BBQ Truffle Mac'n Cheese

Name: BBQ Truffle Mac'n Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients: 60g butter; 60g flour; 800ml milk; 2 bay leaves; 5-6 black peppercorns; 1 tsp dried mustard (optional); Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp truffle infused olive oil; 2 slices of bread (preferably sourdough); Truffle dust (optional); 200g mature cheddar cheese; 200g Gruyere cheese (or another hard cheese like Comte); 100g Parmesan cheese

Cooking on a barbecue or in an outdoor oven doesn't have to be just about meat or pizzas. This delicious mac'n cheese tastes amazing cooked over charcoal. The added aroma from the smoke infuses beautifully with the aroma from the truffle oil. Add your favourite cheese to make it even more decadent.

BBQ mac'n cheese takes this dish to a whole new level! With the smoky notes from cooking in the Charlie Oven and the decadent richness from the truffle flavour.

This takes recipes takes Mac'n Cheese from weekday filler to weekend indulgence! Cooking it in the Charlie Oven elevates the taste with smoky notes. We like to cook it in a big family tray. Everyone can dig in. This recipe works well as a starter too.

By Tara11 December 2021

20 minutes

Prep: 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Fire setup

Get the fire right and the rest of the recipe looks after itself.

Temperature: 200C / 390F RoastingHow to light your Charlie
Charcoal: Half a football of lumpwood charcoal - similar in size to the dish you are cooking inChoosing charcoal
Cooking surface: Charlie Oven Cooking Rack (with oven-proof dish placed on rack)

Setting up

Place half a football of lumpwood charcoal in the base of the Charlie Oven firebox and light with one natural firelighter.
Open the air vents top and bottom, close the door, and leave to heat up for 20-30 minutes.
Close the bottom vent when the oven reaches 200C / 390F.
Place the cooking rack in the middle position ready for the baking dish.

Method

Make a roux by cooking out the butter and flour over a medium heat in a saucepan for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns. Stir in the dried mustard, black pepper, and truffle oil.
Add the grated cheddar, Gruyere, and half the Parmesan to the sauce. Stir until melted and smooth.
Pour the cheese sauce into an oven-proof dish and top with torn sourdough bread pieces. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and a dusting of truffle dust if using.
Place the dish on the cooking rack in the Charlie Oven at 200C and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbling.