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 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 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.

This Smoked Million Dollar Mac and Cheese is 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 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

You will want to cook the macaroni just to al dente. This will allow the little pasta crescent tubes the perfect opportunity to absorb addition flavors. The Mac 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 over cooked.

How to Smoke Mac 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 fruit wood impart such a wonderfully fragrant taste. The dish is one that brings everyone back for seconds!

I used apple wood 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.  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 pork or beef. This would pair really well with a great potato salad, Caesar salad, or even a fresh tossed salad.

Homemade vs. Store Bought

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!

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. Once you try this Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese, you might feel like you won the lottery!

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese

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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 Salt
• 1 TSP Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 Cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup Grated Jalapeno Jack Cheese
• 6-8 Slices of Havarti or Gouda
• 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 over cook 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: 597 Total Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 21g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 14g Cholesterol: 108mg Sodium: 1196mg Carbohydrates: 34g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 7g Protein: 28g