recipe/technique needed: smoked mac and cheese

[Troy]

having a big family bbq this weekend, but I need some vegetarian options.

#1 plan is a nice smoked mac and cheese. I'm looking for something upscale. Preferably with a couple gourmet cheeses. Maybe panko crusted.
Anyone have any good recipes for this?

I'm also open for any other vegetarian and pescetarian apps or sides.

[Winz]

Troy - I have done quite a few "upscale" mac and cheese dishes.  That said, my recommendation is to start with Velveeta as the base cheese, and then use others (e.g. blue) to take it where you want to go.  Velveeta just seems to be the right stuff to start with. 

Velveeta mac and cheese with some blue cheese, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, (and any other veggies you desire) all topped with Panko bread crumbs and cooked in a cast iron skillet in a smokey kettle is the way I would go.  Or to minimize cleanup, just use a disposable aluminum pan.

Winz

[mrbill]

toss them some lawn clippings and a bottle of ranch?


seriously though-

for mac and cheese, this one looks good http://www.chow.com/recipes/30436-homerooms-classic-macaroni-and-cheese you could always sub in some other cheeses like ementaler, gouda, Havarti...etc to spruce it up maybe even a diced jalapeno or ten


if they'll eat fish, do some shrimp skewers or cedar planked fish filets or catfish cakes(like crab cakes but w/cheaper meat)

just a few other non-meat app/side ideas-stuffed jalapenos w/o the bacon, corn bar(corn on the cobb slathered in butter and have an array of seasonings to sprinkle on), hasselback potatoes with cheese and crispy onion straws, bush's vegetarian beans or maybe even some bean and cheese tacos (using vegan refrieds, shredded Oaxaca cheese and smallish tortillas)

[1buckie]

This sounds good to me.....

"toss them some lawn clippings and a bottle of ranch?"

Or, here's THE Vegetarian Option.............

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/the-vegetarian-option/msg89912/#msg89912




Mac 'n' Cheese, I go about differently from other human brings....sort of.....

I use brie, butter, havarti, farmer's cheese & horseradish cheese in approx. equal amounts...along with crema mexicana (the sort of liquidy Mexican stuff that comes in a bottle) & some HEAVY cream.....a little granulated garlic & some white pepper (blk will do, but I was trying to keep an all white theme going).......



Grate the cheeses fresh, do NOT get pre-grated, doesn't work anywhere near as well.....

Butter burbling...



Then add cheeses a bit at a time, stirring gently...



(Here, I added also tiny habanero 'Turdlets, but you're going meatless, so skip that step)



Here's most of the cast.....I used small shells, very lightly boiled so they wouldn't be overly done from the hot cheese & BBQ time....



Other helpful tips:

Run at a nice medium heat like 275, too slow & things get sluggish....too fast & it burns or separates.....

I read up on this general kind of thing HERE:



...oh, and dress like this:



.......and top with smashed up Cheetos....

[austin87]

toss them some lawn clippings and a bottle of ranch?


seriously though-

for mac and cheese, this one looks good http://www.chow.com/recipes/30436-homerooms-classic-macaroni-and-cheese you could always sub in some other cheeses like ementaler, gouda, Havarti...etc to spruce it up maybe even a diced jalapeno or ten

I used to live in Oakland and Homeroom is the real deal for Mac and cheese - I've used this recipe before and it turned out awesome. Starting with a bechamel and adding cheese will let you go any direction you want. Whoever said to grate the cheese yourself is right on, pre-grated usually has more preservatives and doesn't melt right.

An additional smoked side is smoked tomatoes. Get some roma tomatoes (still slightly firm, too ripe they will fall apart), use a pairing knife to core them, and fill them will garlic, olive oil, and balsamic or red wine vinegar. You can also add basil, crushed red pepper if they like spicy, and get creative with them. Don't cut the bottoms off or all the liquid you put inside will run right out the bottom. They take smoke really and can be cooked in a foil pan at any temperature - it just takes longer at lower temps but ultimately you cook them until they are soft but not falling apart.

Each person gets their own little soft and smoky tomato.

