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Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

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Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

This is a fantastic Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese recipe. You and your family and guests are going to love it. It is super cheesy, incredibly creamy with a great smoky taste. That adds a kick again of flavor to the dish and amps it up to another level.

There are a ton of Mac n Cheese recipes out there. From old family favorites that you may have grown up with to nouveau creations. Some even add truffles or lobster to their Macaroni and Cheese, which is not such a bad thing!

Everyone has their own homemade version. You might have that one recipe that you usually make over and over.

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

4-Piece 8 Quart Multi pots, Stainless Steel Pasta Cooker Steamer

Professional Box Grater, Stainless Steel with 4 Sides

Smoking Wood Chips Variety Pack Bundle (4)- Apple, Mesquite, Hickory, and Cherry Flavors

 

Easy and Cheesy

This Smoked Million Dollar Mac and Cheese is easy, super moist, and creamy. There is what I like to call the sandwich layer in the middle. It adds so much to the overall taste and texture of the dish.

You add the Havarti (you could substitute Gouda cheese if you prefer) and sour cream as the sandwich layer. Sandwiched in the middle of the Mac and Cheese it’s great. It really pushes the creation to close to genius level!

It provides you with an additional layer of flavor. That is quite frankly a little unexpected and worthy of the million-dollar prize.

Al Dente Pasta

Scooping out smoked macaroni and cheese from a foil pan

You will want to cook the macaroni just to al dente. This will allow the little pasta crescent tubes the perfect opportunity to absorb additional flavors. The macaroni and cheese will continue to cook in the smoker.

The result is a soft textured pasta that will melt in your mouth. But it is not mushy or overcooked.

How to Smoke Mac and Cheese

Spoonful of macaroni and cheese

It is easy to smoke your Mac and Cheese. The smoky flavor is the real kicker to this recipe.  The sweet aromas of the fruitwood impart such a wonderfully fragrant taste. The dish is one that brings everyone back for seconds!

I used applewood chips but cherry wood chips would also be a great option.

This is a dish that you can prepare fairly quickly. It’s not something that you would have to babysit all day long. 

Low and Slow

Saying that the process of smoking foods is something that should be done with care and attention. And maybe a beverage or two!

There is nothing wrong with settling in with a nice cool beverage. While you are allowing your Mac and Cheese to smoke, make sure that the heat is correct. You also want to check that the smoke level is right where you want it to be throughout.

If you are feeding a large crowd you could serve this as a side dish with a protein like pulled pork or maybe a beef brisket. This would pair really well with a great potato salad, Caesar salad, or even a fresh tossed salad.

Homemade vs. Store Bought

Scoop of cheesy smoked macaroni and cheese

Like some of you out there, when I was growing up, I ended up eating a lot of store-bought macaroni and cheese.  Especially when I was going to school. It was an inexpensive meal that you could whip up quickly.

I have to admit there have been some tremendous improvements in some of the store-bought dinners you can get today.  The manufacturers are realizing that people want more flavor and perhaps healthier options today. The old boxed product we all grew up with wasn’t all that healthy!

Nothing like Homemade

I don’t think that even the best-packaged product out there can come close to rivaling the taste of a homemade. This Mac and Cheese is unbelievable and is the perfect side dish for any occasion. Once you try this Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese, you might feel like you won the lottery!

Cheesy Mac and Cheese on a serving spoon

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese is the epitome of comfort food. The smoky flavor enhances the cheesy gooey goodness. #macandcheese #smoked #mac&cheese

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese is the epitome of comfort food. The smoky flavor enhances the cheesy gooey goodness. #macandcheese #smoked #mac&cheese

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Continue to Content
Yield: 8-10 Servings

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese is the epitome of comfort food. The smoky flavor enhances the cheesy gooey goodness. The hidden sandwich layer takes this dish to the next level.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Macaroni
  • 4 TBSP Butter
  • 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 4 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1/2 Onion, Finely Chopped
  • 2 TSP Garlic Finely Chopped
  • 1 TBSP Dijon Mustard
  • 1 TSP each of Salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 6-8 Slices of Havarti or Gouda
  • 1 Cup each grated sharp Cheddar Cheese & Jalapeno Jack cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Bacon & Panko Topping

  • 1/4 Pound Crispy Bacon, Crumbled
  • 3/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 2 TBSP Butter
  • 1 TBSP Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare your smoker and heat to 235-240 degrees F using your choice of wood chips. I use hickory as my wood of choice in this recipe.
  2. Spray a 9 x 13 foil pan and set aside.
  3. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the packaged directions so it is very al dente. Make sure you don't overcook the pasta! Remember it is going to cook for another 2 hours. Strain and rinse with cold water, set aside.
  4. In a large skillet melt 4 TBSP of butter over medium heat, add the onions and cook until they are just softened. Add the garlic and whisk in the flour, continue whisking, cook for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the milk stirring constantly. Once combined add the Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
  5. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while whisking constantly. Reduce heat continuing to cook whisking occasionally until the sauce thickens so that it just coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the grated sharp cheddar and jalapeno jack cheese, stirring until smooth. Add in the pasta and stir to coat.
  7. Spoon half the macaroni and cheese into the prepared foil pan. Lay the sliced Havarti (or Gouda) evenly over the mac and cheese. Spread the sour cream over the cheese slices and top with the remaining macaroni and cheese.
  8. Sprinkle the 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
  9. For the bacon, panko topping melt the butter and olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the panko crumbs and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the crumbs become golden brown, remove from the heat and stir in the crumbled bacon. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
  10. Place in your smoker for about 2 hours. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 597Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 1196mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 28g
© Ken Noland
Cuisine: American / Category: Smoking


