Dub Shack BBQ Presents the Best Damn BBQ Leftovers You Haven't Repurposed Yet

Because every day is a GREAT day for barbecue – even if it is 1) leftovers, and 2) not mine.

Wanna know what the best leftovers you can stumble across are: The ones from your last barbecue!

As I evangelize the gospel of Dub Shack BBQ, I’ve come to grips with a phenomenon that many pit masters, cooks, and folks in the barbecue world have had to deal with:  leftovers. Fortunately for me, I don’t do competition-level events due to the fact of the meats alone are cost-prohibitive; does it really take a $300 Snake River brisket or $150 pork shoulder from Compart to win $200 and the title of Grand Champion of so-and-so’s contest for an entire weekend? By engaging in such contests, aren’t we getting away from the core roots of barbecue, the making of meats undesirable into something special?

Take a guess of what today's side item is for a free lunch. #DubShackBBQ🏚 #everydayisaGREATdayforbbq #pitmasterlife #igotthesauces pic.twitter.com/D77Br5cdn6

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) January 10, 2020

Today’s cook involves leftover pulled pork and this time, the stove. If you want to cook it on the grill for a smoky taste, go right ahead and do your thing – this is that personal preference thing I have been talking about, the making it your own part.

Woo Pig Mac & Cheese

One big bag of frozen pulled pork (mine was about 4 lbs.)

1 lb. macaroni noodles

16 oz. each, shredded sharp cheddar and mozzarella chesses

BBQ sauce of your choice (I used my The OG)

1/3 cup of all-purpose flour

Table salt

Onion and garlic powders

Black pepper

4 tbsp. of butter (1/2 of the stick)

3 cups of milk

Step One. Using a 13 x 9 pan, spray the bottom with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Turn your ovens to 375 degrees (and if you’re putting it on the grill, be certain your temperatures are high heat). Layer the base with the thawed out pulled pork evenly to where no daylight exists on the bottom and liberally coat the meat with barbecue sauce.

Step Two. Follow the instructions for cooking macaroni noodles to al dente; for the uninformed, that just means do not overcook the noodles. Remember, they are going atop the pork to continue cooking.

Step Three. One al dente, drain the noodles and place them away from the burners momentarily. Using a 10-inch skillet, melt the half-stick of butter before adding salt, pepper, and flour to make a sticky paste. Once the paste is made, add the milk and stir to an even consistency for one more minute.

Step Four. Add both cheeses to the mixture and stir to a cheesy consistency, hopefully better than the stuff in the Campbell’s soup can. Set it aside once it gets to where you want it but don’t forget about it.

Step Five. Remember the noodles that were put to the side earlier for you to make the cheese sauce? Add them on top of the pulled pork and the following that, the cheese mixture. I like my repurposing a bit meatier than others; therefore, let us add the remaining pulled pork and any of the shredded cheese and barbecue sauce to the pan. Mix it up and spread it out so you can get some of each flavor in each bite!

Step Six. Assuming the oven has come to temperature, here’s the easy part:  Slide it in there for 36-38 minutes until it is done. As with any other casserole (of sorts) loaded with cheese, it is done when the cheese is bubbling and starts to brown. One ingredient you can use is panko breadcrumbs, but I omitted them this time because we are here for the meat and cheese; maybe I’ll try it next time around to determine if it makes any difference punching in yet another layer of taste.

Step Seven. Remove it from the oven and let it cool a few minutes before eating!

In summary, this is a quality midweek meal or in my case, one heck of a side item to enjoy family-style with chicken leg quarters and bread. Woo Pig Mac and Cheese can become your family’s favorite twist of a childhood classic and be an awesome way to diversify your leftovers as you try to prevent culinary boredom.

Be blessed, good to one another, and remember that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!