Smoked Macaroni And Cheese is a tasty side OR main dish, cooked on a Traeger or smoker grill. The cheese sauce is easily made from scratch!
Cook Pasta- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add macaroni. Cook macaroni for 2 MINUTES LESS than the package instructions say. If you cook the pasta while making the cheese sauce in a separate pan, it will save you time.
Make Cheese Sauce- Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium-low heat. Gradually whisk in all purpose flour and mustard powder, being sure to whisk constantly. Cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to ensure butter does not brown. Slowly whisk in milk; continue to whisk until sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly. Stir Velveeta OR American cheese chunks into sauce. Stir until cheese has melted. If sauce is too thick once done, simply add a small amount of milk to thin it out a bit.
When macaroni has finished cooking, drain off water, but do not rinse noodles. Place drained macaroni in a large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over the top, then stir well to fully combine ingredients. Taste, then season with salt/pepper to suit your taste. Spray baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (or coat with melted butter), then add the macaroni and cheese, spreading evenly in pan. Sprinkle top with grated cheddar, then bread crumbs, followed by a few sprinkles of paprika.
Preheat smoker grill to 225°F, according to manufacturer's instructions. Once at temperature, place macaroni and cheese pan onto the grate, LEAVING PAN UNCOVERED. Close the smoker lid. Cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cover the pan securely with aluminum foil. Continue cooking another 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese on top is melted. Remove from grill; serve hot.
TIP#1: You can make sauce using 1 cup of shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar.
TIP #2: If you're a cheese lover, you can add a full pound of cheese to the sauce (instead of the 12 ounces called for in recipe).
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/smoked-macaroni-and-cheese/