Sometimes You Need to Make Obscenely Delicious Memphis BBQ Jerky Mac & Cheese

21 Oct 18

Have you ever thought to yourself "I need to make the most unhealthy dish imaginable for me and my friends?" Yes? Ok great you are in good company here. No? This dish will change your mind. We present to you Three Jerks Jerky Memphis BBQ Filet Mignon Mac & Cheese:

Ok, now that you are ready to embark on this foodgasming adventure, here is what you are going to need:

• 1 bag Three Jerks Memphis BBQ Filet Mignon Beef Jerky, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 pound dry pasta (macaroni, shells, penne, whatever, its all pasta)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• 1 cup plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, reserve 1/4 cup rendered bacon fat

You are also going to need to make Bechamel Sauce. This is easy dont worry. Here is what you need:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups hot whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Lets make make some Filet Mignon Jerky Mac & Cheese!

First up - the Bechamel. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or an oven-safe skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, you don't want to brown this cause it wont taste as good, its gonna be about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring the sauce to a boil. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

While making the Bechamel go ahead and cook your pasta in salted boiling water until its AL DENTE (not fully cooked, it will finish cooking in the oven) and preheat your oven to 400F.

Time to make food magic. Over low heat, stir your mustard and cayenne into the Bechamel. SLOWLY add the Cheddar, stirring until its melted in. Be patient, don't add it all at once or it will take even longer to melt and you will be mad. Then add the Gruyere the same way you added the cheddar. Then add the Parmesan, you guessed it, slowly just like the other two cheeses. Dont forget to stop cooking the pasta, cause you probably already overcooked it.

If at this point you are thinking, "whoa did I just put TWO POUNDS of cheese into this awesome bechamel?" the answer is yes, high five yourself for being a great person and knowing you are adding more cheese later.

Back to the recipe - once all your cheese is melty, add the cup of milk and cream. Keep your head from exploding. In a separate skillet cook the 6 slices of bacon (plus 1 more for you, cause you earned it). When the bacon is done keep the fat. You are gonna need it.

Here comes the fun - throw the pasta and a big handful of the Memphis BBQ Filet Mignon Jerky (saving some to top the dish at the end) into your cheesy Bechamel heaven, stir it up so everything is coated evenly. In a small bowl mix 3ish tablespoons of bacon fat with the bread crumbs and parsley. Stir it up good so its all covered in fat (YUM!).

Sprinkle the skillet holding the Mac & Cheese with the breadcrumb mix and then add more cheese. Take that remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan and sprinkle that on top of the breadcrumbs. 

Throw this amazing thing you have created into the now hot oven for 20-25 minutes, basically until its all golden brown and bubbling like hot lava. Pull it out of the oven (with an oven mitt, unless you never want to use your hands again) and top this with the remaining Memphis BBQ Filet Mignon Jerky and bacon.

Congratulations! Your friends and cardiologist love you, hope you have the doc on speed dial. BON APPETIT!

(recipe adapted from http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/skillet-bacon-mac-and-cheese.html)