Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
intro
Creamy sharp cheddar sauce coats tender elbow pasta and smoky shredded pulled pork, topped with crispy panko for the ultimate comfort food mashup.
Ingredients
Steps
Roast the pulled pork
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Rub the 900g boneless pork shoulder all over with 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Place the seasoned pork in a lidded Dutch oven, pour 60ml apple cider vinegar around the base of the pork (not directly on the rub), cover tightly, and roast for 2 hours until the pork is fork-tender and shreds easily with no resistance. Remove from the oven, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces with two forks, discarding any large chunks of hard fat, and set aside.
Boil the elbow pasta
Bring a large pot filled with 4 liters (1 gallon) of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 2.5 teaspoons of kosher salt to the water, then add 340g dry elbow macaroni, stirring immediately to prevent noodles from sticking to the pot base. Cook for 8 minutes until al dente (firm to the bite, not soft or mushy). Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving 60ml (1/4 cup) of starchy pasta water, and set aside.
Make the sauce base
In the same large pot used to cook the pasta, melt 3 tablespoons (43g) of unsalted butter over medium heat (stovetop setting 175°C/350°F). Whisk in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, until the roux is pale golden and gives off a faint nutty aroma. Whisk in 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, the remaining 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, remaining 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon onion powder until fully combined. Slowly stream in 480ml whole milk while whisking nonstop to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, cooking for 3 minutes until it thickens enough to leave a clear coating on the back of a wooden spoon.
Melt in the cheese
Remove the pot of thickened sauce from direct heat. Gradually stir in 283g (2.5 cups) of the freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, adding one small handful at a time and stirring until fully melted before adding the next, to create a smooth, lump-free sauce. If the sauce feels too thick, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved starchy pasta water to thin it to a creamy, pourable consistency.
Combine pasta and pork
Add the drained cooked elbow macaroni and shredded pulled pork to the pot of cheese sauce, stirring gently over low heat for 2 minutes until every pasta noodle and shred of pork is evenly coated in glossy cheese sauce. Avoid over-stirring, which can break apart the pork shreds or make the pasta mushy.
Broil crispy topping
Transfer the mixed mac and cheese to a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) ceramic baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon (14g) of unsalted butter, toss it with 40g (1/2 cup) panko breadcrumbs and the remaining 57g (0.5 cup) shredded sharp cheddar, then sprinkle this crumb topping evenly over the surface of the mac and cheese. Place the dish under a high-heat broiler (260°C/500°F) for 2-3 minutes, watching constantly, until the topping is deep golden brown and crispy, and the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish. Remove from the broiler and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Tips
2.Never walk away from the oven while the broiler is on—the panko and cheese topping can go from perfectly golden to burnt in as little as 30 seconds, so stay close to monitor doneness.
3.To cut down on total cook time on busy days, swap the homemade slow-roasted pork for 450g (1 lb) of high-quality pre-smoked pulled pork from your local BBQ shop, and skip the 2-hour pork roasting step.
OMG y’all, this Smoky Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese was an absolute game changer for our Sunday family dinner! I was worried the 2.5 hour cook time would be too much, but it was so worth it. The smoky paprika in the cheese sauce pairs perfectly with the tender pulled pork, my kids went back for seconds before I even sat down. Already planning to make a double batch for our neighborhood potluck next weekend!
Really solid recipe! I prepped this on Sunday for weekday lunches and it held up way better than I thought it would, even after 4 days in the fridge. My only note is I wish I’d added a little extra hot sauce on top for a kick, but the smoky flavor was on point. Cook time felt accurate for medium difficulty, no weird surprise steps.
Taste was incredible, don’t get me wrong, but I definitely struggled a little with the cheese sauce breaking when I mixed in the pulled pork. I followed the steps exactly, not sure where I went wrong? Ended up still eating it all because the flavor was chef’s kiss, but the texture was a little grainy for my taste.
Wait, I thought 2.5 hours was way too long for a weeknight meal until I realized I can toss the pork in the slow cooker in the morning then make the mac and cheese part when I get home? Game. Changer. Cut the active cook time down to like 20 minutes, and it tasted just as good as if I’d made it all in one go. My husband said it’s better than the BBQ joint version down the street!
Made this for my roommate’s birthday dinner since pulled pork mac is his favorite, and he was obsessed! I used a blend of sharp cheddar and smoked gouda for the cheese sauce because that’s what I had on hand, and the smoke level was insane. Only knock is I overcooked the pasta a tiny bit because I got distracted opening his birthday presents, oops. Will 100% make again, just gonna set a timer next time.
As someone who’s gluten free, I was so happy this worked perfectly with chickpea pasta! I was worried the hearty pasta wouldn’t hold up to the thick cheese sauce and pulled pork, but it was chef’s kiss. The smoky flavor didn’t get muted at all even with the GF swap, my whole family (none of whom are GF) didn’t even notice a difference.
I smoke a pork shoulder every other weekend, so I’ve been looking for a way to use up leftover pulled pork that isn’t just sandwiches. This recipe is my new go-to! The cheese sauce has just the right amount of smoky cumin and paprika to complement the pork, no weird overpowering flavors. Made this for my fantasy football draft and everyone was raving.
Just pulled this out of the oven and it smells incredible! I added a diced jalapeño and a handful of crispy fried onions on top before baking, and the crunch is next level. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I think the cook time listed is a little short? My pork took almost an extra 20 minutes to get pull-apart tender, but that might just be my oven being janky.
Just finished making this for our annual fall block party and snuck a bite before I left—SO good. The creamy cheese is perfectly balanced, the pork is fall-apart tender, and that little hint of smoke makes it taste like something you’d order at a fancy BBQ spot for twice the price. I already know people are gonna be hounding me for the link to this recipe once they try it.
Super new to cooking, so I was nervous to tackle a medium difficulty recipe, but this was way more straightforward than I thought! The instructions were super clear, I only messed up a little by adding the cheese too fast at first but fixed it by turning the heat down. Is there a way to make this a little lighter? It’s so rich I could only eat a small serving, but it’s so tasty I wanna make it all the time.