Smoked Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac and Cheese Recipe
Seattle locals have been in on Beecher’s Handmade Cheese for years, and once Oprah named their mac and cheese one of her Favorite Things, the secret was out. This is our smoked version. For Thanksgiving we built Beecher’s Flagship sauce with two twists, Chimayo chile and smoked bacon, then cooked it on the Traeger, which runs just like an oven.
The heart of this dish is the Flagship cheese sauce, a proper roux-based sauce loaded with semihard and semisoft cheese. The Traeger gives the top a gentle pecan smoke you cannot get from an oven, and a dusting of Chimayo chile ties the whole thing together.
The original recipe leans on chipotle. We run Chimayo chile instead. It brings the same gentle smoke and earthy warmth without the sharp bite, and it lets the pecan smoke and the bacon do the talking.
Hawk’s Tip
Smoked Beecher’s Mac and Cheese
Course: Side Dish, MainCuisine: BBQ, AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate4 to 6
servings20
minutes35
minutesIngredients
- For the Flagship Cheese Sauce
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
14 ounces semihard cheese, such as Beecher’s Flagship, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 ounces semisoft cheese, such as Beecher’s Just Jack, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chimayo chile powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Optional: 1 package thick-cut naturally smoked hickory bacon
- For the Mac and Cheese
6 ounces penne pasta
2 cups Flagship cheese sauce (from above)
1 ounce cheddar, grated (1/4 cup)
1 ounce Gruyere, grated (1/4 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chimayo or chipotle chile powder
Oil or butter, for the baking dish
Directions
- Make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Keep whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Off the heat, add the cheeses, salt, chile powder, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth and fully melted, about 3 minutes. Use right away or refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Cook the bacon (optional). Smoke or cook the bacon until nearly well done, then drain on paper towels. Dice it and stir about a quarter of it into the cheese sauce, or to taste.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the penne 2 minutes shy of the package directions, since it finishes cooking in the smoker. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
- Combine and top. Preheat your Traeger, Big Green Egg, or oven to 350°F. Pecan pellets are our pick for smoke. Oil or butter an 8-inch baking dish. Fold 2 cups of Flagship sauce into the pasta until evenly coated, scrape into the dish, and top with the cheddar, Gruyere, and a dusting of chile powder.
- Smoke and bake. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and set. For a doubled main-dish batch, use a 9 by 13 inch pan and bake 30 minutes.
- Rest and serve. Let it sit 5 minutes before serving.
The Flagship sauce makes about 4 cups, enough for a double batch. Freeze the extra in cupcake cups for portion-sized snacks you can reheat in the microwave or oven for up to 3 months.
Original recipe courtesy of Seattle PI.
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