Patricks BBQ Pork Recipes

Denise's Macaroni & Cheese

Simple and delicious mac and cheese recipe.


Try some smoky Velveeta mac & cheese.

Denise's "box inspired" mac and cheese is a big hit at parties and pairs nicely with my pork recipes!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups elbow macaroni
  • 2/3 lb. (10 oz.) smoked Velveeta cheese (cold smoker recipe coming soon)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Instructions

  • Step 1 - Cook the macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package.
  • Step 2 - While the pasta is cooking, cut the Velveeta into 1/2-inch cubes.
  • Step 3 - Drain the macaroni well and spoon into 2-qt. casserole dish.
  • Step 4 - While hot, stir in milk, butter and cheese and blend.
  • Step 2 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Step 5 - Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is completely melted. Stir about halfway through.
  • Step 6 - Once done, remove the mac and cheese from the oven, sprinkle with pepper.
  • Step 7 - Serve along side one of my smoked pork recipes.

Some Mac & Cheese History

The first recorded recipe for a dish similar to macaroni and cheese can be found in a 13th-century cookbook from Italy called "Liber de Coquina." This recipe involved boiling thin, tube-shaped pasta in water and layering it with grated cheese.

The modern version of macaroni and cheese, can be attributed to Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson encountered a pasta dish during his travels to Europe. He brought back a pasta machine from France to the United States. He then served a "macaroni pie" at a state dinner in 1802, using macaroni imported from Italy, and combined it with American cheese.

Macaroni and cheese became a popular food at the end of the Great Depression because it was cheap. In 1937, Kraft Foods introduced boxed macaroni and cheese at 19 cents for a meal that served four. They sold 8 million boxes in one year. The popularity of the food took off again during World War II because you could get two boxes for only one ration point!

Denise's cheesy mac tip:

Enhance your mac & cheese and make it a meal!

Add vegetables like broccoli or spinach, sprinkle some pulled pork on the top, or add some crab meat!

Did you know?
The curved and tubular shape of elbow macaroni allows the smoked cheese sauce to cling to the pasta, creating a satisfying bite in every forkful.

Simple Smoked Pork Recipes

Here are some regional styles of pork barbecue, including Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis, and Texas BBQ.

Patrick's Pork recipes feature a simple "smoker to oven" BBQ cooking method.

 Pulled Pork  •  Pork Ribs  •  Pork Loin  •  Hot Dogs  •  More Coming Soon!

 Mac and Cheese