Award-Winning Smoked Mac & Cheese
Welcome Back Journeymen, Apprentices and BBQ Enthusiasts! I'm back at the pit after a brief break due to the crazy holiday season. Hey now, just because I haven't been posting content as frequently, doesn't mean I haven't been spending some quality time at the smoker! Even more actually!
This time around I'm smoking up some award-winning Mac & Cheese! This recipe has a fair share of sharp cheddar, white cheddar, gouda and gruyere cheeses, poblano peppers and a crunchy delicious breadcrumb top! For this smoke I used my @yodersmokers YS-640 and smoked on an easy 225 degrees for two hours.
Here's the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
-1lb Noodles (I used spiral)
-2 cups whole milk
-2 cups whipping cream
-1lb Sharp Cheddar
-8oz White Cheddar
-8oz SmokedGouda
-8oz Smoked Gruyere
-1.5Tbsp Minced Garlic
-1/2 cup all purpose flour
-1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
-1Tsp Salt
-1Tsp Smoked Paprika
-1Tsp Black Pepper
-1Tsp Ground Mustard
-2 Roasted Poblano Peppers
-1.5 Sticks of Butter
RECIPE:
-Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees
-Fill your stockpot and start the boiling process for your noodles
-Roast your poblanos on the top rack of your oven. Once cooled, de-seed and cut your peppers into 1/4in pieces
-Shred your sharp cheddar, white cheddar, Gouda and Gruyere
-By this point your water should be boiling. Add your noodles and boil to al dente (two minutes less than instructed)
-In a cast iron pan, melt 1/4 stick of butter and add your 1/2C of breadcrumbs. Mix until nicely brown. Remove from the heat and save until later.
Now prepare your roux. Add 1 stick of butter and melt. Now add your flour mixture stirring continuously.
-Slowly add your two cups of milk until the mixture starts to have a gravy type consistency. Add your spices and your garlic. Lastly add your two cups of whipping cream.
-Remove your roux from the stove and start adding your shredded cheeses. Save some cheese to add between layers of noodles.
-Add your chopped poblano peppers
-Add your noodles and mix thoroughly
-Pour half of your mac and cheese into a 14in @lodgecastiron cast iron pan. Cover with your left over cheeses. Add the rest of your mac and cheese and cover with sharp cheddar and your breadcrumbs.
-Smoke your mac and cheese at 225 degrees for two hours.
-Enjoy!
I smoked up this recipe because it brings back many fond memories of my late stepdad and his innovative way of whipping up some Mac & Cheese. It's truly my comfort food. Believe me when I tell you that this is an award-winning recipe!
What's your comfort food? Tell me in the comment section!
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