Smoked Cheddar And Creole Mac And Cheese Food

CREOLE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
• In a small pan, cook the andouille sausage over medium heat until done. Set aside. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs, and stir to coat. Cool, and then mix in Parmesan. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Saute onions and celery until translucent. Transfer to a bowl.
• In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, to make a white roux. Try not to let the roux brown at all, it should be white. Mix in paprika and mustard, then stir in milk. Bring to boil over medium heat, then add Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses. Simmer, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 in pan, or similar sized casserole dish. Transfer cooked macaroni to the dish, and toss in the andouille sausage and sauteed vegetables. Stir in the cheese mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture evenly over the top.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust turns golden brown.

SMOKY MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, then drain and set aside.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat. Heat a deep 12-inch cast-iron skillet over direct heat.
• Combine the cream, paprika, cayenne and hot sauce if using in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the cream mixture is reduced by half and thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese and Gouda until fully melted. Stir in the ham and cooked pasta and continue to mix until fully combined.
• Stir together the panko, pecorino and scallions if using in a medium bowl. Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the mac and cheese. Move the skillet to indirect heat, cover the grill and cook until golden brown and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• (Alternatively, you can make the mac and cheese in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on a stovetop over medium-high heat, then top with the panko mixture and bake in a 400 degrees F oven for 10 minutes.)

NO-BOIL SMOKER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium indirect heat (about 375 degrees F if your grill has a thermometer; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners on low or off; for a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill). Prepare a smoker tube with smoking pellets according to the manufacturer's instructions and set on the grill to begin smoking (see Cook's Note).
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture smells nutty but hasn't browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the smoked paprika, then whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the adobo and salt. Off heat, whisk in half of the shredded Cheddar and Gouda and all of the processed cheese cubes to make a smooth sauce.
• Spread the uncooked macaroni in a disposable 9-by-13-inch foil baking tin and pour the sauce over. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover tightly with foil and place on the indirect part of the grill. Close the grill. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, close the grill and cook 10 minutes more. If cooking on a gas grill, turn off the grill, close the lid and let rest in the grill with the smoker tube for 10 minutes more before serving. (On a charcoal grill, just remove the baking tin and serve.)

MACARONI AND CHEDDAR CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat a medium, deep skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts into the oil, add flour and combine. Gently cook, whisking flour and butter together, until smooth and flour has had a chance to cook, about 3 minutes. Slowly add milk while continuing to whisk. Gently bring milk to a bubble while stirring frequently. Allow the milk to thicken a bit, then stir in 2 cups of shredded Cheddar cheese a handful at a time. Season sauce with nutmeg and cayenne. Taste and add a little salt, if you like. Add cooked pasta to sauce and coat completely by turning over and over in the cheese sauce. Transfer to a flameproof baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Place baking dish under a hot broiler and brown the Cheddar cheese on top.