26 Comments

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Comments

  1. AvatarJill says

    April 9, 2019 at 11:37 pm

    This looks amazing Ken! Both your site and the recipe.

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      April 10, 2019 at 2:28 pm

      Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy the new site!

      Reply
      • AvatarMatt says

        April 10, 2021 at 10:13 pm

        A lot of the cheese inside curdled. It tastes great but I’m not a fan of that texture. Any idea how to combat that curdling?

        Reply
        • Ken NolandKen Noland says

          April 10, 2021 at 11:13 pm

          Hi Matt, Did you use whole milk and full-fat cheese? The cheese may curdle if there isn’t enough fat in the dish, using skim milk or low-fat cheese it may cause them to curdle.

          Reply
  2. AvatarNick says

    January 18, 2020 at 11:02 pm

    Have you tried stirring the Mac and cheese after an hour on the smoker to get that Smokey flavor mixed in? Or do you feel it’s unnecessary?

    Reply
    • AvatarlA9wlgu5F9 says

      January 19, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      You have a layer of cheese in the middle and stirring it would disrupt that. You will still get a lovely smokey flavor without stirring.

      Reply
  3. AvatarKaylee says

    January 19, 2020 at 10:41 pm

    I did not have Gouda so as a substitute I used Monterey Jack and of course made it cheesier than nothing. Also, I was not sure if should cover with tin foil or not. Since I am looking for the smoked taste it off. Any suggestions on whether to cover or not?

    Reply
    • AvatarlA9wlgu5F9 says

      January 20, 2020 at 4:00 am

      Don’t cover it, you will get more smoke then.

      Reply
  4. AvatarDaphne B says

    June 1, 2020 at 1:02 pm

    Your recipe calls for grated cheeses – is this what you actually use instead of just shredded ?

    Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      June 1, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      They are the same really, we use grated and shredded interchangeably.

      Reply
  5. AvatarNatalie says

    July 25, 2020 at 1:43 am

    Can you make this recipe a head of time?

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      July 25, 2020 at 3:00 pm

      You can, although the pasta will absorb more of the moisture and may become mushy. I would recommend that you cook it and then refrigerate it. Then you could re-heat it if you like.

      Reply
  6. AvatarMichelle says

    August 16, 2020 at 12:47 am

    What if I don’t have a smoker?

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      August 16, 2020 at 2:16 pm

      You could still make the recipe and simply cook it in the oven, you will miss out on the smoky flavor but it still should be tasty.

      Reply
  7. Avatarpam says

    December 8, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    i’m catering a lunch for my husbands work… can i add a meat to this to make it a complete one pan meal
    approximately how many servings is this recipe (so i know if i need to double or tripple 🙂

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      December 8, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      Yes, you could definitely add meat to the recipe, I would suggest maybe diced ham or cooked bacon. This recipe serves 8-10 (I would go with 8 if they are hungry) so I would base your estimate using that number. I hope everyone enjoys it!

      Reply
  8. AvatarMichelle says

    January 19, 2021 at 8:33 pm

    I don’t have a smoker. I’d like to cook it in the oven. What temp and how long please? Also, can I freeze any leftovers?

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      January 20, 2021 at 4:15 pm

      You can cook it in the oven at 375 for 30 -45 minutes until it’s lightly browned on top and is bubbling, and yes you can most certainly freeze the leftovers. I hope you like it.

      Reply
  9. AvatarCarol says

    March 24, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    This is just a stroke of pure genius. Although I thought I have tried many wonderful ways of preparing pasta,I have never tried it in smoker but this will sure be on the smoking list for warmer weather. I also grew up in western Canada, small town NE of Edmonton. I have since become an Easterner, and really miss things there, although I think it has changed ever so much since I lived there. Really fond memories.

    Reply
    • Ken NolandKen Noland says

      March 24, 2021 at 6:32 pm

      Thanks for taking the time to comment, I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  10. AvatarSandy says

    March 29, 2021 at 1:26 am

    What about creme cheese for those that don’t like sour cream?

    Reply
    • AvatarlA9wlgu5F9 says

      March 29, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      You could try that but I would soften the cream cheese and maybe add a bit of cream to it.

      Reply

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Ken NolandHi, I’m Ken thanks for stopping by BBQing with the Nolands! I was born and raised in Western Canada. I grew up on the great wide open farmlands that produce some of the worlds’ best livestock and grains.
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