Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Matt Miller / Northwoods Smokehouse / YS640Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and the addition of home-cured bacon and oak smoke makes this the ultimate comfort Mac and Cheese recipe. This would be a great addition to a summer meal or any meal, really!
Ingredients
- Chopped bacon pieces (Matt cures his own bacon for 7 days)
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 1 cup flour
- 12 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 bag of sharp cheddar
- 1 bag of Colby Jack cheese
- 2 cups of Panko crumbs
Instructions
- Boil enough water to cook a pound of elbow noodles. While the noodles are cooking to al dente, start the cheese sauce.
- Starting with a classic flour/butter roux – 1 cup flour and 8 tablespoons of butter (1 stick) to a skillet over low heat. Once the roux is thickened, slowly add in 2 cups of whole milk.
- Once this reaches a slight boil, turn down the heat and start adding in the cheese – 8 oz of cream cheese, 1 bag of sharp cheddar and 1/2 bag of Colby Jack cheese. Save the other 1/2 of the bag for the topping. Stirring the cheeses in until nice and creamy.
- By now you’ve taken the noodles off and strained them and placed them in greased aluminum 1/2 sheet pan.
- Mix in cheese sauce with noodles and incorporate thoroughly.
- Set your Yoder to 225°, using oak. Hickory, apple or cherry would be great as well.
- Prep the topping – 4 tablespoons of melted butter mixed with 2 cups of Panko crumbs. Chop the bacon into pieces and add to the top of the Mac N’ Cheese mix, layer the cheese you set aside as well.
- Next add the breadcrumbs and put on the smoker for 2 hours or until topping is starting to brown.
- Once browned take off and enjoy. Soooo delicious!
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
1/4 pound
Amount Per ServingCalories 800Total Fat 50gSodium 1010mgCarbohydrates 54gProtein 32g
