Go Back
Baked smoked brisket mac and cheese in a white dish with golden panko crust and visible brisket chunks

Smoked Brisket Mac and Cheese with Crispy Topping

Baked elbow macaroni in a cheddar-Gruyère sauce loaded with chopped smoked brisket and finished with a crisp panko topping.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Brisket
  • 450 g elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups smoked brisket, chopped (about 300 g); leftover, moist pieces work best
Cheese Sauce
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk, warmed
  • 3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded (about 340 g); shred from a block
  • 1.5 cups Gruyère, shredded (about 170 g)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Topping
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp chives or green onion, chopped for garnish

Method
 

Cook the Pasta
  1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni until just al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Make the Cheese Sauce
  1. In the same pot, melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes until it smells toasty and turns pale gold.
  2. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  3. Remove from heat. Stir in the cheddar and Gruyère in small handfuls until smooth. Season with smoked paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Fold the drained macaroni and chopped brisket into the cheese sauce until fully coated. Add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the sauce feels too thick.
  2. Transfer everything to the prepared baking dish. Toss panko with melted butter and scatter it evenly over the top.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes until bubbling around the edges, then switch to broil and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the panko is golden brown. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.
  4. Let it sit 5 minutes before serving. Scatter chives over the top.

Notes

  • Use brisket that's still moist; dry ends turn tough after baking.
  • Grate cheese while cold for cleaner shredding and better melt.
  • Cool the roux slightly before adding cheese to avoid grease separation.
  • Bake in a shallow dish so the topping has more surface area to crisp.