BBQ Mac & Cheese

This BBQ Mac & Cheese recipe combines multiple favorites into one! Creamy mac and cheese, tender pulled pork and crumbled cornbread all combine to create a delicious dish.

This BBQ Mac & Cheese post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!

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Walk into any barbecue restaurant in the South, and you’ll be met with a mouth-watering array of smoked meats. Pulled pork, smoked brisket, smoked turkey breast and spare ribs are all standard fare. If you’re lucky, perhaps smoked sausages will be on the menu as well.

But as any self-respecting barbecue joint knows, the side dishes come right behind the smoked meats. (In some cases, the side dishes might even surpass the meats.) Barbecue just isn’t quite the same without sides like potato salad, collard greens, coleslaw, cornbread and mac & cheese. If you can’t serve up tender smoked meats with a variety of delicious side dishes, then you might not be around for long.

BBQ Mac & Cheese

Today we’re taking that concept of smoked meats with side dishes and putting a spin on it. We’re mixing tender smoked pulled pork into the creamiest mac and cheese you’ve ever eaten. But we’re not stopping there – that’s only 1 meat and 1 side dish. We’re crumbling homemade cornbread on top of the mac and cheese and then popping it into the oven for a quick broil. Holy moly, this recipe is fantastic! If you’re a fan of smoked meats and creamy mac and cheese, then this recipe has your name all over it.

All together, you’ve got meat and 2 sides…but combined into a single dish. Not only is it a fun spin on classic bbq restaurant fare, but this recipe is SO tasty! We always keep packages of pulled pork and smoked brisket in our freezer, but you can find either of these at the grocery store if you don’t want to make your own. Just look for unsauced smoked meat. (We’re drizzling BBQ sauce on top of the dish once it’s done.)

Speaking of smoked meat, we made this BBQ Mac & Cheese with chopped pulled pork, but you could easily use other meats instead. (Or you could get creative and use different types of smoked meats!) Sliced brisket, smoked rib meat or even sliced sausages would all work well in this recipe.

Creamy Mac and Cheese

While the smoked meat adds a ton of barbeque flavor, the real shining star of this recipe is the creamy mac and cheese. And when I say creamy, I mean creamy. No dry macaroni and cheese here! The secret? Two types of shredded Cabot cheeses and a block of cream cheese. All of that cheese gets melted into a creamy sauce similar to bechamel. Add in the cooked pasta and chopped meat, and you’ve got a delicious meal. (We served this as a main dish along with a simple garden salad.)

In addition to the creamy texture, the other key part of a good mac and cheese recipe is the flavor. For this recipe, I went with a combination of 2 of my all time favorites – Cabot’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese and Cabot’s Monterey Jack cheese. Seriously Sharp packs a flavor punch that’s hard to beat – if you love sharp cheddar cheese, then Seriously Sharp is your kinda cheese! And while the flavor in the Monterey Jack is a bit milder, it brings serious meltability. This sauce is creamy, smooth and packed with cheesy flavor.

If you aren’t familiar with Cabot Creamery, take a second and check ’em out. Cabot is a family-owned company with farm families across New England and New York. Not only are Cabot products outstanding (they regularly win all sorts of awards), but Cabot is an amazing company, too. They are a Certified B Corp company, and they keep a close eye on sustainability. Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport, VT has a “Cow Power” program where cow waste is turned into power for 300+ local families in the area. How cool is that!?

But let’s circle back to this BBQ Mac & Cheese recipe. This creamy macaroni and cheese is topped with crumbled cornbread. Say what!? Cornbread on top of mac and cheese? The cornbread adds a fun texture (and flavor) to the finished dish. Just pop the entire dish under the broiler and let the crumbled cornbread turn golden brown. Then pull that dish out, add some green onions and drizzle your favorite BBQ sauce on top. That’s a dinner win!

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover mac and cheese should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. (Let the mac and cheese cool completely before refrigerating.) To reheat, add a splash of milk or butter and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. This dish will taste best when it’s fresh, but the leftovers are still pretty tasty. Mac and cheese can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

If you’re looking for a fantastic (and unique!) macaroni and cheese recipe, then hang on to this one. It was a huge favorite here in our house, and we plan on making this one for friends soon. Cheers!

Did you make this BBQ Mac & Cheese recipe at home? Leave a comment or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) and Cabot (@CabotCreamery) on Instagram. We’d love to see your version!

Barbecue Mac and Cheese

This BBQ Mac & Cheese recipe combines multiple favorites into one! Creamy mac and cheese, tender pulled pork and crumbled cornbread all combine to create a delicious dish.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 751kcal

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Ingredients

For the Cornbread

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal plus ~2 Tbsp for dusting pan
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• ½ cup milk
• 1 large egg

For the Barbecue Mac and Cheese

• 16 oz. large elbow pasta
• 4 large eggs
• 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 8 oz. Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
• 8 oz. Cabot Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 8 oz. Cabot cream cheese cut into 1” cubes
• 16 oz. cooked pulled pork chopped
• ½ Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• ¼ cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

For the Cornbread

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Spray an 8” square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Dust bottom of pan with ~2 Tbsp of cornmeal; set pan aside.
• Using a large bowl, add flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk and egg.
• Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients; stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. (Note: This is a good time to start the mac and cheese.)
• Let cornbread cool in pan for 15 minutes.

For the Barbecue Mac and Cheese

• Using a large pot, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Rinse and drain pasta; set aside.
• Using a large skillet, add eggs, evaporated milk, hot sauce, dry mustard, garlic powder and pepper; whisk until well combined. Place over low heat and cook, stirring often, until warm.
• Add butter and continue cooking, stirring often, until butter has completely melted.
• Add shredded cheeses and cubed cream cheese. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cheeses have fully melted and cheese sauce is smooth.
• Stir in cooked pasta and pulled pork.
• Transfer mixture into a greased baking pan.
• Using a large bowl, crumble the cornbread. Add olive oil; stir until well combined.
• Sprinkle cornbread mixture on top of mac and cheese.
• Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until cornbread begins to turn golden brown. (Note: This broiling step can be skipped, but I like how the cornbread gets extra crispy thanks to the broiler.)
• Before serving, sprinkle green onions on top and drizzle with barbecue sauce.

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