Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
As I’ve mentioned in a former post, pulled pork has a special place in my heart thanks to my mom and her ability to serve it at every possible family gathering without anyone ever getting bored of it. In fact, I have a friend who comes over solely around these said holidays just to devour a few bites straight from the pressure cooker. When I was thinking about what to serve at this past snoozefest of a Super Bowl, pulled pork was the first thing that came to mind. We weren’t sure how many people were coming, we had planned this gathering very last minute so I didn’t have much time to prep, and I felt downright lazy when faced with the idea of cooking all day. Instead, I stuck to my mom’s foolproof plan and added a bit of a cheesy and indulgent twist. One of my favorite things to do at prior lacrosse tailgates or at my parent’s infamous Christmas party is combine the homemade pulled pork with some of the mac and cheese that always seemed to conveniently be served next to it. A spark went off in my brain and immediately decided what we’d be having for the big game: pulled pork mac and cheese. Let it be said that by no means is this as “clean” as majority of my recipes on here. I’m usually not one for adding butter and I typically don’t cook with a lot of cheese, but this dish just felt right. Plus, it’s the god damn Super Bowl – a time to worry less about eating vegetables and more about whether any game will ever compare to 2018’s. Plus, I’d venture to say this home cooked dish is still healthier than any comparable you could purchase or order from a restaurant.
Ingredients (serves 8 as a main dish, 10-12 as a side):
Pulled Pork:
Pork loin (2.5lbs)
Avocado oil (1 teaspoon)
Chicken broth (2 cups)
Water (2 cups)
Apple cider vinegar (1 teaspoon)
Mustard (1 tablespoon)
BBQ sauce (1 cup)
Cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon)
Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon)
Mustard powder (1 teaspoon)
Cinnamon (dash)
Mac & Cheese:
Pasta of your choice (12 cups)
Shaved parmesan cheese (1 cup + slight extra)
Shaved cheddar cheese (1 cup + slight extra)
Shaved manchego (1 cup + slight extra)
Regular or almond milk (1/2 cup)
Butter (2 tablespoons)
Almond flour (1 tablespoon)
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Rub the pork loin with the ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, salt & pepper, and a dash of cinnamon
Place the pressure cooker on sauté mode and add 1 teaspoon of avocado oil
Once hot, add the pork loin fat side down and allow to sear for ~5 minutes, or until browned
Flip and sear the other side for an additional ~5 minutes
Remove the pork loin and turn off the pressure cooker
Add the chicken broth, water, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and ½ cup of BBQ sauce into the pressure cooker, scrape the bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon, and mix
Place the pork loin in that mixture and close the lid of the pressure cooker
Turn the pressure cooker on manual high for 50 minutes and allow to cook
While the pork loin is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and then add in the pasta and cook to your liking
In a separate pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and then whisk in 1 tablespoon of almond flour
Add 1 cup of each cheese (parmesan, cheddar, and manchego) to this mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir, over lower heat, until it has all melted into a sauce
When the pasta is cooked to your liking, remove 1 cup of the pasta water and set aside before draining
When the pork is done cooking, remove it from the pressure cooker and shred with two forks
Place the pork in a mixing bowl with ½ cup of BBQ sauce, ½ cup of the liquid mixture from the pressure cooker, and an additional ½ teaspoon of mustard powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt & pepper
Combine that mixture until all of the pork is coated with the sauce
Drain the pasta and then mix in the cheese sauce with the 1 cup of pasta water
Once combined, fold the pulled pork into the pasta
Pour this mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle with a little bit of each cheese
Place the dish in the oven on broil for ~5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the top has slightly crusted
Allergen Information:
Gluten Free – depending on the pasta chosen, I make it with a brown rice fusilli
Soy Free