You Have to Try This Crazy Good Baked Mac And Cheese Recipe
This is the NYC BBQ Weekly newsletter. If you would like to receive this in your inbox weekly, you can easily subscribe here!
I absolutely love mac and cheese, and I’ve tried dozens of versions of it at barbecue and American restaurants over the years. Along with baked beans, it’s my go-to side dish whenever I’m at a new joint.
A few years ago, I decided to start experimenting with various macaroni and cheese recipes around the winter holidays, including Thanksgiving and Chrismas gatherings. Most of my attempts turned out well. Some did not.
My latest version of the recipe is well balanced and delicious where it’s very cheesy, not overly creamy, and benefits from the flavors of BBQ rub, cayenne pepper, and smoky cheese.
My “famous” mac and cheese recipe has a lot of fans.
I’ve posted photos and videos of my homemade mac ‘n’ cheese on social media a few times, and each time multiple people have reached out for the recipe. So after much stalling and finally being happy with it, here is what I’ve cooked up during the past few years.
First, let’s look at the ingredients you need:
3 cups dry elbow macaroni shells
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 cup of shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese*
1 cup of shredded Colby Jack Cheese*
2 cups of shredded Smoked Cheddar Cheese*
8 ounces of Velveeta (optional)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of the BBQ rub of your choice
Pinches of paprika
Pinches of cayenne pepper (add more if you want a kick)
*Substitute different kinds of cheese if you see fit, but make sure you get at least one smoky cheese
Here are the cooking instructions:
First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few shakes of salt to the water. Cook pasta according to box instructions, then drain it and set it aside.
Melt the butter in a large pot that can eventually fit all of your ingredients (including the drained pasta). Add the flour, milk, and heavy cream slowly to the butter and stir over low-to-medium heat.
Whisk the flour, milk, cream, and butter mixture until it’s smooth and add in the eggs, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, and BBQ rub. Stir to your heart’s content.
Mix in all of the cheese (except for a 1 cup of smoked cheddar) and whisk in the cheese until smooth and melted.
Stir the pasta and sauce mixture together in the large pot you boiled your pasta in earlier. After you’ve thoroughly mixed the pasta and sauce, pour it into a greased 4-quart (or larger) baking dish.
Sprinkle the set-aside 1 cup of smoked cheddar on top of the mixture. (This ensures the top will be toasty and delicious.)
Bake the pasta and sauce mixture in the 4-quart dish for 30-35 minutes until it is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
Another batch of my homemade baked mac and cheese.
I would advise you use this recipe (or most online recipes for that matter) as a guide and you should play around with it to make it your own. In the case of the mac and cheese, use different cheeses if you have specific kinds you love.
If you have a delicious barbecue-inspired recipe you would like to see published in NYC BBQ Weekly or on the website, please let me know!
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Here are the top BBQ (and related) food news stories you need to know about this week:
The new hot sauces from Red White & Que are great.
Red White & Que Smokehouse in Kearny is one of the best joints in Jersey. Now the restaurant will soon open a second shop down the street offering up fermented foods, including “house-fermented sauerkraut, pickles, vinegar, kombucha tea as well as the barbecue sauce and hot sauces that Red White & Que customers can get with their smoked meats,” NorthJersey.com reports. (I have tried some of the hot sauces offered by their team and they are excellent.)
Billy Durney, the owner of Hometown Bar-B-Que, has been highlighted in a new Eater NY feature call The New Guard of New York Dining. “New York never needed to be a barbecue town, but when Billy Durney started smoking meat at Hometown Bar-B-Que in 2013, the city entered the fray,” the outlet writes.
John Brown Smokehouse, one of the best places to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play in New York City, will be rolling out “special hours and procedure” for Sunday’s huge playoff game between the Chiefs and Titans. The restaurant will offer a buffet between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. for $25 and then serving no in-house food during the game, only drinks. They’ll still be offering takeout orders but if you’re watching the game there, show up early and don’t miss the buffet!
