Smoked Chili Mac & Cheese
- BBQ Type: Grill
- Fuel: Charcoal
- Preparation Time: 20 min
- Cooking Time: 1 h 45 min to 2 h
- Total Time: 2 h 5 min
- 4 to 6 servings
Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food and everyone has their favorite way to prepare the famous dish. Also easy to improvise, there are innumerable regional variations of this delicious pasta and melted cheese combo. One of which is the smoked mac and cheese, a classic meal taken to new heights by involving your grill or smoker. This smoked mac and cheese recipe combines a savory and spicy slow cooked chili, three types of cheeses, and a bouquet of subtle yet complex aromas and flavors from mesquite and applewood smoke. So simple and yet, this smoked mac and cheese recipe guarantees to charm even the most demanding palates!
Ingredients
Chili
- 3 tbsp - Butter
- 1 ½ lb - Ground beef
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- ½ Red onion, diced
- 2 tbsp - Chili powder
- ½ tsp - Black pepper
- 2 tbsp - El Yucateco Green Habanero Hot Sauce
- 28 oz - Diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup - Ketchup
- ⅓ cup - Beef stock
- ¾ cup - Water
Mac & Cheese
- 3 cup - Elbow macaroni, cooked
- 2 cup - Half-and-half
- 8 oz - American cheese, shredded
- 16 oz - Mozarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup - Romano cheese
- 3 tbsp - Breadcrumbs
- A few dashes of El Yucateco Green Habanero Hot Sauce
- Wood chunks for smoking, preferably a blend of apple and mesquite
Preparation
- Preheat your grill for two zone cooking, having hot coals on one half and nothing on the other;
- In a cast iron pot, sauté the onions and garlic in melted butter then add the ground beef, chili powder and black pepper and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes; add all remaining Chili ingredients and bring to a boil; Move the cast iron pot to indirect and close the lid; Cook for 1 hour at 300°F;
- Remove the chili from the grill and add in all Mac & Cheese ingredients except the romano cheese and breadcrumbs; Transfer the chili mac & cheese into a large sized aluminum foil tray and top with romano cheese and breadcrumb;
- Place the mac & cheese in your grill for indirect cooking and toss a few wood chunks onto hot coals for smoking; Close the lid and cook for 45 minutes at 300°F;
- Remove from the grill when the cheese starts bubbling; Serve with a few dashed of El Yucateco Green Habanero sauce and enjoy.