Mac & Cheese, Kielbasa, And A Blow Torch W/QVIEW

[ronp]

Well, BBQGODESS has bugging me for a couple of days now to make Mac and Cheese, in a nice way

. I told her in chat last night that anyone can do that and I think I broke her heart. So, I really thought out a plan today.

The ingredients.
I made 3 cups of elbow macaroni. Made too much for 2 of us, so I switched pans. I had in the freezer some nacho cheese sauce that I bought from Sam's in the # 10 cans and froze them in Ziploc sandwich bags for Philly Cheese steak sammies. I could have lied and said the cheese sauce was from scratch, but this will be good and easy.

I added 2 bags of the cheese sauce, some Vadilia onion vinagerette, man I love that stuff, some paprika for color and some Parmisan cheese.

I bought some fresh polish sausage and dry cured it for 1 1/2 hours with Mortons Tender Quick, not sure if that is long enough or not.


The tools.

My MES smoker.

A propane torch.

The plan:

Smoke at 130' for 1 hour with apple and alder. Raise the smoker to 165 with smoke till kielbasa is 155". Stir the mac a few times to absorb more flavor and drippings. At that time I will cover the mac with 4 cheese mexican blend and take temps up to 275 with smoke. I will put some hickory for a kicked up taste

What's the blow torch for? Well my Moms mac and cheese was always bubbly with a nice brown color to the cheese and I doubt that will happen in the smoker, so, I will do it with the torch.

There is always more ways of skinning a cat, as they say I guess!

Stay tuned, I'll post the progress! As always, Thanks for watching!

 

[bbq bubba]

I think it's time you build a drum my friend!

You'd be able to put all your tools back in the shop!

 

[bbqgoddess]

My mac n' cheese!!
I can't wait to see how your turns out... I tried this once and it was a train wreck..needless to say my kidos would not eat it..they have eaten everything from the wild potatoes I throw in the smoker to the plums we did one day...this no way! I am hoping you have way better luck then me!!
Hey I hear you need a drum! Maybe bubba can help ya build one?

Awesome as usual, hey when you add this to the menu, it better say "bbqg mac n cheese"

 

[ronp]

I don't need a drum, kelly, I dont have the time, I am VERY satisfied with my MES. How would a drum work and look in a restaurant? If I use this in the restaurant it will have your name on it.

Here is the keilbasa AT 155',taken out.

Tastes good, seems to be cured, still pink.

The mac, and ready for the mexican cheese..





Covered with the mexican 4 blend cheese. Raised the temp to 275'. Added
some hickory for kicks.

In an hour or so I will take it out and see if I need to use the blow torch or not.

Thanks for watching!!

 

[ronp]

Here it is finished at 275' no torch needed, nice and bubbly and crisp on top. Tastes great!!




Withe the keilbasa.

Another good smoke, thanks bbqgoddess for the challenge.

 

[bbqgoddess]

RON!
again another amazing smoke!
Your mac n cheese looks incredible w/o the torch!! WOW

 

[erain]

wow ron that looks great!!!! another great side to put in memory for a future smoke. great job!!!!!

 

[pops6927]

Toss in a cup of diced habenaros and it will BE the blowtorch!

Great smoke!

 

[curious aardvark]

packet cheese sauce ?
Surely, given the extreme amount of work you've put into the rest of the dish you could have spared 5 minutes to make a decent cheese sauce ? (okay my own takes about half an hour - but then I render down bacon bits for the fat to use in the roue)
Apart from that I think it's amazing. Never wanted to eat macoroni cheese before - but that looks tempting :-)

You're all quite mad lol

 

[ronp]

Thanks Pops. Wife dosen't do peppers tough.

Thanks.

It's called "Use What You Got" That sauce was in the freezer forever and needed a home. Still got 3 packages left. Hmmm, maybe baked beans?

I hope I tempted you into trying it.

Well, after a while YOU wil be "quite mad" also. It's a disease that most peeps can't get under control even with meds.

 

[ck311]

yet another amazing dish that I would have never thought to make in a smoker, is any thing that can't be smoked.

Good Job ron

 

[ronp]

Thanks. I was just thinking about pop corn. HMM I wonder.

 

[richtee]

Hmmm glad it worked out. Yer not making creme brule' here yanno LOL! Thick proteins and hot flame make yucckies!

PS: An oven on broil is a better bet!

 

[ronp]

I know, Richtee, but I got a high end gas with the option of convecton.
It takes at least 20 minuets to get to broil temp, not like an elec. Maybe it isn't working right. I just did salmon, 20 minutes pre heat, 6 minutes to broil. I didn't want to waste the fuel.