Smoked Mac and Cheese with Crispy Bacon Recipe
This Tasty Smoked Mac and Cheese with Bacon recipe combines creamy cheddar and gouda cheese sauce with smoky flavors from outdoor smoking and crispy bacon for an elevated comfort food experience. Perfect for barbecues and family dinners, it features a rich, velvety cheese sauce infused with smoky goodness and topped with savory bacon bits.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Total Time: 85 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
Cheese Sauce
- 3 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups gouda cheese, grated
- 3 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
Bacon
- 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Begin by cooking the elbow macaroni 1 minute less than the package instructions to keep it slightly underdone. Once cooked, strain and set aside.
- Cook the Bacon and Preheat the Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 425°F. While it heats, cook the bacon directly on the smoker grate for 10-15 minutes until crispy. Also, place a cast iron pan in the smoker to preheat.
- Prepare the Cheese Sauce: Once the bacon is cooked and smoker preheated, turn off the pellet smoker or reduce temperature to 225°F if using an offset smoker. In the preheated cast iron pan, melt butter, then stir in flour and whisk constantly until smooth and clump-free. Gradually pour in the room temperature milk, garlic powder, and sour cream, stirring until thickened and bubbling. Slowly add the grated cheddar and gouda cheeses, mixing continuously until the sauce is thick and creamy.
- Combine with Pasta: Add the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce in the cast iron pan and stir thoroughly to evenly coat all pasta with the cheesy sauce.
- Smoke and Finish: Set the smoker to 225°F. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Place the pan back into the smoker and smoke for about 45 minutes to infuse a rich smoky flavor throughout the dish.
Notes
- Use block cheese and grate yourself for a smoother cheese sauce without anti-caking agents.
- Maintain smoker temperature between 225-250°F to prevent drying out the sauce.
- Use mild woods such as apple, cherry, or maple for a balanced smoky flavor.
- For gluten-free, substitute flour with rice flour or cornstarch and use gluten-free pasta.
- Try substitutions like Greek yogurt for sour cream or smoked gouda for extra smokiness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat slowly on stovetop with a splash of milk or in microwave in intervals to restore creaminess.
Keywords: smoked mac and cheese, bacon mac and cheese, smoky mac and cheese, comfort food, barbecue side dish, cheesy pasta, smoked cheese sauce
