Loaded with big flavor, brisket mac and cheese is made with horseradish cheddar and decadently smothered bits of leftover smoked beef brisket.
Loaded with big, rich, bold, cheesy flavor, this smoked beef brisket mac and cheese is made with gooey melted cheddar, and an unexpected horseradish bite of warmth smothered over smoky bits of beef brisket. This dish comes together in minutes, and you don’t even have to turn on the oven.
The combination of smoky brisket and the comforting warm gooey mac n cheese is a match made in BBQ heaven!
It was “STUPID GOOD!!” ← (David Terminology)
and
“STUPID EASY TO MAKE!!” ← (Debbie Terminology).
Each time David smokes a beef brisket, besides giving it away to friends and neighbors, I like to try to come up with different ways to use the leftover brisket. Among the recipes we have done are oven-baked Beef Brisket Sandwiches drenched with barbecue sauce and melted Gruyère cheese. And also the Smoked Beef Brisket Enchiladas made with Homemade Enchilada Sauce. These recipes are delicious and hard to beat, but this mac and cheese just might!!
Ingredients Needed to Make Brisket Mac and Cheese
The recipe card at the end of this post provides a detailed list of ingredients.
Pasta: elbow macaroni noodles are usually the pasta of choice for macaroni and cheese, but you don’t have to. Feel free to use any pasta you have in your pantry.
Brisket: chopped smoked beef brisket with any excess fat removed. You can always get some from your favorite barbecue restaurant to make this recipe if you don’t have your own brisket. Chop the brisket into small bite-size pieces so it won’t be too toothy.
Butter: unsalted butter is best so you can control the sodium.
Flour: all-purpose flour thickens the roux of the cheese sauce.
Milk: whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream is best for making macaroni and cheese.
Cheese: grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese and horseradish cheddar cheese are options, but you can use whatever cheeses you have on hand. If you cannot find horseradish cheddar, add prepared horseradish to taste.
Seasoning: Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste**
BBQ Sauce: option, but highly recommended that you use your favorite barbecue sauce on the side. A drizzle of barbecue sauce should help add some contrast to the richness of the cheese sauce.
Secret Ingredients
Don’t be afraid to add something special to the sauce. Consider adding a little mustard powder, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, or maybe some nutmeg. Make it your own! But don’t go overboard. Take the dry rub of your brisket into consideration and how it may flavor your mac and cheese.
Step By Step Instructions For Making Brisket Mac and Cheese
- The pasta takes longer to cook than the cheese sauce, so start the pasta. Cook macaroni per the package directions in a large saucepan of salted water*.
- Meanwhile, make a roux. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet (nonstick); stir in flour with a wooden spoon until smooth, and there are no lumps—Cook for one minute.
- Gradually pour in milk; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. You can tell when it has thickened by running a spoon through the center of the sauce. The sauce should divide and slowly meet again.
- Reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta; add the pasta to the cheese mixture.
- Simmer and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. If the pasta is too tight and gooey, stir in about ¼ cup of the pasta water at a time to get the desired consistency.
- Stir in the brisket, reserving a small bit to sprinkle over the top for garnish. Allow to heat through; season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately in individual small bowls with your favorite bbq sauce on the side, sprinkled with bits of brisket and shredded cheese for garnish.
Tips for Making Brisket Mac and Cheese
Try the following tips to create your mac and cheese.
For Creamy A Roux
- Gently cook the sauce, and do not let the milk boil. This will keep the milk or cream for curdling.
- Add the cheese off the heat a little at a time.
- Add a splash of cream with the milk or substitute the milk for cream altogether.
Remove the Excess Fat. Be sure to remove any excess fat from the brisket to keep the mac and cheese from becoming too oily.
Do not overcook the pasta. Only cook the pasta until it’s perfectly al dente. This is usually per the pasta’s package instructions. You can learn more about preparing perfect pasta HERE.
Be mindful of the salt content. The brisket rub and cheese already have salt that could over-salt the mac and cheese. I did not add salt to the pasta water like I normally would and seasoned it with salt towards the end. Taste as you go and season with caution!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. If you substitute cornstarch for the flour, whisk it with cold milk first. Then add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet to heat through. (1 tablespoon of cornstarch should thicken this recipe nicely.)
Allow it to cool to room temperature, then seal it in shallow airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Any of the following cheeses or any combination of cheeses are great for mac and cheese: Cheddar, Gruyere, Smoked Gouda, Monterey Jack Cheese, Fontina, and
Cream Cheese.
If you trimmed the fat from the brisket, then chances are the cheese was overheated. Overheating the cheese can cause the fat to separate from the cheese.
If you have leftover smoked beef brisket and are unsure what to do with the leftovers, make this Brisket Mac and Cheese!
We’d love your feedback if you make this brisket mac and cheese. Leave us a comment and a star rating below. We value your opinion and appreciate your time.
See ya on the mountain!
Brisket Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ pound elbow pasta
- 1½ cups smoked beef brisket chopped + extra for garnish
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese grated + extra for garnish
- 1 cup horseradish cheddar cheese* grated + extra for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste**
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions in a large pot of salted water*.
- Meanwhile, make a roux. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet; stir in flour with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook for one minute.Gradually stir in milk; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes.You can tell when it has thickened by running a spoon through the center of the sauce. The sauce should divide and slowly meet again.
- Reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta; add the pasta to the cheese mixture.Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. If the pasta is too tight and gooey, stir in about ¼ cup of the pasta water at a time to get the desired consistency.
- Stir in the brisket, reserving a small bit to sprinkle over the top for garnish. Allow to heat through; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately in individual bowls, with your favorite bbq sauce on the side, sprinkled with bits of brisket and shredded cheese for garnish.
Notes
- Gently cook the sauce and do not let the milk boil.
- Add the cheese off the heat a little at a time.
- A splash of cream with the milk.
Nutrition
Originally posted March 2017
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I can just imagine how good all those flavors went together. I love Cabot’s horseradish cheddar…great choice for your mac and cheese. Now if I only had some of David’s brisket. 😀
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Karen. Wonder if we could ship you some…
Dina Molter says
I borrowed my brothers Weber smoker this past weekend and smoked my first brisket. Now I have about 8 pounds of cooked meat and will be making your recipe tonight! Thanks for the idea!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Dina! So glad we could help you with the leftover brisket. This is one of our favorite ways to use up leftovers. Hope your brisket persuades you to buy your own Weber! 😉
Jennifer - Cary, NC says
Oh SOOOOO GOOD! I’ve never commented on a recipe before – you are the first! Everyone, even the pickest of eaters, loved this Brisket Mac-n-cheese. I used white sharp cheddar instead of yellow, and never thought of using horseradish cheddar before but will from now on! I originally missed the part about reserving a cup of pasta water but I used 1/2 cup mix of water and milk and came out fantastic! I will definitely be making this again – in fact I have enough brisket to cut up and freeze for next batch which I’ll probably be making in about 2-3 weeks! thank you for sharing!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed the brisket mac and cheese. It’s one of our favorites too!