Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, loved by the whole family. There is something about a creamy, cheesy mac that warms the heart. Here is an adult mac and cheese dish with a delicious twist on this classic dish. This may well be the best Smoked Mac and Cheese you've ever tasted, featuring a combination of cheeses, poblano peppers and Panko breadcrumbs.
There are three cheeses in this Texas mac and cheese. Beecher's Flagship cheese, a semi-hard cow's milk cheese that has been aged for 15 months, is mixed with goat cheese to form a very silky and creamy mac and cheese. Finely grated Asiago cheese is mixed with panko breadcrumbs, toasted in butter, for the topping.
Of course, this wouldn't be Texas mac and cheese without a little kick in the flavor department. That comes in the form of some roasted poblano peppers.
This is great either as a side dish or a main course.
This recipe was inspired by my other recipes for Texas Style Creamed Corn With Poblano Peppers, Smoked Charro Beans and Waffle Maker Grilled Cheese.
Ingredients
- Poblano peppers
- Elbow macaroni
- Butter
- Panko bread crumbs
- Asiago cheese
- All-purpose flour
- Goat cheese
- White cheddar cheese such as Beecher's Flagship
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat your pellet grill or smoker for indirect medium heat, around 250°F.
Roast the Poblano Peppers
The cooking process for the poblano peppers is best done on a hot grill. Rinse off three poblano peppers and place them on a hot grill over direct heat. These were done over a sear burner but they can also be cooked over a gas or charcoal grill. In a pinch, they can be cooked on a gas range top. Just place the peppers directly on the grate.
Turn the peppers over when one side is well charred, about 6 minutes. Poblano peppers are somewhat flat so it may be necessary to hold them on the edge with tongs to char them all the way around. Remove them from the grill and place them in a paper bag, fold over the top of the bag and let the peppers rest for about 10 minutes. This will allow the charred skin to soften and pull away from the flesh of the pepper. Rinse the peppers under cool running water and peel away as much skin as possible.
Make sure as much green area is charred as possible. This will make peeling the skin off easier.
Place the cooled peppers on a cutting board and remove the stem, seeds and ribs. Cut into ¼" dice.
Prepare the Other Ingredients
In a large pot of salted water, cook the macaroni until they are al dente. Drain and set aside.
Next, melt some butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the panko bread crumbs and stir to coat with butter. Sauté until slightly browned. Panko bread crumbs have a terrific texture and flavor that works well with the Asiago cheese that will be added later.
Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Sauté panko breadcrumbs in butter for a few minutes.
Grate the Beecher's Flagship cheese on a medium box grater. Grate the Asiago on a fine box grater. There is no need to grate the goat cheese, just crumble it with a fork.
To make the cheese sauce, start with a roux then add milk and heavy cream.
Then, add the Beecher's Flagship cheese and the goat cheese. Stir to incorporate. Then add the spices and stir again.
Add the cooked macaroni noodles and stir it in. Mix it well, some of that wonderful cheese sauce needs to get inside the macaroni. Finally, stir in the diced poblano peppers.
Transfer the mac and cheese mixture to a cast iron skillet or small Dutch oven.
Next, mix the asiago cheese in with the bread crumbs and spread the mixture on top of the mac and cheese. There is no such thing as too many cheesy bread crumbs.
Place the pan of macaroni and cheese in your smoker a cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the top of the mac turns a golden brown. In the video, this was cooked in a wood fired oven, which cooks faster than a smoker. Both methods add a hint of smoke that works well with this dish.
Variations
Try different types of cheeses such as sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar, Monterey jack, cream cheese, gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, Colby jack, pepper jack, parmesan cheese and even Velveeta cheese. Whichever cheese combination you choose, buy blocks of cheese, not pre-shredded cheese. Most pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking agent, like potato starch, that you don't want in your homemade mac and cheese.
You could also change it up by adding some pulled pork or crumbled bacon.
Equipment
In the video, this dish was prepared in a wood-fired oven. A pellet grill, charcoal grill, Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe all work for imparting a hint of smoke to this dish.
Storage
Store leftover mac and cheese (if there is any) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Final Thoughts
Smoked mac and cheese is the perfect combination of cheesy, smoky goodness. The infusion of different cheeses, poblano peppers, and Panko breadcrumbs is sure to make this delicious mac and cheese a family favorite. The next time you crave the best mac and cheese, try this recipe for the ultimate comfort food with a Texan twist! Enjoy!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Tex-Mex Comfort Food: Brisket-Stuffed Chile Rellenos
- Spicy Chorizo Empanadas
- Chicken Birria Tamales
- No Bean Texas-Style Chili - Prime Tenderloin & Six Chiles
- From Feast to Fiesta: Leftover Brisket Queso
- Texas Grilled Corn Ribs - With a Little Heat and a Lot of Flavor
- Pork Belly Tacos - Easy to Make With Roasted Pork Belly
- Delicious Carnitas Tacos
📖 Recipe
Texas Mac and Cheese With Poblano Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta al dente per package directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Cook the peppers over direct heat until skin is black and blistered (a gas cooktop flame or broiler works well). Place in a paper bag and let rest for 10 minutes. Peel the blistered skin under running water. Remove the stems and seeds, and chop to ¼ inch.
- Melt 2 tbs of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and stir to coat with butter. Sauté until slightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Melt 4 tbs of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for two minutes, whisking continually. Slowly add the milk and cream while whisking. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
- Add diced peppers, goat cheese, Beecher’s Flagship cheese, salt, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine, about three minutes.
- Combine sauce and pasta in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Transfer to a prepared 8” baking dish or 10” cast iron skillet. Stir Asiago cheese into bread crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of macaroni mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.
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