Smoked mac and cheese that stays creamy

Use 1 pound of short pasta such as elbows, shells, or cavatappi. A basic sauce can start with 4 tablespoons each of butter and flour, about 3 cups of milk, 12 to 16 ounces of freshly shredded cheese, and 4 ounces of cream cheese if you want extra insurance against a dry pan.

Cheddar gives the familiar mac flavor. Mixing in Monterey Jack, Colby, or low-moisture mozzarella can make the sauce easier to melt. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a light shake of BBQ rub. Keep the seasoning modest until you taste the sauce because cheese and rub can both bring plenty of salt.

• Choose pasta with curves or ridges so the sauce has somewhere to hold.
• Shred block cheese when you can. Pre-shredded cheese can melt less smoothly because of its anti-caking coating.
• Use milk or evaporated milk to loosen the sauce before the pan goes outside.
• Add cooked bacon, sausage, pulled pork, or chicken only after it is fully cooked. Use the USDA safe temperature chart when checking meat add-ins.

Hold the smoker between 225 and 250°F and place the pan over indirect heat. Strong heat from below can scorch the bottom before the center gets hot, so use a heat deflector or move the pan away from the fire on a charcoal grill.

Use a mild wood such as apple, cherry, or pecan. Mac and cheese picks up smoke faster than a large cut of meat, so clean, light smoke is enough. If you are cooking chicken at the same time, the smoked chicken thighs guide can help you line up the main dish and the side.

• A 9 by 13-inch grill-safe pan gives the sauce room to bubble and stir.
• A deeper pan stays creamy longer, while a shallow pan creates more browned top and dry edges.
• Leave the pan uncovered for smoke flavor. Cover it loosely near the end only if the edges are drying too quickly.

Have the smoker stable before you combine the pasta and sauce. Once mixed, the pasta keeps absorbing liquid even while the pan waits on the counter.

The sauce should look slightly too loose when it goes into the smoker. That extra moisture is what keeps the middle creamy after the pasta absorbs more liquid and the top spends an hour in dry heat.

1. 1Boil the pasta 1 to 2 minutes short of al dente, then drain it without rinsing.
2. 2Melt the butter in a pot, whisk in the flour, and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth and lightly thickened.
3. 3Lower the heat and add the shredded cheese in small handfuls. Stir until smooth, then add cream cheese and seasoning if using.
4. 4Fold in the pasta and any fully cooked add-ins. Pour everything into the grill-safe pan and add a small splash of milk if the sauce already looks tight.
5. 5Smoke uncovered for 45 to 75 minutes. Stir after about 25 minutes, then check every 15 minutes until the center is creamy and hot.
6. 6Rest the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. It will thicken as it sits, so do not wait for it to look firm in the smoker.

Most dry smoked mac starts with a sauce that was perfect for the stovetop but too thick for the smoker. Begin saucier than normal, keep the pit below 250°F, and stir before the edges set hard.

If the pan starts tightening, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of warm milk and fold it through gently. Add a little at a time. A large cold pour can cool the pan and make the sauce uneven.

• Do not overcook the pasta before it goes into the pan.
• Do not wait for the center to look firm. Creamy mac should still move when the pan is nudged.
• Keep the pan out of direct heat, especially on a kettle or offset smoker.
• Serve soon after the short rest instead of holding it uncovered for an hour.

Dry edges are usually a heat or time problem. Stir them into the creamy center, add a splash of warm milk, and loosely cover the pan for the last few minutes. If the bottom is scorching, move the pan farther from the heat instead of lowering the whole cook temperature and waiting longer.

A greasy sauce usually got too hot or the cheese was added while the base was boiling. Take the sauce off direct heat before adding cheese, work in small handfuls, and stop cooking as soon as it melts. Weak smoke flavor is safer to fix next time with a little more clean smoke, not by leaving the mac on until it dries out.

• Too salty: stir in unseasoned pasta or a small amount of plain milk and cream cheese.
• Mushy pasta: shorten the boil and pull the smoked pan earlier next time.
• Burned top: move the pan lower in the cooker or cover loosely once the color looks right.
• Heavy smoke: use a milder wood and wait for thick white startup smoke to clear before adding the pan.

Smoked mac and cheese works beside ribs, chicken, burgers, brisket, or pulled pork. For a simple cookout, pair it with 3-2-1 ribs and put the mac on during the final hour. Check the recommended BBQ gear or useful accessories under $50 if you need a safe pan-handling setup without buying a cart full of tools.

Trying to land the mac and the meat at the same time? Ask Flip for a simple timing plan. Tell Flip what you are cooking, your serving time, grill type, and pan size, then use the plan to decide when the mac should go on.

• Flip CTA button: Plan my BBQ timing with Flip.
• Flip CTA destination: /cook.
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