Mac and cheese on the smoker with pulled pork mixed in. This uses smoked cream cheese in the sauce, which sounds like extra work, but if you already have some from the smoked cream cheese recipe, you’re halfway there.
Smoker starts at 180, finishes at 350. About an hour and a half total.
Ingredients
Mac and cheese:
- 2 1/2 cups half and half
- 1 cup smoked pulled pork, chopped
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta (or shells)
- 8 oz smoked cream cheese
- 1 cup smoked gouda, shredded
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup gruyere, shredded
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp Meat Church Holy Cow
- 1 tsp ground mustard
Topping:
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Half stick butter, melted
Steps
- Smoker at 180 with hickory. Mix the half and half, smoked cream cheese, Holy Cow, hot sauce, and ground mustard in a disposable pan. Smoke for 30 minutes. Whisk smooth.
- Cook the pasta 2 minutes short of the package time. You want it underdone because it’s going back on the smoker.
- While the pasta is warm, stir in the gouda, cheddar, and gruyere. Then fold in the smoked cream cheese mixture and the pulled pork.
- Transfer to a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Mix the panko with melted butter, spread on top.
- Bump the smoker to 350. Cook 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden and it’s bubbling.
- Let it rest 10-15 minutes before serving. It’s lava when it comes off.
Three cheeses plus smoked cream cheese is not overkill. It’s correct.
