Smoked Pimento Mac and Cheese is an elevated Mac and Cheese dish you'll want to make for all your friends. Using three types of cheese, some diced pimentos, and a zippy bread crumb topping - AND smoking it - makes this a five-star recipe for my personal recipe testers. TRY IT next time you light your grill!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword smoked mac and cheese, smoked pimento mac and cheese
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour25 minutesminutes
Servings 10servings
Calories 538kcal
Author Josh Ringsdorf
Ingredients
For the Mac & Cheese:
1poundcellentani pasta- or other pasta shape of your choice
1/4cupunsalted butter
1/4cupall-purpose flour
3cups2% milk
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper- to taste
1Tablespoonmustard powder
6oz.cream cheese light
2cupssharp cheddar cheese- shredded
2cupsgruyere cheese- shredded
4oz.diced pimentos- strained
For the bread crumb topping:
3/4cupPanko bread crumbs
2Tablespoonsunsalted butter- melted
1Tablespoonbrown sugar
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoongarlic powder
1 1/2teaspoonpaprika
1/2teaspooncayenne pepper
Instructions
Light a charcoal grill to about 250 degrees. Place some pecan wood chips in with the charcoal.
In a medium stock pot, cook the pasta in some salted, boiling water until al dente. Remove and strain.
In a large cast iron skillet (12-inch is best), melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the flour and stir constantly, fully absorbing into the butter. Then add the milk, salt, pepper, and mustard powder, and stir. Turn heat up slightly and bring to a rolling simmer, and cook until thickened.
Then add the cream cheese light, and both cheeses. Stir until the cheese is completly melted and creamy. Add the cooked pasta and the diced pimentos. Stir well to coat.
Meanwhile, combine the bread crumb topping ingredients - the Panko, melted butter, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Mix well, and then sprinkle over the top of the finished mac and cheese.
Place the cast iron skillet on the charcoal grill and close the lid, keeping the heat at around 250 degrees. Cook for one hour.
Notes
Pro-Tip: We love using our large cast iron skillet on the grill (cleans up nicely), but if you want easy, use a disposable tin instead.Cast Iron Skillet used is linked in the blog post.