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You are here: Home / Main Dish / Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

June 1, 2021 By Kaitlin 2 Comments

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Note: I was sent samples of Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

I’m going to keep the yummy smoked recipes going because, well, I can! This recipe for Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese would be a perfect make ahead dish to bring to your next barbecue.

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

The Bacon highlights the smoky flavor, but if you want to keep it vegetarian, just omit it!

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

This recipe is basically my Homemade Mac and Cheese recipe with a few adjustments to make it ready for some smoker action!

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 1 to 2 cups pellets, like Bear Mountain BBQ’s Gourmet BBQ Pellets
  • 1/2 an onion, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 3/4 cups 2% milk
  • 1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces shredded gouda cheese
  • 1/2 lb bacon, cooked
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat your grill to 225 to 250 degrees F, keeping one side of the grill off to have a place for indirect heat for the mac and cheese. Add the pellets to a small aluminum tin and top with aluminum foil. Poke a few holes in the top of the foil.

Place the tin with the pellets over indirect heat. 

Cook your bacon in whatever method you prefer (I like making it all in the oven). You want nice crispy bacon. Let cool and then roughly chop.

Cook the macaroni according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

While waiting for the grill to preheat and the macaroni to cook, add your onion, bay leaf, and garlic to a large pot over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.

Pour in the milk and heat until small bubbles form around the edges but be sure to not burn it. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Shred your cheddar and gouda.
When the 15 minutes have passed, strain the milk mixture through a colander over a bowl, reserving the milk and discarding the solids.
Pour 1/2 cup of the warmed milk into a measuring cup. Add two tablespoons flour, whisking to combine.
Add the remaining milk back into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour mixture and salt to the milk on the stove, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Remove from heat. Gradually add the cheese cubes to the hot milk, stirring until the cheese melts.
Stir in the pasta. The mixture will be a little soupy but it will thicken up as it smokes.
Transfer the pasta to an aluminum half size baking pan. 
Add the panko, Parmesan cheese, and bacon to a small bowl, stirring to combine. 
Top the mac and cheese with the mixture.
Move your pellets over to direct heat, then place the baking pan over indirect heat.
Close the lid of the grill and let smoke for 1 hour.
Serve right from the grill while still warm or let come to room temperature before serving.
Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese
Smoky, cheesy, bacony goodness!
Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese
The top layer gets nice and crunchy while it stays nice an creamy underneath.
Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese
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Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Smoky Bacon Topped Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 cups pellets, like Bear Mountain BBQ’s Gourmet BBQ Pellets
  • 1/2 an onion, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 3/4 cups 2% milk
  • 1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 ounces shredded gouda cheese
  • 1/2 lb bacon, cooked
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat your grill to 225 to 250 degrees F, keeping one side of the grill off to have a place for indirect heat for the mac and cheese. Add the pellets to a small aluminum tin and top with aluminum foil. Poke a few holes in the top of the foil.
  2. Place the tin with the pellets over indirect heat.
  3. Cook your bacon in whatever method you prefer (I like making it all in the oven). You want nice crispy bacon. Let cool and then roughly chop.
  4. Cook the macaroni according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
  5. While waiting for the grill to preheat and the macaroni to cook, add your onion, bay leaf, and garlic to a large pot over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.
  6. Pour in the milk and heat until small bubbles form around the edges but be sure to not burn it. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 minutes.
  7. Shred your cheddar and gouda.
  8. When the 15 minutes have passed, strain the milk mixture through a colander over a bowl, reserving the milk and discarding the solids.
  9. Pour 1/2 cup of the warmed milk into a measuring cup. Add two tablespoons flour, whisking to combine.
  10. Add the remaining milk back into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour mixture and salt to the milk on the stove, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
  11. Remove from heat. Gradually add the cheese cubes to the hot milk, stirring until the cheese melts.
  12. Stir in the pasta. The mixture will be a little soupy but it will thicken up as it smokes.
  13. Transfer the pasta to an aluminum half size baking pan.
  14. Add the panko, Parmesan cheese, and bacon to a small bowl, stirring to combine.
  15. Top the mac and cheese with the mixture.
  16. Move your pellets over to direct heat, then place the baking pan over indirect heat.
  17. Close the lid of the grill and let smoke for 1 hour.
  18. Serve right from the grill while still warm or let come to room temperature before serving.
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Filed Under: Main Dish, Make Ahead, North America, Nut Free, On the Grill, Pork, Sides Tagged With: Bacon, Bay Leaf, Bear Mountain, Breadcrumbs, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese, Flour, Garlic, Gouda Cheese, Gourmet BBQ Pellets, I Can Cook That, Mac and Cheese, Macaroni, Make Ahead, Milk, Nutmeg, On The Grill, Onion, Panko, Parmesan, Recipe, Sides, Smoker, Smoky

Comments

  1. Gary says

    June 4, 2021 at 7:19 am

    Tantalizingly delicious, just from looking! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
    Gary recently posted..How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service in Your Restaurant BusinessMy Profile

    Reply
  2. msdixiemiami says

    July 7, 2021 at 5:38 am

    Wow, Thanks for sharing the recipe for smoky bacon topped mac and cheese, I think your post very helpful for lot of people.

    Reply

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