This smoked mac and cheese recipe takes the childhood classic to the next with level. We’re using three different melty cheeses, bacon, roasted red bell pepper, and grilled onions for this incredible rendition of mac & cheese. So fire up your Weber Kettle, and let’s smoke this unbelievable adult version of mac & cheese.
Why You Should Try Smoked Mac & Cheese
- The very best reason to try this recipe – The incredible mac & cheesy smokey flavor! The combination of three cheeses and macaroni is satisfying on its own, but adding the essence of wood smoke creates an unparalleled, flavorful fusion. We’ll add some bacon and roasted red bell pepper as well for an over-the-top and decadent mac & cheese.
- Easy to smoke – You thought we had offered easy-to-smoke recipes before, but this one really is the easiest one ever. Just set the mac & cheese on your Weber Kettle, close the lid, and walk away. You will not even need to add more briquets or wood. And roughly 30 minutes later, it’s done!
- Fairly easy to make – If you follow the step-by-step directions below and incorporate all the ingredients together in sequence, you will have a delightful and delectable adult mac & cheese put together in no time at all.
Ingredients For Weber Kettle Smoked Mac & Cheese
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, finely diced
- One stick (8 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups of milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded jack cheese
- 2 cups smoked Gouda cheese
- 1/2 pound cooked and crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
Directions For Making Weber Kettle Smoked Mac & Cheese
1. Set up your Weber Kettle for indirect smoking – Fill your charcoal chimney fire starter with charcoal briquettes, and when ready, empty the chimney in the center of the charcoal grate. With tongs, move the charcoal to both sides of the Weber Kettle, creating two equal piles. Add three more charcoal briquets and two small pieces of soaked wood or wood chips to each pile.
2. Boil the macaroni – Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni until al dente. Strain the pasta, mix in the olive oil, and set aside.
3. Make the roux – Melt the butter in a very large pot, and sauté the onion. Add the flour and whisk into the butter until a smooth golden-brown roux is created.
4. Add the milk and heavy cream – Over very low heat, add the milk and heavy cream to the roux 1/2 cup at a time. Continue to mix until all the flour is incorporated and a smooth, creamy texture is achieved. Add and mix in the nutmeg, BBQ rub, and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Add the three cheeses – Combine and mix all three cheeses in a large bowl, and set aside one cup of the cheese mix. Add the cheese one cup at a time until all the cheese is incorporated and melted, producing a thick and creamy texture.
6. Add the remaining ingredients – Stir in the bacon and roasted red bell pepper. Then, gently stir in the cooked macaroni.
7. Transfer the mac & cheese – Place the mac & cheese in a 9” x 13” disposable aluminum pan, and sprinkle the remaining one cup of the cheese mixture on top.
8. Place the mac & cheese on the Weber Kettle – Place the aluminum pan directly in the center of the Weber Kettle between the two piles of charcoal briquets. Smoke for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, or until the sides of the mac & cheese are bubbly and a butter knife inserted into the center of the mac & cheese is hot to the touch when removed.
9. Take the mac & cheese off the Weber Kettle – Let the mac & cheese rest for roughly 10 minutes before spooning it out on individual plates and devouring it.
Variations And Substitutions For Weber Kettle Smoked Mac & Cheese
For a more robust flavored mac & cheese – If you want to kick up the flavors of your mac & cheese, try adding garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, Creole or Cajun seasonings, or mesquite and chipotle seasonings to your mac & cheese.
Make a breadcrumb topping – This is a very nice addition to your already incredible Weber Kettle smoked mac & cheese. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan, add 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs, then toast the breadcrumbs to a golden brown. Sprinkle this on top of the cheese to create a delicious crusty and crunchy topping.
Use a cast iron skillet – We used a cast iron skillet instead of the disposable aluminum pan for our Weber Kettle smoked mac & cheese. The cast iron skillet adsorbs the heat created by the charcoal and surrounds the mac & cheese with a consistent temperature. Thus, the mac & cheese cooks faster and more thoroughly. If you own a large enough cast iron skillet to hold all the mac & cheese, give it a try.
Tips And Tricks For Weber Kettle Smoked Mac And Cheese
Use different ingredients in the smoked mac & cheese – You can add many fabulous optional ingredients to your Weber Kettle smoked mac & cheese. Try adding a few vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, carrots, or even okra. And any other type of meat will do as well. Try using sausage, smoked pork chops, pancetta, ground beef, shredded chicken, chorizo, or even smoked salmon.
Make a darker roux – For a darker and more robust flavored Weber Kettle smoked mac & cheese, simply keep cooking and stirring the roux until it reaches your desired darker color. Most gumbos, for instance, have an almost chocolate colored roux as the base. The darker the roux, the more complex the flavor profile between the flour and the butter becomes.
Use an aluminum drip pan – Place a disposable aluminum drip pan filled with one inch of water on the ash grate underneath the mac & cheese. This helps ensure that your mac & cheese will stay moist and cheesy during the smoking process.
Smoked Mac And Cheese
Equipment
- 1 Weber Kettle Grill
- 1 Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter
- Charcoal briquets
- Wood chunks soaked for smoking
- 1 9”x 13” Aluminum Pan, disposable
- 1 Aluminum Drip Pan disposable
- 1 BBQ Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 white onion, finely diced
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons BBQ rub, your favorite brand
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cups jack cheese, grated
- 2 cups smoked Gouda cheese, grated
- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped
Instructions
- Set up your Weber Kettle for indirect smoking – Fill your charcoal chimney fire starter with charcoal briquettes, and when ready, empty the chimney in the center of the charcoal grate. With tongs, move the charcoal to both sides of the Weber Kettle, creating two equal piles. Add three more charcoal briquets and one small piece of soaked wood or wood chips to each pile.
- Boil the macaroni – Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni until al dente. Strain the pasta, mix in the olive oil, and set aside.
- Make the roux – Melt the butter in a very large pot, and sauté the onion. Add the flour and whisk into the butter until a smooth golden-brown roux is created.
- Add the milk and heavy cream – Over very low heat, add the milk and heavy cream to the roux 1/2 cup at a time. Continue to mix until all the flour is incorporated and a smooth, creamy texture is achieved. Add and mix in the nutmeg, BBQ rub, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the three cheeses – Combine and mix all three cheeses in a large bowl, and set aside one cup of the cheese mix. Add the cheese one cup at a time until all the cheese is incorporated and melted, producing a thick and creamy texture.
- Add the remaining ingredients – Stir in the bacon and roasted red bell pepper. Then, gently stir in the cooked macaroni.
- Transfer the mac & cheese – Place the mac & cheese in a 9” x 13” disposable aluminum pan, and sprinkle the remaining one cup of the cheese mixture on top.
- Place the mac & cheese on the Weber Kettle – Place the aluminum pan directly in the center of the Weber Kettle between the two piles of charcoal briquets. Smoke for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, or until the sides of the mac & cheese are bubbly and a butter knife inserted into the center of the mac & cheese is hot to the touch when removed.
- Take the mac & cheese off the Weber Kettle – Let the mac & cheese rest for roughly 10 minutes before spooning it out on individual plates and devouring it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
