Roasted Jalapeno and Bacon Smoked Mac and Cheese

Smoked or Oven Baked this is a cheesy delight!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Casserole, Cheesy, oven, Pasta, Smoked

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings 8 people

16 oz Elbow Pasta Cook to Al Dente
1/2 Cup Butter, Unsalted
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
3 1/2 Cups Half and Half
8 oz Cream Cheese
16 oz Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese (FreshlyGrated and Divided)
8 oz PepperJack Cheese (Freshly Grated)
4 oz Parmesan (Freshly Grated)
6 Strips Thick Cut Bacon (Cooked and Chopped) (I like to use a smoky flavor like mesquite or black pepper)
6 Jalapenos (Roasted, Skin Removed, and Deseeded)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Shred all your cheese, roast, and prep jalapenos, cook, and chop bacon, and cook pasta.
Pre-heat smoker to 225 degrees.
In a large pot, melt butter. Add in flour and whisk consistently for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in half & half. Whisk as you are pouring. Bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Once the mixture thickens up, add in half of the bacon and jalapenos and cream cheese. Stir till melted.
Turn heat to low. Add in half of the Colby Jack, all the pepper jack and parmesan. Stir till melted and thick. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Turn the heat off.
To a large deep dish, baking pan or aluminum foil pan, add cooked pasta and the cheese mixture. Stir till everything is combined.
Place onto smoker and cook for 30 minutes uncovered. (If using an aluminum foil pan place a baking sheet underneath to support the weight)
At 30 minutes, stir. Top with remaining Colby Jack, bacon, and jalapenos. Cook for another 30 minutes.
Pull dish off smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

I use Kingsford Southwest Natural Hardwood or RecTeq’s Ultimate Blend Pellets for the smoker.
This dish can be made in the oven. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. This will cook in 30 minutes therefore, at step 7, place the cheese, bacon, and jalapenos to the top.
Roast the jalapenos in the oven (400 degrees – 15 minutes), smoker (350 degrees – 20-30 minutes), or air fryer (400 degrees – 8 minutes). Coat lightly with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place immediately in a zip lock bag after roasting for 10 minutes. This will help the skin fall off.

BaileesKitchen