Spicy Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
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Get ready to shake up your BBQ routine. This recipe takes two timeless comfort foods—pulled pork and homemade mac & cheese—and elevates them into a mouthwatering masterpiece worthy of any backyard feast, game day platter, or indulgent weekend cook!
At the heart of this dish? Lazy Lightning, our signature sweet-heat BBQ rub that crackles with flavor and color. This bold, electrifying blend was made for pork—infusing every bite with caramelized crust, smoky depth, and a hefty spark that keeps you coming back for more!
Paired with ultra-creamy, golden macaroni and cheese, this duo is everything you want in a plate: tender, tangy, cheesy, and just a little bit wild.
Whether you're cooking for a crowd or treating yourself to leftovers that somehow get better by the hour, this recipe brings serious flavor and AlcheMeats magic to the table!
Spicy Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8-13 hours
Rest Time: 1 hour, minimum
Total Time: 9-14 hours
Servings: 12+
Ingredients:
- Boston Butt or pork shoulder/butt
- Mustard binder (optional)
- Lazy Lightning seasoning by AlcheMeats
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 cups shredded pepper-jack cheese
- 1/2-1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- BBQ sauce (optional)
Directions:
- Open pork packaging and pat down with paper towels to remove moisture. Trim thickness of fat side, if desired.
- Score fat side to create a checker pattern.
- When using a mustard binder, apply liberally to all sides.
- Apply Lazy Lightning seasoning, by AlcheMeats, to your liking. I prefer to add liberally, as this will help build better bark.
- Let this marinate and sweat for at least 30 minutes. I prefer to let marinate overnight, if time allows.
- Preheat smoker to 180-225 degrees.
- Place butt on smoker and leave covered until it reaches internal temperature of about 160-170 degrees. This can take anywhere from 4-8 hours, depending on the size of your butt and temperature conditions of the smoker.
- Once butt reaches 160-170 degrees, remove from smoker. Place butt in a steam pan and wrap pan with aluminum foil.
- Return pan to smoker and increase temperature to 250-275. Everyone's smoker is a little bit different, so do what works for you and your time schedule.
- Butt is done cooking once it is probe tender (meaning a probe slides in and out with little-to-no resistance) and has reached a temperature of 200-203 degrees.
- Take butt from smoker and rest in your oven or a cooler for at least one hour. I find the longer the rest, the better!
- Salt and boil large pot of water.
- Once boiling, add macaroni. Cook until al dente. Drain.
- In the same pot, reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add butter, stir frequently and make sure not to burn.
- Once the butter is melted, add flour in 3-4 parts, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add milk until fully mixed. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat. In 4-6 parts, add 2 cups cheddar cheese and 2 1/2 cups pepper-jack cheese until completely melted and smooth.
- Add cooked pasta back to the pot and mix thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Grease 9x13 casserole dish and evenly pour in mac & cheese.
- Top the dish with remaining cheddar and pepper-jack cheese.
- Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is a golden brown.
- Remove butt from steam pan and reserve rendered liquid to add back into mixture, if desired.
- Discard bone, if applicable, and start chopping! Pull to desired consistency and add additional Lazy Lightning seasoning, by AlcheMeats and reserved liquid, if desired.
- Serve a portion of mac & cheese, top with pulled pork and enjoy! Add BBQ sauce for an extra dash of flavor!
Pro Tip: When using a wireless meat probe thermometer, make sure to remove it and poke it back through the aluminum foil to leave it exposed. If you trap the probe inside the foil and pan, you'll likely have WiFi and/or Bluetooth connection issues.