pulled pork mac and cheese;

Amp up your homemade mac ‘n cheese by giving it a BBQ spin! Pulled pork mac and cheese adds tender delicious pork to offset the cheesy, gooey goodness of macaroni and cheese. Add a drizzle of BBQ sauce for added smoky sweet tang, and this pulled pork mac and cheese is sure to be a hit for a homestyle comfort food!

Start with the pulled pork. My tried and true pulled pork recipe is so, so easy. But it makes a LOT of pulled pork and while I love me a pulled pork sandwich, sometimes you gotta get creative when you’re eating pulled pork for a week. That’s where this BBQ pulled pork mac and cheese comes in.

Start with the pulled pork. This recipe is great for leftovers, when you’re eating pulled pork for a week and need to change it up.

secret to success

I feel like Mac and cheese is a staple side at BBQ joints, so it only makes sense to combine the flavors into one dish. Make your pulled pork first and once it’s shredded, it’s time to start on the mac. You can also use leftovers as well. I prefer to reheat slightly so they’re not cold if I am using directly from the refrigerator.

When it comes to the mac part of this pulled pork mac and cheese, use your favorite pasta. I use gluten-free noodles, but the shape varies depending on what I have or what I crave. I love cavatappi, that ridged spiral shape that looks like curls. But it is harder to find gluten-free varieties, so I went with fusilli here. But any pasta shape will do. Elbows are a classic, or try bowties or shells if they’re available to you.

The three key aspects to making amazing mac and cheese: cheese, more cheese, and building up a roux.

secret to success

There are two key aspects to making amazing mac and cheese. Cheese, and more cheese. okay, three. Cheese, more cheese, and building up a roux. If you don’t know what that is or how to make it, don’t worry! We’ll get into details.

Roux is a mixture of fat and flour and will be the base of your cheese sauce. Melt butter, and then sprinkle in the flour. Whisk briskly to make sure it’s even, and allow the mixture to thicken. You want to cook it for roughly a minute on a low simmer to cook out the raw flour taste. Once you’ve got a thick, creamy mixture, start adding your cheese.

As I said, cheese is important. Both in life and to this pulled pork mac and cheese recipe. When you’re building a sauce of melted cheese, the cheese is important. I like to use at least 2 different cheeses to have the appropriate complexity in the sauce.

Cheddar is always the base for me. Doesn’t have to be, but it’s classic and just got a great flavor. The second cheese depends on what I have on hand. If it’s a milder cheese like gruyere or fontina, then I like to pair those with a sharp cheddar. But if I have a sharper cheese as a second option, like parmesan, I like to balance it out with a medium cheddar.

I find shredded block cheese yields a creamier, fattier cheese for your cheese sauce.

secret to success

I also prefer to grate my own cheese from blocks, over using pre-shredded. You can absolutely use pre-shredded, but they tend to be a little drier. They’re typically coated in cornstarch or other non-caking agents.

There’s nothing wrong with pre-shredded cheese, and I’ve used it many a time in this recipe. The biggest difference is that they add a cornstarch-like coating to keep the shreds from clumping. No big deal and entirely safe. But if you’re using pre-shredded cheese and want an extra creamy sauce with cheese that’s easier to melt, then here’s a pro tip.

Wash your cheese! Yeah, you heard me. If using pre-shredded cheese that has an anti-sticking agent, then just give your cheese a quick rinse in a strainer to take off some of that excess absorbent “flour”. (It’s not exactly flour, but the texture is similar.) Of course, I personally find that blocks of cheese you grate yourself yields a creamier, richer cheese sauce for your pulled pork Mac and cheese. And I don’t mind buying blocks to grate myself. In general you have more options on flavor too.

Once you’ve finished stirring everything together and baked it briefly to melt the top layer of cheese, drizzle your favorite bbq sauce over the pulled pork mac and cheese.

secrets to success;

Want all the best tips and tricks to make this recipe a success? Check out the blog post above to find out more!

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more recipes;

Looking for other comfort recipes? Look no further for these creamy, delicious foods you’ll want to cozy up with.

• Cheesy chicken and dumplin’s is one of my go-to slow cooker meals. It’s perfect in winter when you want a thick soup paired with hearty carbs and cheese all in one super easy dish.
• One of my favorite appetizers is homemade pretzel bites. They’re perfectly poppable and pair perfectly with a white cheddar cheese sauce.
• Soup is always a go-to cozy comfort food for me. Depending on how you’re feeling, I’ve got a whole lineup! Zuppa Toscana is an olive garden copycat recipe and pairs amazingly with homemade focaccia. Another classic is always broccoli cheddar soup. I love making it myself so I can leave the broccoli chunky. Or for a light and umami soup, go Japanese with homemade miso soup.
• Carbs are comforting! Homemade biscuits are just so, so much better than storebought. Fresh, flaky, and amazing. Sour cream and chive biscuits are buttery and flaky; miso biscuits are a new salty take.
• Skillet Biscuit Pot Pie is the perfect one dish comfort meal. Veggies, creamy soup, and topped with easy drop biscuits!