Say hello to savory smoked cheesy goodness with our Smokey Grill-Baked Lobster Mac & Cheese. Minced garlic, fresh peppers, imitation lobster, Colby, and Asiago cheeses get hitched for a rustic grill-baked skillet that’s full of flavor!
Preheat the grill, bring it to around 350°F to get the woodchips smoking. Then, put your choice of grilling wood in the smokebox (applewood is our favorite), and start the smoke. Note: You will reduce the temperature to around 250°-300°F when you place the pan on the grill.
Next, get the pan ready by buttering the interior of a high-heat baking pan or cast-iron skillet liberally with ½ tablespoon butter. Set the pan aside until needed.
Cook macaroni noodles according to the package directions.
2 cups gluten-free Elbow Macaroni
As the macaroni cooks, dice the sweet peppers, mince the jalapeno pepper, mix to combine, then measure to equal one cup. Set aside. Next, grate the Colby and Asiago cheeses. Set aside.
1 cup sweet Peppers, 2 Jalapeno Peppers, 3 cups Colby Cheese, ¼ cup Asiago Cheese
Add the peppers to the medium skillet over medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon butter and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the chunk lobster and garlic, continuing to sauté until it just begins to brown.
Drain the macaroni when cooked tender and firm but no longer crunchy - al-dente’ (Ahl-DEN-Tay). Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the noodles, the cumin, black pepper, and salt, stirring lightly to combine. Next, add the sautéed peppers and lobster mixture and fold in.
Add half of the combined macaroni, pepper, and lobster mixture to the prepared cast iron skillet to assemble. Pour in the Half-n-Half, then cover the layer with half of the grated Colby cheese. Repeat with another layer of the remaining macaroni, pepper, and lobster mixture, then cover with the rest of the grated Colby cheese. Top with the sliced black olives and the grated Asiago cheese. Sprinkle the chili powder over the top.
3 cups Colby Cheese, 2 cups Half-n-Half, 1/3 cup Black Olives, ¼ cup Asiago Cheese, ¼ teaspoon Chili Powder
Now, reduce the grill heat and place the filled pan onto the preheated grill to smoke and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the mac and cheese is lightly browned, and bubbly around the edges and the cheese is melty.
KITCHEN NOTES
Footnotes:[1] If you need to be gluten-free, make sure to look for the gluten-free designation on the packaging. If you can’t find imitation lobster, you could always substitute real lobster in this dish.