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A spoonful of cheesy jalapeno popper mac and cheese being lifted out of a cast iron skillet.
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5 from 20 votes

Smoky Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

This Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese is over the top delicious. Loaded with bacon, sausage, and extra cheese before getting a tender kiss of hardwood smoke.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Dish, Side Dishes
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Keyword: Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Bulloch

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound bacon diced
  • 1 link uncooked bratwurst casing removed
  • 2 jalapenos seeds removed and finely diced
  • 1 8 oz brick cream cheese
  • 8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups marbled cheddar shredded
  • 1/4 cup butter crackers (like Ritz) crushed
  • 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub

Instructions

  • Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F with a mild hard wood like pecan or maple.
  • Preheat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Brown the bacon and sausage. Stir in the diced jalapenos and cook 2-3 minutes, until softened.
  • Stir in the cream cheese and mix until well combined. Pour in the noodles, water, milk, and cream. Cook, stirring regularly, until the noodles have absorbed a majority of the liquid (about 8-10 minutes).
  • Turn off the heat and carefully stir in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cheese until everything is all melted together. Sprinkle the top with the sweet rub, the buttered crackers, and the thin jalapeno slices.
  • Place the mac and cheese in the smoker and smoke for 30 minutes. Either transfer your mac and cheese to a 400 degree F oven or increase your grill temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes at the higher temperature until the crackers are starting to brown.
  • Remove the mac and cheese from the grill and serve.

Video

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Nutrition

Calories: 678kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1052mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1137IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 369mg | Iron: 1mg