BBQ Mac and Cheese
Everyone's favorite, mac and cheese has had one delicious makeover! This BBQ mac and cheese recipe is made with BBQ shredded meat and seasoned with BBQ sauce before being baked to perfection.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 791kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz dried elbow macaroni
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese separated
- ½ cup bbq sauce plus more for garnish
- 2 cups cooked BBQ pork or chicken
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni and cook until al dente, according to the directions on the macaroni box. This should be about 8-9 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.
- Combine milk and heavy cream in a large measuring cup or glass. Set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle flour in the pot and whisk for 1-2 minutes, until the flour smells toasty. Slowly whisk in milk/cream mixture. Allow to simmer until thickened, whisking often. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese and the ½ cup bbq sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Pour sauce over drained macaroni and stir until the macaroni is covered. Add 1 cup of cooked BBQ and stir until combined.
- Pour mixture into the 9x13 baking pan and top with remaining cooked BBQ, bbq sauce, and cheese. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
- To brown the cheese on top, place the oven on broil for 3-4 minutes until the cheese on top has browned. Remove from the oven and top with remaining bbq sauce and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Elbow macaroni is perfect for this recipe, but any short pasta like bow tie or penne will work well.
- Sharp cheddar cheese adds a wonderful flavor, though other shredded cheese like Jack or mozzarella will work well.
- The pasta should be cooked al dente. If it's overcooked, the final dish can become quite soggy.
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water to add flavor to the dish right from the beginning.
Nutrition
Calories: 791kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 846mg | Potassium: 324mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1444IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 446mg | Iron: 2mg