Jalapeno mac and cheese
A cheesy and spicy take on a classic side dish.
YIELDS
4
TO
5
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup saltd butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 shallot
- 2 jalapenos
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz (1 stick) cream cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella
- 2 cups sharp cheddar
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup panko or ground pork rinds
- 1 pound elbow pasta
Directions
- Get a pan on and cook your bacon - slice it and reserve your bacon grease.
- Pre-cook your pasta, undercooking it by two minutes on package directions.
- Cooks tip you undercook the pasta to make sure it doesn't overcook in the oven.
- Chop up your vegetables. TIP: If you don't like things too spicy, be sure to remove the seeds from your jalapenos to take some of that heat away.
- Place a pan on a medium heat and melt your butter.
- Add the chopped shallot, onion and jalapeno and cook until softened and fragrant.
- Add flour and whisk for one minute until it soaks up the butter, making your roux which is a thickener.
- Add your BBQ sauce and whisk.
- Then add your milk and cream, whisk and bring to a simmer and whisk while it thickens.
- Add your cream cheese, and whisk until incorporated.
- Add your mozzarella, and whisk until incorporated.
- Add your cheddar, and whisk until incorporated.
- Season with salt and pepper and the cheese sauce is done.
- Preheat the oven or smoker to 350° F.
- Add your pasta to a cast iron or baking dish and mix in the cheese sauce.
- Mix your ground pork rinds or panko in the bacon grease and top the pasta with sliced bacon and Panko mix.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until set and the top is toasted. Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
