Smoked Mac and Cheese

🧂 Ingredients

• 16 oz. Pasta (elbow, shell, cavatappi, rotini)

  Sub with any gf/keto pasta)
• 8 oz. Block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 8 oz. Block of Pepper Jack Cheese
• 8 oz. Cream Cheese

  Softened
• 2 1/2 cups Half and Half
• 1 tbsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

  Sub pork panko (for gf/keto)
• 1 Poblano

  small dice
• 4 oz. Canned, Green Chiles (diced)
• 1 tsp Olive Oil

Instructions

• 1 Preheat your grill or smoker to 350 F and set it for indirect heat.
• 2 Begin by pre shredding all the cheese from each cheese block. You should have 4
  cups of shredded cheese total.
• 3 If using any peppers, dice and sauté them and set them aside.
• 4 Boil your pasta and remove it from the pasta water 1-2 minutes prior to being
  finished. It will finish cooking on the smoker. Strain well.
• 5 In a large pot, add your softened cream cheese over medium heat. Whisk in about
  1/4 – 1/2 cup of the half and half.
• 6 Whisk vigorously to help remove the lumps of the cream cheese until it is smooth
  . Add the remaining half and half and continue to whisk.
• 7 After 5-6 minutes, the half and half should all be very hot (but not simmering
  or boiling). Reduce the temperature to low heat.
• 8 Slowly whisk in small handfuls of cheese and let it full melt before you add
  more. This should take several minutes and ensures the cheese doesn't separate
  from the liquid. Be patient here!
• 9 Combine the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce. Fold it together until all the
  noodles are evenly coated. If using the peppers and chiles, add those in as
  well.
• 10 Pour the noodles into a 9 inch cast iron pan. Lightly coat the top in panko
  bread crumbs (or pork panko for gf/keto).
• 11 Place the smoked mac and cheese onto indirect heat on you charcoal grill or
  pellet smoker and let it cook at 350 F. uncovered for 30 minutes or until golden
  brown and bubbly.
• 12 Remove the smoked mac and cheese from the smoker carefully and let it rest 10
  minutes before serving. This helps the cheese to settle a bit and makes it
  easier to serve.

Nutrition Info