Smoked Mac and Cheese Cups (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Bacon Cups

01 - 12 strips bacon
02 - 1 tablespoon BBQ rub (sweet variety)

→ For the Mac and Cheese

03 - 16 oz small pasta shells or elbow macaroni
04 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 5 1/2 cups whole milk
07 - 2 cups smoked gouda cheese, shredded
08 - 2 cups smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
09 - 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
10 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

→ For the Bread Crumb Topping

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 3/4 cup bread crumbs
13 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning or BBQ rub

# Instructions:

01 - Get your grill or smoker going and set it to 350 degrees.
02 - Flip a muffin tin upside down so the bottom is facing up. For each cup, you'll need 2 strips of bacon. Cut one strip in half and lay the two pieces in an X shape over one of the muffin cups. Take the second whole strip and wrap it around the sides of the cup, letting the ends overlap. Do this for all 6 cups. Sprinkle the sweet BBQ rub over the bacon.
03 - Put the muffin tin on the grill and cook for 45 to 55 minutes until the bacon is cooked through but not too crispy. Take it off the grill, let it cool down, then carefully lift the bacon cups off the tin. Set them aside.
04 - In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, bread crumbs, and all-purpose seasoning until it's all combined. Set this aside.
05 - Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted, add the flour and whisk constantly for about a minute. The mixture will get thick and paste-like.
06 - Slowly pour in the milk while whisking the whole time. Keep cooking and whisking every now and then until the mixture starts to bubble and gets nice and thick. Take it off the heat and stir in all four types of cheese until everything is melted and smooth. Set this aside.
07 - Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it for one minute less than the package says. Drain the water and put the pasta back in the pot. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and stir until everything is coated.
08 - Scoop the mac and cheese into each bacon cup, filling them up nice and full. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of each one.
09 - Place all the filled bacon cups in a foil pan. Put the pan back on the grill or in the smoker and bake for about 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and crispy.

# Notes:

01 - These are best served hot right out of the smoker while the cheese is still gooey.
02 - The smoky flavor from the grill adds an amazing depth to the cheese sauce.
03 - You can make the bacon cups ahead of time and store them in the fridge until you're ready to fill them.
04 - Regular thick-cut bacon works best for forming sturdy cups.

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