Brisket Mac and Cheese
This Brisket Mac and Cheese will win everyone over! Creamy, smoky, and packed with four types of cheese. Perfect to make using leftover smoked brisket.
If you love mac and cheese, you should also check out my Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese recipe.
This recipe is a really cool example of how I turned something good into something great. There is BBQ joint right up the road from the house that serves a pretty good moist brisket (AKA “loose cut”). I simply added that to my already popular mac and cheese recipe and I had another great dish on my hands.
Making your own brisket can take more time than you’re willing to spend so I would suggest making a pit stop by your favorite local BBQ joint for this ingredient. All brisket is not great brisket, but luckily for this dish, the mac and cheese is what needs to shine. So really any good smoky brisket will do.
You’ll want to prep your brisket by cutting off any excess fat. Then, you can chop the brisket into small to medium-sized pieces. The key to making this dish great is the nice bite of brisket you get in every bite. With that said, don’t chop the pieces too small and add in extra if you feel so inclined. 🙂
The cheese mixture is the most important part of this recipe and is definitely the winning element. I use several types of cheese that result in the ideal creaminess and sharpness.
Which cheese should I use to make Mac and Cheese?
- Sharp cheddar is a tangy cheese with more complex and deeper flavors. Because this cheese is aged longer, it has a more sharp and pronounced cheddar flavor.
- New York white cheddar is a New York-style Cheddar that has a sharp flavor as well but tends to be milder than the sharp cheddar above.
- Monterey Jack cheese has a buttery taste with a creamy texture. This American white, semi-hard cheese is known for its mild flavor and slight sweetness.
- Pepper Jack cheese is a spicy twist to Monterey Jack. The cheese is flavored with sweet peppers, rosemary, habañero chilies and garlic and spicy jalapeños for an extra kick.
- Cheddar Jack mix is used to top off the brisket mac and cheese. This cheese is a favorite as it combines the tanginess of cheddar cheese with the smooth and creamy taste of Monterey Jack.
My Brisket Mac and Cheese can be served as a side dish or as the main course. It is a creamy, smoky, hearty, stick-to-your-bones dish that the entire family will crave!
Looking for other great side dish options? Check out my Creamy Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Easy Carrot Soufflé, Southern Creamed Corn, and Broccoli and Cheese Casserole!
And here are a few other ways to use that leftover brisket:
- Fully Loaded Brisket Tater Tots
- Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- BBQ Brisket Twice Baked Potato
- BBQ Brisket Pizza
Brisket Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This Brisket Mac and Cheese will win everyone over! Creamy, smoky, and packed with cheese. Perfect to make using leftover smoked brisket.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of Rotini Pasta, cooked
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup of sharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup of New York white cheddar, shredded
- 1 cup of Monterey Jack
- 3 slices of pepper jack cheese
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. white pepper
- 1 lb. mozzarella, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup Cheddar Jack mix (used to top off with)
- 1/2 lb. of Pre-cooked Brisket, chopped
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil pasta until al dente or by using instructions on package. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet at medium heat, combine butter, flour, and minced garlic. Allow to cook for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Add chicken broth, heavy whipping cream, garlic powder, white pepper, and paprika into skillet until well blended. Add sharp cheddar, New York white cheddar, Monterey Jack cheese, and pepper jack cheese in skillet and stir until smooth. Turn stove to simmer.
- Add pasta, cheese sauce, mozzarella cubes and brisket (leave some to top off dish in next step) into large bowl and fold ingredients.
- Add all ingredients to a baking dish. Top off with cheddar jack and hand full of brisket.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 636
- Fat: 35.1g
I don’t know how many times I’ve had to google “dude that cooks brisket Mac and cheese”, but it’s been a lot! I first found your recipe in 2019 and it has become my go to mac and cheese recipe. I make it with and without brisket. Everyone loves it and it’s the best I’ve ever tried!
Thanks so much Rhesha! It’s awesome to here you enjoy it enough to continue coming back. I really do appreciate it! Glad yoy enjoy it.
I am hitting a wall on this, what is “1/2 cup Cheddar Jack mix (used to top off with)”
Just a cheese mixture or crackers crumbled?
Nevermind- i missed a page….
Ok good deal. Let me know if you have any questions Mike. Thanks
How much of this recipe will feed 100 people?
Hi! This recipe can serve 8-10 people.
This looks delicious going to try and make it tonite what size do u recommend for 4 people eating as a main dish?
Hi Tifaney! Can you confirm what “size” you are referring to? If you split this recipe in half it will be plenty for 4 people. But that really depends on how big you prefer your serving to be. It’s all up to you!
Awesome recipe. Thank you! I didn’t have heavy cream so I used milk and threw in a whole block of cream cheese and halved the mozzarella. It still came out really good. My husband had thirds 🙂 This will definitely be my go to for Mac n cheese from now. I think you could use any leftover meat with it. Thanks again!
Awesomeness thanks Joanna for the feedback. Glad you were able to find a resolution and it still came out great! And yes you can most definitely change out leftover protein and experiment with all types of combinations. Thanks again!
Hi Joanna! Thanks so much! I’m glad you were able to sub a few ingredients, and it still worked out.
Absolutely delicious my man, thank you for this! The only substitution I made was Mexican blend in place of pepper jack. For the baking vessel I used a throw away aluminum tray. Everyone has loved it too, will definitely revisit!
Can this be made in the crockpot?? If so, Just mix it all together??
Hello, Allison. I have never made my mac and cheese in the crockpot so I don’t have any experience with that preparation.
Thank you! So, can you prepare the day before, refrigerate, then cook the next day with good results?
Hi! Yes, and I would recommend freezing it versus placing it in the fridge. Since the pasta is cooked, it will soak up the cheese sauce quickly if it’s kept in the refrigerator too long — thus losing some of the creaminess (your pasta would have expanded due to soaking up the liquid).
Once the mac & cheese is prepped, let it completely cool. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake it. It can go straight from the freezer to the oven. You will need to double the cooking time (at least). Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes to brown the top.
Very good! Best brisket mac and cheese our family has ever had. Added crushed Ritz crackers to the top to add a little crunch.
That’s awesome, Daniel! So glad everyone enjoyed it. We make this all the time ourselves. 🙂
What size baking dish do you recommend for this recipe?
Hello Jon,
I typically use a 9-inch round or square baking dish.
Do you think you can freeze ahead?
Hello, Anna. Yes, you can. Once the mac and cheese is prepped, let it completely cool. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake it. It can go straight from the freezer to the oven. You will need to double the cooking time (at least). Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes to brown the top.
This was sooo good . . Everyone loved it, even the picky kids. Soo cheesey.
Thanks, Susan! Glad your kids enjoyed it. It’s a crowd-pleaser for sure!
When does pepper jack go in
Hello Tim. Thanks for pointing out this omission in my instructions. The pepper jack goes in with the other cheeses in step #4. I have updated the recipe card as well. Hope you enjoy.