Category: Pellet Smoker

No comments

Pellet Smoked Mac and Cheese

  By ,

Pellet Smoked Mac and Cheese

Most people love mac and cheese, but have you ever tried smoked mac and cheese? If you have then you know how much better it is over traditional oven baked versions. With this recipe you get a unique flavor with this blend of cheeses and the optional jalapeño peppers. It’s super easy to cook on your pellet smoker, but if you must, you can bake it in the oven too. For a topping, this recipe uses buttery browned panko breadcrumbs. If you’re not a fan then simply apply more shredded cheese on top and follow the last broiler step. Now with that said, this recipe is NOT for the gooey runny melty style mac and cheese. If that’s what you are after, use more soft cheeses such as mozzarella or maybe even ricotta or mascarpone.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz package elbow macaroni
  • 4 tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons for bread crumbs
  • 3 cups milk or half and half
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 8 oz cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 oz cup shredded gouda cheese
  • 8 oz cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 2 jalapenos (optional)

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Directions

Bring the 8oz of cream cheese to room temperature and slice it into smaller blocks.


Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni to the al dente firmness which is usually 6-8 minutes (follow the packaging instructions). When ready, pour the macaroni into a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process. Mix the macaroni around to cool down all bits. Now you have partially cooked macaroni and it will finish cooking when you put it on the smoker.


Next, hand shred the cheeses and set it aside in a large bowl. Following this, remove the seeds from 2 jalapeno peppers and dice them up.


Next start the cheese sauce by melting 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan on medium heat. When the butter is melted, whisk the flour into the butter until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes). Whisk in the milk (or half and half) and raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes then whisk in the salt, pepper, and mustard ingredients. Turn the heat down to medium low and start adding the cheese. First start with two chunks of cream cheese and stir with a wooden spoon until fully melted. Continue to add cream cheese until it is fully incorporated into the sauce. Next add the shredded cheese about 1 cup at a time and stir into the sauce. When all the cheese is added, stir in the chopped jalapenos. Next add the macaroni into the sauce and stir until it is fully coated with cheese sauce.


Next pour the mac and cheese into a large cast iron skillet or a lasanga foil pan. Have your pellet smoker running at 250 F with pecan or apple pellets. Place the skillet or pan on the smoker and cook for 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Use a toothpick and test for doneness. When it slides in with no resistance, the mac and cheese is ready.


Next melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and stir in the panko breadcrumbs. Cook for about 3 minutes until all the butter is absorbed but try not to brown the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the mac and cheese. Set your oven broiler on low, then cook the mac and cheese for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the breadcrumbs, you just want them brown. Let it cool for a few, then serve and enjoy!

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Watch How To Make This Recipe





No comments

Pellet Smoked Armadillo Eggs

  By ,

Pellet Smoked Armadillo Eggs

Armadillo eggs are a popular BBQ item that you need to master in your quest for BBQ greatness. These rank up there with Atomic Buffalo Turds but with more meat and required skill. Best of all you can tell your friends and family with a straight face that you are making armadillo eggs and their reactions will be priceless. Once they figure out what these are, they will ask you to make them again and again. Yes indeed these are perfect for “That big game lawyers won’t let you mention” appetizers, or any game day appetizer. Don’t stop there, make them for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizers.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound spicy italian sausage
  • 1 pound chorizo sausage
  • 6 – 8 large jalapeno peppers
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon BBQ rub
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Directions

First, rest the cream cheese on a countertop until it reaches room temp (about 20 minutes). While waiting on the cream cheese, chop off the stems of the peppers then core out the seeds and membrane using a jalapeño coring tool.


Next shred about ½ cup of cheddar cheese and place it into a small mixing bowl. Add the cream cheese and ½ teaspoon of BBQ rub, then mix the ingredients together.

Use a butter knife to scoop up a small amount of cheese and place it in the opening of a pepper. Use your finger to softly press the cheese to the bottom of the pepper and repeat this until the pepper is packed solid with the cheese mixture. Continue until all peppers are stuffed with cheese.

