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The World’s Best Mac and Cheese. The Secret? Cook it on the grill!

Mac and cheese is one of the indispensable side dishes at a barbecue.

But what if mac and cheese could become the barbecue itself?

Which brings us to Raichlen’s rule. If something tastes good baked, fried, or sauteed, it surely tastes better grilled.

But how the heck do you grill a dish that’s essentially boiled noodles in cheese sauce?

We’ll get to that in a minute, but first let’s focus on how to make traditional mac and cheese taste even better.

The Ingredients That Make It Work

The short answer: add onion and peppers. The better answer, add grilled onion and peppers.

And while you’re at it, introduce the smoky umami flavors of ham. The better answer: while you’re grilling the onions and peppers, grill the ham. (By the way, bacon works just as well as ham.)

To upscale the mac and cheese further, you could add lobster. A lot of restaurants do, boosting the price accordingly. I personally like my lobster plain—with melted butter, but without macaroni and cheese—but I’m not about to interfere if you want to.

The final twist—and dare I say, the genius of this recipe—is to smoke-roast the mac and cheese itself on the grill. You do this indirect grilling instead of baking it, adding wood chips or chunks to the coals.

Here then is the Raichlen mac and cheese. Boring side dish no more.

What you need to know:

• Mac and cheese lives or dies by the cheese. I like sharp, aged cheddar. How aged? At least 6 months; one year is better. For an Alpine touch, substitute cave-aged gruyere. Or for an Italian twist, add smoked mozzarella. You could even use pepperjack.
• Likewise, for the best results, use homemade breadcrumbs. I store stale bread pieces in the freezer until I have enough, then I reduce them to crumbs in a food process, then toast them on a baking sheet. You can also toast them in a cast iron skillet with plenty of butter.
• Don’t like peppers? Add slivered shiitake mushrooms or grilled corn kernels. Or both.
• To make Tex-Mex mac and cheese, add diced grilled jalapenos and substitute crumbled tortilla chips for the breadcrumbs. Just saying.

Grilling mac and cheese adds a layer of smoky flavor and texture you just can’t get in the oven. With grilled vegetables, sharp cheese, and crisp breadcrumbs, this dish brings serious barbecue energy to the table—whether you serve it as a side or let it take center stage. Get ready for the most flavorful mac and cheese you’ve ever had in your life.

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