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Smoked Bacon Mac-and-Cheese
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Smoked Bacon Mac-and-Cheese

Oh my goodness. I’ve had my share of mac-and-cheese and then some. I’ve even grilled it. But nothing has ever come close to this smoked bacon mac-and-cheese.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, smoked
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Servings 14 servings
Calories 551kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Fire up your smoker for 225 F. Use whatever wood you like, but I would recommend a lighter fruit wood such as cherry or peach.
  • Line a large baking sheet with foil. You might need two baking sheets if they aren't large enough to hold all of the bacon.
  • Add bacon to baking sheet and sprinkle with the BBQ rub.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, flip, sprinkle with more rub and return to the oven for another 10 minutes until cooked but not overly crispy. Remove from oven and transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Crumble the bacon once cooled.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook 8-9 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium eat. Once melted whisk in the flour, mustard, salt, paprika and black pepper. Whisk for 2 minutes.
  • Slowly whisk in the half and half. Keep whisking for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the 4 cups of cheddar cheese. Pour over the noodles and stir gently to combine.
  • Place half of the noodle and cheese mixture into the aluminum pan.
  • Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mix and more of the rub.
  • Add remaining noodles and sprinkle with the remaining cheese mix.
  • Add more rub and all of the crumbled bacon.
  • Place on the smoker and smoke for 2-3 hours depending on how smoky you want it.
  • Remove and let rest at least 30 minutes (good luck with waiting that long!) before slicing and serving.

Notes

You'll need a 9" x 13" deep (3") disposable aluminum pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 768mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1092IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 503mg | Iron: 1mg