Smoked Mac and Cheese
On May 30, 2023 (Updated July 24, 2023)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Smoked mac and cheese is comfort food in a cast iron skillet. This mac and cheese is creamy, rich, and topped with a crisp panko topping. It’s rounded out with the perfect kiss of smoke flavor from being baked in a backyard smoker.
Smoked Mac and Cheese
A good mac and cheese can make or break your perfect backyard BBQ meal, so I have spent years perfecting and refining my recipe. I’ve tried different cheeses, milks, cream, toppings, and more to come up with the perfect blend of flavors and textures. Each ingredient plays an important role, especially in this smoked mac and cheese recipe. You need to be able to taste the smoke without it overwhelming the subtle notes of the cheese and pasta underneath.
After much trial and error, I’ve put all of my tips and info into this recipe for you to enjoy!
If you’ve been using a smoker for a while, you know that porous, wet, or soft items take on smoke really quickly. That is great news if you want to whip up this smoked macaroni and cheese as a side dish for something like a smoked brisket or pork shoulder. You can pull off your big meats to let them rest for an hour and get your mac and cheese right into the smoker without having to preheat your grill.
How to Make Smoked Mac and Cheese
Alright, enough talk about how tasty this dish is; let’s get to the process. Here’s how to make the best smoked mac and cheese of your life.
- Preheat and cook the noodles. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F and prepare the noodles according to the packaging. Cook until the noodles are al dente.
- Make a roux. Melt butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and add flour to make a roux. Next, whisk in the mustard powder.
- Finish making the sauce. Add in the half-and-half then the cream cheese. Finish up by adding the cheddar and gouda cheese and stir until melted.
- Combine noodles and sauce. Add the cooked noodles to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
- Make the crumb topping. Mix melted butter, Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub, and panko bread crumbs together in a bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
- Smoke. Place the mac and cheese on the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 1 hour.
- Enjoy. Remove the smoked mac and cheese from the smoker and serve while nice and warm.
How Long to Smoke Mac and Cheese
It takes approximately 1 hour to smoke mac and cheese. If you prefer your mac with a very smoky flavor, you can leave it in the smoke for up to 2 hours.
Keep in mind that this will take on quite a bit of smoky flavor fairly quickly. I always recommend starting your mac and cheese in the smoker for a shorter amount of time and increasing the next time if you decide you’d like more smokiness.
Tips for the BEST Smoked Mac and Cheese
Now that you’re ready to make this smoked mac and cheese, here are a few tips to keep in mind before you dive into the process.
- Use cast iron. A 12-inch cast iron skillet will go from stovetop to smoker to the dinner table without too much hassle or too many dishes. Plus, it will give you plenty of surface area for your mac and cheese to take on smoke.
- Keep your smoker temperatures low. Anything over 225 degrees F will overcook your noodles and make your mac and cheese dry.
- Use a mild wood. I recommend lighter woods like cherry, apple, maple, or pecan for this recipe.
- Feel free to mix it up! This mac and cheese is a great base for other flavor additions like bacon, green chiles, lobster, or pulled pork. Get creative! My favorite thing to do is add my Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub to the panko topping for that classic BBQ flavor.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
If you like this mac and cheese recipe, I’m betting you’ll love these other smoked mac and cheese recipes from Hey Grill Hey.
Smoked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Watch the video below in the recipe card, and I’ll show you step-by-step how I make this smoked mac and cheese recipe at home. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipe videos on YouTube, Instagram, or our Facebook Page. Follow along and let’s make awesome food together!
This post was originally published in April 2019. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Video
Equipment
- 1 Smoker I highly recommend this pellet grill!
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles cooked according to package instructions
- ½ cup butter
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 1 Tablespoon mustard powder
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 cups cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups gouda cheese
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub
Instructions
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni noodles until they are al dente, meaning they still have a bit of chew and texture (not too soft).
- Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F using a mild hardwood. My favorite is cherry or apple.
- Make a roux. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and then whisk in the flour until a smooth, thin paste forms. Next, whisk in the mustard powder.
- Finish making the sauce. Carefully pour in the half and half and bring the sauce up to a boil while whisking. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until smooth. Lastly, whisk in the cheddar cheese and gouda cheese and stir until melted.
- Add the noodles. Turn off the heat and pour in the cooked macaroni noodles. Stir gently until the noodles are coated by the cheese sauce.
- Make the breadcrumb topping. Combine the melted butter, sweet rub, and panko bread crumbs in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
- Smoke. Place the skillet in the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 1 hour. You can smoke for up to 2 hours if you want a stronger smoker flavor, but the noodles will take on quite a bit of smoke fairly quickly.
- Enjoy. Remove the smoked mac and cheese from the smoker. Serve it while it is still warm and the cheese is nice and melty!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Has anyone (even the authour) used any other cream cheese (I’m assuming everyone is using Kraft Cream Cheese)?? I’m thinking using a Mascarpone instead? Would it be the same consistency, just a tad different flavour?
Anyone smoked this day before then heated it in oven next day? I’m smoking it for family but have to work that night so it’ll have to be refrigerated after I smoke it them reheated. Any tips?
Yes I made and ate it the day before then also served leftovers the next day after Re-warming in the oven at 200. Also mixed in brisket ends and boy was it delicious.
Ooh, how long would you reaheat at 200?
Super excited to try this on Christmas eve this year! I do have a question though, I am also smoking a brisket that day. If for some reason I cannot fit both in the smoker, what temp
Follow the recipe as written whether you’re cooking in a smoker or oven.
A bit late I realize, but yes, do both, just put the Mac and cheese on during the last hour of your 225 slow cook on the brisket. Just trying this receipt tonight to practice for New Years eve dinner with some smoked chicken.
if you want a thinner cheese sauce, use two (2) tablespoons of flour instead of four (4) for the bechamel. No need to add extra ingredients unless you want to. Great recipe, thank you!
I agree…. just made this and it was too thick, so I added some milk. Using GF noodles for some family members and it will soak up more sauce anyway.
Pro-tip: Save about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water. If you want a thinner sauce, slowly add the reserved pasta water until you get the consistency you want.
I going to cook this on Thanksgiving I hope it goes well and tastes Divine
Im doing the same. Ive done this before. Really tasty. I use sharp cheddar, gouda, and monterry jack.
Would you recommend using a Dutch oven Cast Iron if I’m making for quite a bit of people?
That will work. You could also use a big aluminum pan.
I have a question. I need to make a large quantity of this for a party and will need to triple the recipe can I do all of this and ditch the cast iron pan for a large foil pan?
Yes!
I tripled mine and a large foil pan worked fine. I oiled the pan first tto promote those wonderful burnt crusts.
First timeMaking this dish!! It was unbelievable! Thankyou for the recipe. Super thick with lots of flavor
Tried it for the first time tonight (I’m a newbie to smoking). It was a little thick but it was amazing, I’ll adjust the liquid next time maybe with some of the pasta water.
third time making this for the family cookout. everyone loves it, and has been requested multiple times! fun to make, and easily the best tasting mac i’ve ever had. gives a good arm workout too lol very thick!
Great idea about using the pasta water. The Mac