Brisket Mac and Cheese

Your favorite barbecue and comfort food dish come together to make this crowd-pleasing brisket mac and cheese! Topped with crispy panko crumbs, this meaty BBQ mac and cheese features the most luscious, rich cream sauce with loads of melted smoked cheddar and Gouda layered between tender pasta. This is one mac and cheese you'll want to make again and again.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 795kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

Large pot
Strainer
Cheese grater
12-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

1 pound dried elbow macaroni
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon salted butter divided
½ cup panko crumbs
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 garlic cloves grated or minced
2 cups whole milk room temperature
2 cups heavy cream room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 cups freshly grated smoked cheddar divided
3 cups freshly grated smoked Gouda divided
2 cups chopped cooked brisket

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni two minutes less than what the package directions dictate. Drain and reserve in a large mixing bowl.
While the water boils and the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko crumbs and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring every so often, until the panko crumbs turn golden brown. Remove from heat and reserve.
Melt the remaining ½ cup butter in the pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk constantly for about three minutes.
Slowly pour in the milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to create a smooth mixture. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Do not boil as that can cause the milk to separate and leave you with a grainy sauce.
Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 ½ cups smoked cheddar and 1 ½ cups smoked Gouda until the cheese melts and becomes one cohesive mixture. Add the macaroni and brisket to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir to coat. If you prefer a stove-top mac and cheese, serve immediately. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
Pour half the mac and cheese into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Layer half the remaining cheese on top. Pour the rest of the macaroni on the cheese layer and top with the last of the cheese. Sprinkle the browned panko crumbs on top.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Make-ahead directions: Rinse the macaroni with cold water after cooking. Store the pasta, cheese sauce, brisket and shredded cheese components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you're ready to assemble, pop the cheese sauce in the microwave to make it a liquid consistency again and maybe add a splash of milk — it doesn't need to be hot, just warm enough so that you can stir it. Now assemble as directed right before baking and then bake. You might need an extra five or 10 minutes, just look for those bubbly edges.

If making a stove-top version, fully cook the macaroni to package directions.
For 3 cups of grated cheese, you'll need about 12 ounces of each cheese.
Trim any excess fat from brisket.
To bring the milk and cream to room temperature, simply let it sit out for 30 minutes. Otherwise, you can warm it in the microwave for about a minute.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for three to four days. You can reheat in the microwave. Feel free to add a little additional milk or cream.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition