Mac and cheese is one of everyone’s favorite comfort foods.
Add a bit of smoke to your mac and cheese recipe and it will be the most popular dish at your next cookout!
That’s creamy and smooth flavor with rich sharp cheddar cheese sauce…works so well with that smokey flavor!
It’s one of our favorite dishes to make on our Pit Boss Smoker.
Here are a few tips to ensure your mac and cheese comes out perfectly!
Add in Some Extras (& Amp UP The Flavor!)
Your favorite mac & cheese recipe can be taken to the NEXT LEVEL by selecting a few add-ins.
Some of our favorites include ham, bacon, smoked brisket, pulled chicken, green onions, crispy onions, pulled pork, and chorizo.
Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Cooking Time for Smoked Mac and Cheese
The cooking time for smoked mac and cheese is 40-45 minutes or until the crispy panko breadcrumb topping and cheese browns on top. Make sure you set the pit boss smoker to 220°F.
The secret to infusing the mac & cheese with the glorious smoky flavor is to smoke low and slow.
What Temperature Should Your Smoker Be For Mac and Cheese?
Your smoker should be set to 220°F for mac and cheese.
As anything over 225°F will overcook the pasta and result in dry mac & cheese.
What Should You Cook It In?
Use a cast-iron skillet or casserole dish coated with cooking spray rather than disposable aluminum.
Not only does it enhance the flavor, but it’s also much more convenient to transfer between stovetop and pellet smoker.
Plus, it makes the perfect serving dish.
What to Serve It With
Serve with roasted tomatoes, zucchini, or eggplant to mix it up from a basic side dish into a hearty vegetarian weeknight meal.
Choosing the Wood Pellets
Choosing the flavor of wood pellets has a big impact on the end result.
The choice of flavor is quite extensive and you can blend your favorite flavor combinations or buy pre-mixed blends to enhance your cook.
Flavors like oak or hickory are a great complement for cheese recipes as they have a strong rich flavor, similar to a bacon-type flavor.
If you are after something a little more subtle and sweet the delicate flavor of the chips of apple, cherry, or maple wood are a great choice.
What You’ll Need
Use your favorite mac and cheese recipe as a base: but here’s what you need to make the cheese sauce:
- Butter
- Flour– An all-purpose white flour is good, or a gluten-free flour works just as well
- Milk– Whole milk is the best as the high fat makes a creamier sauce.
- Cheese and block of Cream Cheese – a couple of different cheeses enhance the dish.
- Hot sauce or Dijon mustard
- Breadcrumb mixture or panko crumbs
11 Simple Steps to EPIC Mac and Cheese!
Step 1: Boil The Pasta
In a pot boil pasta in salted water per package directions. Any type of pasta, such as elbow macaroni noodles or shells, can be used. Drain and mix through a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the cooked pasta from sticking. Set aside.
Step 2: Add In The Cheese
Fresh grate the cheese mixture. Freshly grated cheese is preferable to store-bought shredded cheeses, as that tends to clump and be flavorless. Use different cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, Colby jack, and mozzarella cheese for depth of flavor.
Step 3: Preheat The Smoker
Preheat the smoker to 225°F, using your wood chip of choice. Preheating gives a more consistent cook and starts the smoky flavor of wood pellets.
Step 4: Make The Mac and Cheese
In a medium saucepan or cast-iron pot, add the cup of butter and melt over medium heat.
Combine the flour with butter and cook for a couple of minutes to blend into a smooth thin paste.
Slowly add a cup milk, a bit at a time until all is added, taking care not to burn.
Mix in the dry mustard powder, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste, until a completely smooth paste forms.
Lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Remove From The Heat
Remove the pot from the direct heat and add in the cubed cream cheese, stirring until it melts. Repeat for the shredded cheese blend, until the sauce is a creamy and smooth cheese sauce mixture.
Add the cooked macaroni noodles and mix gently, until the pasta is covered in cream cheese sauce mixture. Pour cream sauce over cooked pasta and stir to mix in completely.
Step 6: Add Breadcrumbs and Smoke
Top with panko bread crumb mixture, cornflake crumbs, or bread crumbs, and top with an extra cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Place the cast iron pan to the smoker and close it.
You can use the app to monitor the temperature. Cook for 45 minutes at 220° or until the top is browning.
Smoked Macaroni And Cheese on a Pit Boss
Ingredients
- 8 oz Dry Macaroni
Sauce
- 1/2 cup Butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups Milk
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated
- 1 1/2 Cup shredded smoked mozzarella
- 7 Ounce cream cheese cut in cubes
Topping (optional)
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Green onions
Instructions
- In a pot boil pasta in salted water per package directions. Any type of pasta, such as elbow macaroni noodles or shells, can be used. Drain and mix through a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the cooked pasta from sticking. Set aside.
- Fresh grate the cheese mixture. Freshly grated cheese is preferable to store-bought shredded cheeses, as that tends to clump and be flavorless. Use different cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, Colby jack, mozzarella cheeses for depth of flavor experience.
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F, using your wood chip of choice. Preheating gives a more consistent cook and starts the smoky flavor of wood pellets.
- In a medium saucepan or cast-iron pot, add the cup of butter and melt over medium heat. Combine the flour into butter and cook for a couple of minutes to blend to a smooth thin paste. Slowly add a cup milk, a bit at a time until all added, taking care not to burn.
- Mix in the dry mustard powder, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste, until completely smooth paste forms. Lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pot from the direct heat and add in the cubed cream cheese, stirring until it melts. Repeat for the shredded cheese blend, until the sauce is a creamy and smooth cheese sauce mixture.Add the cooked macaroni noodles and mix gently, until the pasta is covered in cream cheese sauce mixture.Pour cream sauce over cooked pasta and stir to mix in completely.
- Top with panko bread crumb mixture, cornflake crumbs, or bread crumbs, and top with an extra cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Place the cast iron pan to the smoker and close it. Cook for 45 minutes at 220° or until the top is browning.
What’s your favorite add-in for mac and cheese? My kids love green onions and pulled pork!
Smoke On!
Charlie
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I am head taste tester at Simply Meat Smoking! I love it grilling, smoking, and getting out in the yard with the kids! The family also love to test all my recipes (especially my EXTRA CRISPY pulled pork, smoky pork loin, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill)
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling adventures with you!
You can read more on our About Us page.
Hungry For More?
How much dry mustard powder?
Hiya Clint,
Sorry about that, I use 1.5 tablespoons of mustard powder, Ill update the recipe now 🙂