Brisket Mac & Cheese
HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL!!! Words cannot describe how thankful I am for each and every one of my followers! Y'all have been BEYOND supportive and it has truly meant the world to me over the past year. Thank you so much for every time you try a recipe, tag a pic on Insta stories, Pin a recipe, leave a comment, send a sweet direct message, or when you tell friends & family to follow Petite Southern Kitchen! I wouldn't get to wake up and do my dream job of working on recipes and all the things for the blog without y'all! My hope is that Petite Southern Kitchen continues to inspire you to bring loved ones around the table by serving delicious FOOLPROOF recipes!
To say thank you, I wanted to share my new FAVORITE recipe, Brisket Mac & Cheese! Yep, you read that right. ;) I have a really strong feeling that it will be your new favorite as well! If you want to show your friends or family how thankful you are for them, make this meal and it will 100% be a hit. "Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven," right y'all?!
Have you ever tasted something for the first time at a restaurant and thought, “This is literally the BEST thing I’ve ever tasted!” -- well that happened to me a few years ago when I was eating at Stillwater Barbeque back in our hometown of Abilene, Texas. I saw “Brisket Mac & Cheese” on the menu and it sounded like it would be one of the best combinations everrrrrr and sure enough, it was!! I’m SO excited to share my take on Brisket Mac & Cheese!
Y'all, I could probably live on mac & cheese for the rest of my life if I needed to! There are SO many great ways to fix it, but I have to say I think this might be my favorite or a really close tie with lobster mac & cheese (which is saying a lot)!! ;)
Did I mention how easy this recipe is?! I LOVE that I don't have to cook the meant & can just pick up half a pound of chopped brisket from our favorite barbeque place in Jackson, Pig & Pint! It makes fixing dinner an absolute BREEZE!
Technically, this is a “white” mac & cheese because of the gruyere, extra sharp white cheddar, and cream cheese. I will say that it is SUPER important to splurge a little and use Gruyere cheese! It will make cheese sauce OVER. THE. TOP. But seriously y'all, I tried to use swiss cheese instead and it wasn’t nearly as good! Just trust me on this one.
One of the things that I love most about this dish is that it can be served as a side OR as an entree. Just bake it in individual oval gratin dishes and your guests will feel SO special! I’m not sure why but there is just something about a gratin dish that makes a meal feel really fancy! ;)
Brisket Mac & Cheese
Yields 6- servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45-55 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound elbow macaroni
3 cups whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup all purpose flour
6 ounces gruyere, finely shredded
8 ounces good extra sharp white cheddar, finely shredded
8 ounces cream cheese, softened & cubed
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ pound cooked brisket, finely chopped & divided
NOTES
You can also bake the brisket macaroni in oval gratin dishes. Your guest will definitely be impressed! Place the gratin dishes on two sheet pans and bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Refrigerate and store in an air-tight container for 2-3 days,
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INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions, about 9 minutes. Drain well.
While the macaroni is boiling, heat up the milk over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir occasionally until hot, do not boil.
In a large pot, melt the unsalted butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes while whisking constantly.
Still whisking, add hot milk to the butter and flour mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until thick and smooth. The sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Run your finger across the back of the spoon. If your finger leaves a clear path with nice clean edges without runs, then it’s ready.
Turn the heat off and add the finely shredded gruyere, extra sharp white cheddar, and cubed cream cheese. Whisk until completely melted & combined.
Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk until combined.
Add the cooked macaroni and fold until combined.
Stir in half of the brisket.
Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pour the macaroni into the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining brisket on top. Use a spoon to gently swirl the brisket into the macaroni. The purpose of this is you want to be sure the brisket is visible on the top of the dish. Mainly for presentation purposes. 🙂
Bake for 30 minutes until hot & bubbly.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.