Homemade mac and cheese was the comfort food of all comfort foods in my book — until I took it to the next level. This smoked mac and cheese recipe is creamy, cheesy, and smokey. Once you’ve tried it you’ll never look at mac and cheese the same way again.
On a stovetop, cook the pasta in a large pot of water with a ¼ cup of kosher salt.
Preheat a smoker to 225F degrees, add your choice of wood for smoke. Milder woods are my favorite for this recipe so I tend to reach for apple or cherry but pecan works well too.
On the stovetop heat, your 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter and whisk in the flour, dry mustard, and hot sauce until smooth.
Add the heavy cream and 2% milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Reduce heat to low-medium and add the cream cheese, stir with a spatula until completely melted.
Add in the shredded Colby Jack and Cheddar cheese a handful at a time. Stir and let melt completely.
Add the cooked pasta and gently combine until it is completely incorporated.
Transfer the skillet to the smoker and smoke for 1-2 hour depending on the amount of smoke flavor you desire.