[Troy]

Brilliant! Thanks guys!!

I'm going to avoid velveeta, i used to work at a place that made different cheesefoods. *shiver*

[austin87]

Also chile rellenos like I posted here http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/first-cook-on-the-new-18-5'-otg-!/ are a great vegetarian entree but depending on how many you make it can be a little labor intensive.

[Johnpv]

We usually do a smoked mac and cheese for my GF's grand father for his birthday.  What we did was just start with a basic Roux, and then slowly add in milk and freshly shredded cheese.  For my taste I usually stick to 1 or 2 high quality cheeses that compliment each other.  I think when you start going with too many they get lost.  I personally really like just sticking with a REALLY sharp high quality cheddar.  We do like to sprinkle panko ontop, but also some of the shredded cheese.   I'll usually put into the smoke and bake it for like 40 - 60 minutes at 225 - 250.   Comes out really smokey and awesome.

[jamesnomore]

I'm with Buckie. I use a ton of butter and a big blend of misc cheeses. I think the blend creates a unique flavor that you can't get with single or double cheese entries. I add mushrooms, usually shiitake or oyster but in a pinch brown. The wife and child don't like crunchy crust so I usually go without, if I do crunchy its panko all the way with some grated Parmesan.

[austin87]

I'm with Buckie. I use a ton of butter and a big blend of misc cheeses. I think the blend creates a unique flavor that you can't get with single or double cheese entries. I add mushrooms, usually shiitake or oyster but in a pinch brown. The wife and child don't like crunchy crust so I usually go without, if I do crunchy its panko all the way with some grated Parmesan.

@jamesnomore do you cook the mushrooms first? Thinking raw might release too much liquid and make the Mac runny, would love to know what you do here. Thanks!

[Winz]

Brilliant! Thanks guys!!

I'm going to avoid velveeta, i used to work at a place that made different cheesefoods. *shiver*

Troy - don't be a Velveeta hater.  Just look at the health benefits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEGhdyotcuA

I still use Kraft slices for Grilled Cheese.  Yum!


Winz

[jamesnomore]

I'm with Buckie. I use a ton of butter and a big blend of misc cheeses. I think the blend creates a unique flavor that you can't get with single or double cheese entries. I add mushrooms, usually shiitake or oyster but in a pinch brown. The wife and child don't like crunchy crust so I usually go without, if I do crunchy its panko all the way with some grated Parmesan.

@jamesnomore do you cook the mushrooms first? Thinking raw might release too much liquid and make the Mac runny, would love to know what you do here. Thanks!

@austin87
Definitely cook the mushrooms first to get some nice color, flavor and reduce the moisture. I usually do this in a fry pan with butter and add some fresh garlic towards the end of the saute, sometimes the entire garlic addition will go in at this point to release all of it's goodness

@Winz
I have a friend who is as foodie as they get and he's a velveeta lover. Persnonally it's trout bait but when he brings his Queso dip over I'm all over it, it's so good. Something about certain combinations with it make some good food. For me though, it's only allowed in the tackle box. 

[Troy]

i'm a bit of a food snob, but I'll eat kraft american cheese slices.
I think its a comfort food thing for me, takes me back to my childhood. I still fold them over several times, enjoying the slow splitting of the seam. Then of course the peeling of cheese squares off of the fold formed stack and putting them onto ritz crackers with a single squirt of french's yellow mustard.
ahhhhh

[1buckie]

i'm a bit of a food snob, but I'll eat kraft american cheese slices.
I think its a comfort food thing for me, takes me back to my childhood. I still fold them over several times, enjoying the slow splitting of the seam. Then of course the peeling of cheese squares off of the fold formed stack and putting them onto ritz crackers with a single squirt of french's yellow mustard.
ahhhhh

Works great for grilled cheese.....maybe not so much Mac 'n' Cheese....

[AZ Monsoon]

I started this thread back in 2012 and the thread is still going strong, so others must think it's all right. The technique should help you out. I did this on the Daniel Boone and basically just modified others suggestions around the net.
http://pelletheads.com/index.php?topic=16793.0