Super Bowl Supper—BBQ Mac & Cheese An All In One Treat | Vicki James

Serves 8

If you are looking for something different to serve your arm chair quarter backs on Sunday, try this fast and easy recipe that’s sure to please one and all.  Doesn’t everyone love mac and cheese?  Of course.  Doesn’t everyone love barbecue?  Yes, indeed.  Pork and pigskins go together like hands and gloves.  Make this recipe for your main course and you’ll have some happy campers.  They will retain positive memories of this year’s Super Bowl regardless of which side wins.

I love this recipe because it’s ultimately customizable.  More on that later.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 quart milk

6 tablespoons of butter

6 tablespoons of flour

1 pound of pasta ( I used elbow macaroni, but you could use any small pasta shape)

1 eight oz. bag of grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 eight ounce bag of shedded Gouda cheese

1 tsp. Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Franks

Freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ cups crumbled cornbread

2 tsp. Olive oil 

½ cup sliced green onions

1 pound pulled barbecue pork

½ cup or more of your favorite barbecue sauce

Instructions

Preheat the broiler

Pour 4 quarts of water into a large pot.  Add the Kosher salt and bring to a boil. 

When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for eight minutes.  It should be slightly underdone because it will cook more once the whole casserole is heated.

Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove.

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large 12 inch skillet.  Once it has melted, add the flour and whisk it into the butter, for about three minutes until it makes a thick roux.  Be careful to keep whisking briskly so it does not burn.  Add the warm milk a little at a time until combined and thickened.  Remove from the heat and stir in  the black pepper, hot sauce and cheese.  When the sauce is smooth, add the pasta.  At this point you may also choose to add about a quarter of the pork.  Mix well.  Leave the mixture in the skillet

Combine the remaining pork with the barbecue sauce and layer over the noodles.

Mix the cornbread crumbs with the olive oil and scatter over the pork layer.

Run it under the broiler for a few minutes, checking carefully to make sure the crumbs do not burn.

When I made this recipe, I needed to make it earlier in the day so as not to interfere with my previously scheduled

Zoom cocktail party.  So, I made the mac and cheese in the skillet, but then transferred it to a casserole dish.  I mixed the pork with the sauce.  I actually added some extra sauce.  I don’t remember how much I added, but you can decide for yourself how much to add based on how saucy you like your barbecue. 

I did not make cornbread to get the crumbs.  I had a bag of unopened Pepperidge Farm cornbread crumbs I did not use at Thanksgiving, because I always seem to buy too much.  The cornbread stuffing mix provided lovely crunch and flavor.  Of course, you should use whatever cornbread you prefer.  I did not add the cornbread until I was ready to bake the casserole.  It was hot and bubbly after 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  I then garnished it with the green onions. 

My husband and I both agreed it was scrumptious.  We then started brainstorming how it could be altered, depending on what cuisine you were craving.  You could prepare ground beef or turkey with taco seasonings and substitute it for the barbecue, if you were in the mood for Tex Mex.  Scatter crumbled tortilla chips over the top instead of cornbread.  Then garnish with extra cheese, jalapeño slices, cilantro and sour cream.  A little Cholula sauce, taco sauce or even salsa would be very tasty.  If you are in the mood for a Buffalo chicken variation, mix shredded rotisserie chicken with butter and Franks sauce.  Layer on top of the noodles, scatter some blue cheese crumbles, sliced green onions and bread crumbs mixed with olive oil on top.  Garnish with drizzles of ranch dressing.  If you have a lot of football fans to feed, you could make all three varieties.  Your guests will enjoy comparing the different varieties.  Because of Covid 19, your gathering may be very small, but file this idea away for next year when all may be well again.  In the meantime, enjoy this yummy comfort food casserole in any variation you choose.