Smoked Cheddar Mac and Cheese with BBQ Pulled Pork
This is a great way to use up leftover pulled pork. Traditional smoked barbecue pork works best, but carnitas or pork roast are great, too.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 pounds smoked cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces fontina cheese grated
- 2 cups pulled pork
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Barbecue sauce for serving
Instructions
- ►Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish.
- ►Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook macaroni for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons butter until pasta is coated. Set aside.
- ►Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until a light golden paste forms. Whisk in milk, season with salt and pepper, and cook, whisking, until mixture is very thick and no floury taste remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in three-quarters of smoked cheddar until smooth. Stir in hot sauce, ground mustard, and garlic powder. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- ►Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta and stir to combine. Let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in fontina and pulled pork and mix well.
- ►Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and top with panko and remaining smoked cheddar. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and serve.
Cassy Vires
Cassy is an award-winning chef, culinary educator, and avid baker located in St. Louis, MO.
