Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 8 oz smoked gouda, freshly grated
• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 lb cellentani or cavatappi (ridged pasta holds sauce better)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt (for pasta water)

• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes under package directions (it continues cooking in the smoker). Drain and set aside.
2. Build the roux. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter. Once foaming, whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Do not let it brown. You want a pale, golden roux that smells nutty but not toasted.
3. Slowly build the sauce. Add warm milk in increments, whisking after each addition to prevent lumps. Once all milk is incorporated, add heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it is too thick, add more milk.
4. Melt in the cheese. Remove from heat entirely. Add cream cheese first, stirring until smooth. Then add sharp cheddar and smoked gouda in batches, stirring after each addition. The residual heat melts the cheese without breaking the sauce. Stir in mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust.
5. Fold in the pasta. Add drained pasta to the cheese sauce. Fold gently until every piece is coated. Pour into a well-buttered 9x13 baking dish, or leave in the Dutch oven if oven-safe.
6. Make the panko topping. Mix panko, melted butter, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Scatter evenly across the top. This is what makes the final product: crunchy, golden, slightly smoky on top against the creamy underneath.
7. Smoke at 225°F for 1.5-2 hours. Place the dish directly on the smoker grates, uncovered. The low heat and apple wood smoke add a subtle depth that no conventional oven can replicate. Check at 90 minutes: top should be golden brown, edges should be bubbling gently. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the remaining time.
8. Rest 10 minutes before serving. The sauce needs time to settle and the pasta to pull together. Serve in scoops. This recipe feeds a crowd and makes excellent leftovers.

🔥 Pitmaster Tips

• ▶Grate your own cheese.
• ▶Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent smooth, creamy melting.
• ▶Whole milk only.
• ▶Lower fat breaks the sauce.
• ▶Warm the milk before adding to the roux.
• ▶Cellentani or cavatappi hold more sauce than standard elbow mac.
• ▶Leftovers reheat beautifully in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes.