Brisket Mac and Cheese

This delicious brisket mac and cheese tastes as good as your favorite barbecue restaurant. Creamy, flavorful, and absolutely the most delicious comfort food recipe and the perfect recipe for using leftover beef brisket.

If you love brisket, then you’ve come to the right place. If you love mac and cheese, then you’ve come to the right place. How is this possible? Well, it’s because I have a recipe for brisket mac and cheese that will change everything you thought you knew about both of these delicious dishes. I’m a big fan of turning leftovers into new meals, and I do it with everything – even brisket! Right about now, you’re getting ready to close this window if you’re a brisket purist, but to you, I say, “Wait!” If you just give it a chance, you’ll quickly see that this is a dish that does both brisket and mac and cheese proud.

Brisket Mac and Cheese

Consider brisket for a moment. What do we usually serve it with? Well, all kinds of sides, and they’re usually barbecue fare. One of those is mac and cheese. There’s nothing like a plate of brisket with a heaping helping of thick, rich mac and cheese next to it, right? Well, when you take leftover brisket and combine it with mac and cheese, you get the best of both worlds. Every bite of this brisket mac and cheese is beefy, cheesy, and pure Heaven. It’s loaded with all the flavors that we love about brisket and mac and cheese on a plate – it’s just combined into one dish. And that dish will blow you away once you try it.

BBQ Brisket Mac and Cheese

This recipe is exactly what it sounds like. Creamy, cheesy noodles are topped with BBQ brisket, and it is so good. Your fork will sink into a top layer of brisket slathered in BBQ sauce, then it continues down into a rich, creamy bed of mac and cheese. It’s the ultimate comfort food. The best combination of two amazing worlds that have collided into one bowl of delicious food that you won’t be able to get enough of. It combines my own brisket with my equally tasty mac and cheese to create an almost superfood of backyard bash goodness.

Variations and Tips

This recipe is super easy to make and so delicious, but what makes it even better is how easy it is to play with. You can make just a few simple changes to turn this dish into any number of variations that you’ll love. I also have a couple of tips here to help make sure you make the best possible version of this recipe, so be sure not to skip this section.

Variations

• I used pipe rigate pasta, but you can use any short macaroni noodle you like. Shells work well, too.
• White and sharp cheddar are my cheeses of choice for any mac ‘n cheese recipe but use any cheese that you like. I do find that cheddar, cheddar Jack, Colby Jack, and Monterey jack cheese work the best for making a cheese sauce, however.
• Use your favorite barbecue sauce for this recipe. From bottle sauce to your own creations, any BBQ sauce will work well with this recipe.

Tips

• If possible, grate your own cheese. Bagged shredded cheese is loaded with additives from preservatives to a substance to keep the cheese from sticking to itself. Yuck.
• Heat your brisket over medium heat only. Don’t try to rush things with high heat. It will break down the meat too much and could scorch your sauce.
• Unless you just hate them, don’t skip the fried onion strings called for in this recipe. They really make the whole dish pop!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about this brisket mac and cheese, then read on. The following FAQ answers the most commonly asked questions about both beef brisket and mac and cheese.

How do you cook a brisket?

Low and slow is the way to go with a brisket. All the cartilage and fat need time to melt and make the beef juicy and tender. In general, cook your brisket on low heat for an hour per pound. You can cook brisket in a slow cooker, in the oven, or in a smoker.

Do you put sauce on brisket?

Absolutely. Brisket is almost always cooked with sauce. The amount is up to you. Some people like to bathe their brisket in sauce, while others add a thin layer.

What goes well with beef brisket?

There are a variety of sides that go well with brisket. Think all your favorite BBQ sides.

What is beef brisket used for?

Brisket is used for more than you might think. Of course, we know it as one of the most classic barbecue meats, but it’s also used for a variety of other dishes. Brisket is used for:

• Barbecue (sliced or pulled)
• Romanian pastrami
• Corned beef
• Jewish pot roast
• Italian bollito misto
• English braised beef or pot roast

What cheeses make the best mac and cheese?

While that’s largely a matter of your own tastes, there are several cheeses that are universally considered to be the best for mac and cheese.

• Cheddar
• Parmesan
• Gruyere
• Brie
• Smoked gouda
• Monterey Jack
• Fontina

What noodles are used for mac and cheese?

There’s no single best pasta for mac and cheese, but macaroni – either straight or elbow – are the usual favorites. However, you can use any short macaroni you like, even shells.

Why is my mac and cheese gritty?

When you add your cheese to the cream sauce, you need to do it slowly. Adding cheese to a bubbling cream sauce will cause the cheese to break down and create a gritty texture.

Can you freeze mac and cheese?

Yes. Let the mac and cheese cool completely, then cut it into individual portions and double wrap them in plastic wrap. After that, wrap them again in foil.

Storing and Reheating Brisket Mac and Cheese

You can store this brisket mac and cheese in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the brisket and mac and cheese separately, and then serving them together after they’ve been reheated.

To reheat your brisket, let it sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Then, pour some extra juice over it, cover it in a double layer of foil, and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven until heated through. You can also reheat it in a large skillet or a saucepan, whichever you prefer. 

To reheat the mac and cheese, place it in a baking dish with a small layer of unsalted butter and cover it with foil. Then bake it for 20 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

Brisket Mac and Cheese Ingredients

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this delicious mac and cheese recipe. Almost all of them are kitchen staples, and anything you don’t have in your kitchen can be easily found at your local grocery store.

• Pipe rigate pasta, or shells
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Vegetable broth
• Turmeric
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Slap Ya Mama®
• Ground mustard
• Black pepper
• White cheddar cheese, shredded
• Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Leftover Beef Brisket
• Broth
• Barbecue sauce
• Fried Onion Strings

How to Make Brisket Mac and Cheese

Making this tasty recipe is just as easy as gathering up the ingredients for it. It only takes a few simple steps!

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Cook the pasta according to package instructions for al dente, drain, and return to the pot.

Step 2: Make the Mac and Cheese

Pour the milk, heavy cream, and vegetable broth into the pot or a large Dutch oven, and stir gently to combine. Then, add the grated cheeses and mix well until the cheese is melted. In a small bowl, add all of the seasonings. Sprinkle in the seasonings and mix well. Then, simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Make the Brisket

Place the leftover brisket into a medium pot and add beef broth and barbecue sauce. Stir well and let it heat over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

Spoon the mac and cheese into a bowl, then top with the brisket and a drizzle of barbecue sauce. Add fried onion strings, and serve.

Try This Brisket Mac and Cheese Today

This delicious brisket mac and cheese is the ultimate barbecue food. It combines two of our favorite barbecue dishes into one super dish that always satisfies. Rich, creamy mac and cheese topped with delicious barbecued brisket? It doesn’t get much better. Oh, wait, it does. Because this recipe is super easy! Give it a try, and I know you’ll love it as much as we do.

Looking for More Delicious BBQ Recipes?

BBQ Brisket Tacos – Delicious barbecue brisket layered in fried corn tortillas and topped with cilantro and fried onion strings.

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos – These tacos are loaded with tender pulled pork, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cheese, all placed inside a crispy corn tortilla. Yum!

BBQ Dry Rub Pork Ribs – These pork ribs are a super simple and easy two ingredients recipe that are coated with a delicious dry rub and barbecued until tender.

Try these Honey BBQ Chicken Wraps from Deliciously Seasoned. A delicious and easy recipe that takes 10 minutes of prep time, but is loaded with so much flavor! Crispy chicken coated in BBQ sauce, wrapped in a flour tortilla with shredded lettuce, fried onions, and ranch dressing.

Here are a few pics that are perfect to save to your favorite Pinterest boards. Check out and follow my Pinterest and Facebook page too.

Enjoy, Terri