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.
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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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
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
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
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!
Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Million Dollar Smoked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Macaroni pre-cooked weight
- 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
- 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.
- Spray a 9 x 13 foil pan and set it aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sprinkle the 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
- 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.
- Place in your smoker for about 2 hours. Enjoy!
This looks amazing Ken! Both your site and the recipe.
Thanks so much, I hope you enjoy the new site!
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?
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.
Use better quality cheeses
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?
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.
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?
Don’t cover it, you will get more smoke then.
My family loved this mac and cheese – the smokey twist was just what we needed to mix up the same-old same-old mac we always make. Definitely a keeper!!
Your recipe calls for grated cheeses – is this what you actually use instead of just shredded ?
Thanks 🙂
They are the same really, we use grated and shredded interchangeably.
pre shredded cheese has chemicals in it so it doesn’t clump. Best to buy block and shred it yourself . Not sure why this wasn’t mentioned in recipe but every true smoker knows this.
Thank you for your comment. Nowhere in the post or the recipe do I mention using packaged, pre-grated cheese. I simply state that you need to use grated sharp cheddar and jalapeno jack cheese, along with grated Parmesan.
Can you make this recipe a head of time?
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.
What if I don’t have a smoker?
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.
If they don’t have a smoker they could possibly add liquid smoke maybe or maybe some of the smoked cheeses that they have nowadays I’m not sure if they work in this recipe or not I’m just giving a suggestion
I think using smoked cheese is a very good idea. There is some really great smoky cheese on the market you could use.
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 🙂
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!
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?
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.
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.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
If I double the recipe would I need to smoke longer?
If you are using two 9 x 13 pans you should be fine not smoking it any longer. If however, you are doubling the recipe and putting it all in one larger pan I would smoke it a little longer, maybe an extra 1/2 hour or so. You don’t want it to dry out. I would definitely not double the smoking time.
What about creme cheese for those that don’t like sour cream?
You could try that but I would soften the cream cheese and maybe add a bit of cream to it.
❤️
This really looked nice after I smoked it but seemed to be dryer than I thought it would be. I cooked it for 2 hours but should I have checked for an internal temperature to pull it off? Everyone enjoyed it but I just thought it lacked the moist cheesy texture. And thanks for the recipe.
Hmmm, there should have been enough moisture, it might be a good idea to check the internal temperature before smoking for the full 2 hours. Make sure you watch the temperature of your smoker too, if that is a little high it can dry the mac and cheese out also. Thanks for the comment.
What internal temperature should I pull it at?
This may be a stupid question—but does the recipe call for a pound of cooked pasta? Or uncooked?
You definitely need to cook the pasta, but you want it a little undercooked. In the directions under #3, I mention cooking the pasta 1 minute less than the package directions. Remember the pasta will continue to cook in the smoker.
I hope you enjoy it!
No I mean for ingredients – it says one pound of pasta. Is that measurement pertaining to before it’s cooked or after? So I know how much to use.
That would be the pre-cooked weight, you should start with 1 pound of raw macaroni. I will make sure to clarify that in the recipe thanks.
Hey I kinda make my own recipe but close to yours which taste amazing! my question is how do you keep it from drying out over time?
Because the macaroni noodles continue to absorb moisture I would recommend not making it too far in advance of when you are planning on serving it. You could also add a little bit more milk to the sauce so it is a little thinner, that might help by increasing the amount of liquid in the pan also. I hope this helps 🙂
Can I substitute half and half for the milk?
Yes you can, it will just be even creamier.
OMG good. Not to greasy, perfect everything. I could have enjoyed a bit more gouda slices. I did add a splash of Worchester Sauce in the roux before I blended the cheese.
Outstanding as promised.
We love this mac and cheese, it is so good! We make it all the time. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome, glad you like it!
This recipe was delicious but I am trying to figure out why mine didn’t turn out creamy. I followed everything in the recipe. Any ideas??
Did you perhaps make it too far in advance before smoking it or let it rest too long after? The pasta does continue to absorb moisture which can cause the dish to be a bit drier.
Just made this tonight. AMAZING!! Thankyou. Easy to follow directions, made it just how you said. Will make this again. I also made smoked meatloaf!
Thank you. Glad you like it!
Made this Mac for some company on our new smoker last weekend and let me tell you, life will never be the same! I thought I had mastered Mac and cheese until I tried this recipe. It was absolutely amazing I took a few liberties with seasoning and added in some truffle oil and a few extra spices to the cheese sauce. This recipe is my new go to so good that I’m making it again tonight!
If they do not have a smoker could they possibly add liquid smoke in with the recipe I’m not sure how that would work with macaroni and cheese but I add it to my barbecue sauce when I barbecue
I’m not sure I would add liquid smoke, I don’t think you would get the result you are looking for. But if you have a bbq you could make a few smoker packets and cook it low and slow on the grill.
What about cookking it in the oven for 2 hours at 240 degrees?? Same time/temp as smoker, without the smoke. Have you ever tried that??
I don’t know, I have not tried that as the recipe was designed for the smoker. You could try it if you like. If you are looking for a great Mac & Cheese recipe for your oven you could check this one out, it’s very good! https://noshingwiththenolands.com/classic-macaroni-and-cheese/
this makes the best mac and cheese. Have made it twice now and pairs wonderfully with pulled pork. Also, saw a couple of people ask about mixing it or topping with with meat. Definitely, this is restaurant quality recipe. My kids make mac and cheese bowls with the leftovers and put whatever sounds good on top and mix it in.
So glad you enjoy it!
How long do you let it sit before serving? I’m smoking my first one right now. So far it looks amazing.
About 10-15 minutes should do it, like a regular mac and cheese.
The best!!!! Got raves on this at Easter. It will be in the rotation for steak night sides from now on. Instructions were great – the flavors were sooooo good. I did make a change on the sauce – I melted 12 oz of Velveeta in the sauce. Next time, I will keep the Velveeta, but add a bit more milk. The smoke flavor was so nice with the blend of cheeses. The jalapeno flavor was subtle and definately added to the richness. And….. the layering with sliced cheese (I used Swiss as I had it) and sour cream. And the topping was perfect. All so good.
Thanks! I’m so glad you loved it and made it your own!