Next, combine the meats in mixing bowl. If you purchased sausages inside casings, remove and dispose of the casings. Add 1 teaspoon of BBQ rub then mix the meat and seasonings together.

Take about a ¼ pound of meat (about the amount of a burger patty) and flatten it in your hand. Place a pepper in the center, then fold the meat around the opening of the pepper to seal in the cheese. Next, fold the meat around the pepper adding more if needed to fully cover the pepper. Roll the ‘egg’ around in your hands to smooth out the meat wrapping. Repeat the steps until all jalapenos are covered with sausage. You may need to move some sausage from the first ‘eggs’ to the last ones as you may go too heavy in the beginning. Season the ‘eggs’ with BBQ rub.

Preheat your smoker at 250 F with cherry and hickory or pecan wood. Place the eggs on a cooling rack then place on the smoker for 1 hour.


Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce then flip the eggs to the other side and brush on BBQ sauce. Continue to cook for 1 more hour or until they reach at least 165F. Remove from the smoker and let them rest at least 10 minutes. Slice into 3 pieces each and enjoy.

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Watch How To Make This Recipe





No comments

Pellet Smoked Swordfish

  By ,

Pellet Smoked Swordfish

Swordfish is one of the best fish for cooking over a fire. But did you know it’s pretty tasty when you add some smoke to it as well? A swordfish steak can be smoked low and slow and then finished of with a nice reverse sear. And believe it or not it stays nice and juicy inside and full of flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound swordfish fillet
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons killer hogs a.p. rub
  • 2 teaspoons cattleman’s grill tuscan steak seasoning

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Directions

The first step is to pre-heat your smoker to 190 F and use a mild wood blend blend such as competition blend.


Next, brush olive oil on one side of the fish. Apply Killer Hogs A.P. rub, then Cattleman’s Grill tuscan steak seasoning. If you don’t have these seasonings, then use any salt pepper garlic steak seasoning that you do have. Flip the fish to the other side and repeat the process.


When the smoker reaches temp, place the fish on a cooling rack then place the rack onto the smoker. Next, insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the fish and set the alarm at 120 F. This will give you 25 degrees to work with in the reverse sear step.


After about 1 hour and 30 minutes, the fish should reach 120 F and when it does, pull it from the smoker and cover it with aluminum foil. Next prep your grill for reverse searing at a temperature of at least 450 F.


When the grill is ready, spray down the grates with a non stick spray. Place the fish on the grill and cook with the lid open for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes gently pry the fish from the grill grates, then rotate it about 90 degrees. Cook for another 5 minutes, then flip the fish over and repeat these steps. Cook the fish until you reach around 143 F to 145 F. Remove the fish and let it rest a few minutes while the carry over cooking works its magic.

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Watch How To Make This Recipe





No comments

Apple Butter Smoked Ham

  By , ,

Apple Butter Smoked Ham

The next time you buy a ham from the grocery store, forget about warming it up in the oven! Why not use your smoker to add more smoke flavor? So you may be asking, why do this when most hams are already smoked? Answer: more better smoke! Will it be too much smoke? NO!! And to top things off, add a layer of apple butter and upgrade that grocery store ham into a delicious masterpiece.

Ingredients

  • 8 – 10 pound ham (butt portion)
  • 9.5oz apple butter

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Directions

Start your smoker at 250F using cherry or hickory wood. Remove the ham from the packaging and place it face down on a cooling rack. When the smoker reaches temp, place the ham on the smoker for at least 2 hours.


At around 1 and a half hours, add the apple butter to a cast iron sauce pan and then warm it up on the smoker for 30 minutes.


At 2 hours, brush the apple butter onto the ham until it is all applied. Increase the smoker temperature to 275, then cook the ham for 1 hour. At this point, remove the ham and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice, eat, and enjoy!

Print This Recipe Print This Recipe

Watch How To Make This Recipe