlic butter rub

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1/2 pound Swiss cheese, freshly grated

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

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Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees and use a sweet wood pellet like apple, pecan, or cherry.
Cook the pasta according to package directions but reduce time by 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute over medium heat.
Add the milk and half and half while constantly whisking. Let the mixture come to a gentle boil and let it thicken.
Remove from the heat and add in half of the cheeses and all the seasonings. Whisk until the cheeses all melt into the sauce.
Mix together the pasta and cheese sauce. Pour it into a greased 9×13 inch pan.
Smoke for 45 minutes until the top is brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Notes

Optional additions:

1/2 cup of cooked, chopped bacon to the cheese sauce

2 cups of panko breadcrumbs mixed with 2 tablespoons of butter, then sprinkled over the top of the dish right before doing into the smoker.

Author: Carole Jones
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Smoked
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/12
Calories: 523
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 579 mg
Fat: 33 g
Saturated Fat: 20 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 98 mg
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 98 mg