Best Smoky Mac N Cheese Recipes

SHANNON'S SMOKY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a pot with lightly-salted water and bring to a boil. Stir the macaroni into the water and return to a boil. Cook and occasionally stir until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes; drain.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk continually for 1 to 2 minutes to make a roux. Whisk 2 cups of the milk into the roux until smooth and then add the remaining milk. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue cooking and stirring until thickened, but not boiling. Stir the Gouda, Cheddar, Swiss, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese into the mixture; once the cheeses have melted completely, fold the drained macaroni into the mixture to coat. Pour the macaroni mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Stir 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl; sprinkle over the macaroni. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread crumbs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes before cutting.

SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat grill or smoker to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in Velveeta, 1 cup smoked cheddar, cheddar cheese, milk, eggs, heavy cream, half-and-half, provolone, Colby-Monterey Jack, pepper jack, salt, pepper, paprika and, if desired, liquid smoke and cayenne pepper., Transfer to 2 greased 13x9-in. baking pans; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese. Place on grill or smoker rack. Grill or smoke, covered, until a thermometer reads at least 160°, 20-25 minutes, rotating pans partway through cooking. Do not overcook. Let stand 10 minutes before serving; if desired, sprinkle with bacon.

SMOKY BACON MAC-N-CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• While making cheese mixture, cook macaroni per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Bring a skillet to medium heat. Add bacon and fry both sides until crisp. Drain on a paper towel and crumble. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and garlic in butter until lightly caramelized (light brown but not crisp). Add flour to saucepan and stir to combine, leaving no dry flour bits. Add milk all at once to saucepan along with black pepper. Stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cheddar cheese first (one cup at a time) until melted. Then stir in mozzarella until mixture is smooth.
• Place cooked macaroni in a 2-quart casserole dish. Stir in cheese mixture and half of the bacon until evenly distributed. Then sprinkle the top with the remaining bacon.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
• Cool, serve and enjoy!

SMOKY BEAN & CHORIZO MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan or flameproof casserole dish set over a medium heat and fry the chorizo for 5 mins until crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Add the onion and fry for 8-10 mins, or until sticky and golden. Add the garlic, paprika, chipotle paste and ground coriander, then tip in the tomatoes, sugar and beans. Stir everything together and simmer, uncovered, for 15 mins or until reduced. Stir the chorizo back into the pan and season to taste.
• Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a pan until foaming, then stir in the flour and cook for 2 mins. Stir in the mustard. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Return the pan to the heat and cook for 3-4 mins more, whisking continuously until thick and smooth. Grate over some nutmeg, stir in 200g of the cheddar and season to taste.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water for 2 mins less than the pack instructions. Drain and toss with the cheese sauce. Tip the cheesy pasta into a large baking dish, then drop the smoky bean mixture into it in spoonfuls. Top with the remaining cheddar and the mozzarella, then bake for 25 mins, or until golden and bubbling.
• Meanwhile, make the guacamole. Put the avocado flesh in a bowl with the lime juice and zest, and roughly mash to a chunky texture. Stir through the chilli and half the coriander and season to taste. Serve the mac 'n' cheese with guacamole on the side, with the remaining coriander scattered over.

SMOKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a pizza pan with aluminum foil; lay bacon strips on top.
• Bake bacon in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• Drain bacon slices on paper towels and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Place in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly.
• Preheat a smoker to 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C). Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions.
• Mix together cream, Cheddar cheese, Colby-Jack cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, butter, and barbeque rub in the warm pasta pot; add drained macaroni. Mix well and let the cheese melt. Pour into a 9x13-inch aluminum pan and sprinkle bacon on top.
• Place the pan on the rack in the preheated smoker. Cook until cheese is bubbly, about 3 1/2 hours.