Baked Mac and Cheese with Tender Pulled Pork
My pulled pork mac and cheese recipe is smoky, savory, and incredibly easy to make at home. It's made with juicy slow-cooked pulled pork. Combined with a classic cheesy béchamel sauce mac and cheese, this baked casserole is always a hit with a hungry crowd.
Ingredients
- PULLED PORK
- 2-3 pounds pork shoulder (Boston butt)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 jalapeño (seeds removed and chopped)
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¾ cup orange juice
- MAC & CHEESE
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 2 ½ cups white cheddar (shredded)
- 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
- 1 cup Monterey Jack (shredded)
- 1 pound macaroni (cooked in salted water and drained)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Dry the pork shoulder with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine oregano, cumin, and olive oil and rub all over the pork shoulder. Place in a slow cooker with the fat layer facing up.
- Top with chopped onion, jalapeno, garlic and orange juice. Cover and cook in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or 6 hours on high.
- Remove the meat to a cutting board when tender and easy to shred. Use two forks to shred into bite size pieces. Place all but a half cup into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. You should have 4-5 cups of shredded pork.
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Warm half-and-half in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour and whisk for about a minute. Gradually add the warm half-and-half to the flour mixture, whisking constantly until incorporated, then slowly add evaporated milk. Heat for about 5 minutes, it will be slightly thick.
- Remove from the heat and add all but half a cup of the cheddar cheese. Whisk until combined. Add thyme, mustard, and salt and pepper.
- Pour over cooked pasta stirring to combine then place on top of the layer of shredded pork in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes until bubbly. Remove from the oven, remove the foil and sprinkle a half cup of, shredded pork on top. Turn the oven to broil and cook for about 3 minutes until the pork starts to brown and become crispy.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- You can use whole milk instead of half-and-half
- Change up the cheeses to ones you love
- Sprinkle individual servings with Carolina Sauce for a bbq flavor
- You can freeze this prior to baking or after. Just let it cool before freezing and let it come to room temperature before heating.
- You can use more pork and place in a larger baking dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1076mg | Potassium: 516mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 840IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 458mg | Iron: 2mg