Philly’s Jim Pappas recently celebrated his 500th cheesesteak eaten in 20 months by eating a brisket cheesesteak at Mike’s BBQ in South Philly. Pappas, who works as an Uber/Lyft driver and needed a hobby, so he worked to become a cheesesteak expert. He calls this the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure, and you can find him on Instagram and YouTube.
Finally, in a sad bit of news, Bobcat’s Texas BBQ in Ramsey, New Jersey has closed. The restaurant’s Edgewater location closed in April 2019 and the Ramsey location appears to have closed up in December. (Thank you to reader Michael Adler for letting me know about the closure!)
IRL BBQ
Here are the top BBQ (and related) food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
Don’t miss this weekend’s boozy and meaty Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival in Brooklyn!
Saturday, January 18, 2020: The 10th Annual Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival is leaving Manhattan after a decade of fun and heading to Brooklyn. A ticket buys you access to tasting great local barbecue, hot sauces, and tons of spirits. The “Beast Cage” will be back with exotic smoked meats, including alligator, lamb, bison, longhorn rounds, and much more. There will also be whole hog as well and you won’t want to miss it. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, January 25, 2020: The 12th Annual Cassoulet Cook Off will take place on Jan 25 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Cassoulet is the ultimate winter dish, where French traditions meet New England baked beans, Texas BBQ brisket burnt ends and beans, California vegetarian beans casserole, and many other chef-driven styles. There will be 10+ chefs and more food than ever, plus craft beer, hard cider, wine, and spirits. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, January 25, 2020: "Mac" your calendars! Mac and cheese lovers rejoice as you’ll love the upcoming Mac & Cheese Mayhem event in Morristown, New Jersey. Local chefs and restaurants are cooking up many variations of mac & cheese while competing for the best mac in town. Be there to try everything for yourself and cast your vote! Other activities will including music, beer tasting, and more. Buy tickets here.
January 26 - February 11, 2020: A musical called Das Barbecü will be performed at Hill Country Barbecue Market in Manhattan this January and February. The performance, a reimagining of Wagner’s Ring Cycle that takes place in Texas, is a musical farce about mismatched lovers who meet during a double shotgun wedding. Five actors play more than 30 characters. This will be the first full production to be performed in the lower-level music space of Hill Country Barbecue. Naturally, BBQ will be served during the production. More info here.
Friday, January 31, 2020: If you like bourbon and whiskey, you won't want to miss the Jersey City Whiskey Fest, which will feature over 100 styles of whiskey and spirits. Ticket holders are able to try their favorite as well as new spirits. Taste an outstanding selection of whiskeys and even a variety of craft spirits ranging from the all American Kentucky bourbons to the Mexican Tequila, Russian Vodka, and more. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, April 11, 2020: Don't miss the 2020 NYC Bacon and Beer Classic on April 11. The event, at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, will turn into a foodie paradise filled with decadent bacon dishes, free-flowing craft beer, and games. Cheer on NYC's fiercest foodies as they go head to head in the Hormel Black Label Bacon Eating Contest, challenge your friends in cornhole, ride a bacon seesaw, and more. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, April 18, 2020: Mark your calendars for the Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit 2020 at Pig Beach. Following the successful 2019 version of the event, this will feature many of the top pitmasters from around the country at Pig Beach in Brooklyn. Read about the 2019 edition of the Jeff Michner BBQ benefit here and this listing will be updated when tickets are officially available.
April 18 - 19, 2020: The 8th Annual Hot Sauce Expo NYC will be back for two days in 2020. The event will be held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint and features tons of hot sauce samples, barbecue and beer to purchase, fun on-stage events, and more. Buy tickets here.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020: If you love brisket, you won’t want to miss Brisket King 2020 in April. More than 15 chefs and pitmasters will be there serving up their take on brisket and pastrami. Early bird ticket sales are available now so get them before prices go up! Buy tickets here.
Looking for more events? Check out the full NYC BBQ calendar here.
SAY HELLO
If you're not already subscribed to the newsletter, sign up here. You can also follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. If you want to write for NYC BBQ Weekly, sponsor the newsletter, or let me know about the best new barbecue you’ve tried, send me an email and let’s talk!