Smoked Mac and Cheese

1. 1

   Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F using a mild hardwood, such as cherry, apple or maple.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and salt. Cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente.

   1 min
3. 3

   Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and let cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk and half and half while whisking until smooth. Simmer, while continuing to whisk often, until the sauce thickens.

   1 min
4. 4

   Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the Monterey Jack, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg until combined and smooth.

5. 5

   Add the cooked pasta to the cast iron skillet with the cheese sauce and mix to combine. Sprinkle the top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

6. 6

   Place the skillet on the smoker and close the lid. While keeping the smoker at a steady 225 degrees F, smoke the mac and cheese for 1 hour or up to 2 hours for a stronger smoke flavor.

Baking Instructions

1. 7

   Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.

   15 min
2. 8

   Note: transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish if your skillet isn't oven safe.