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Jason's Famous 6-Cheese Mac and Cheese
Cheese Game Day Gatherings Grill Kitchen Main Dish Pasta Pasta Side Dish Valentine's Day

Jason’s Famous 6-Cheese Mac and Cheese

By Jason Strawhorn

An old friend of Dizzy Pig, Jason Strawhorn, is well known for cooking an amazing version of one of the most popular comfort foods ever – Macaroni and Cheese. Well, it’s actually Penne and Cheese, and it’s not your average take on this dish. He has made a lot of people happy with this recipe over the years.

We took Jason’s recipe and kicked it up a tad with our Spicy Dizzy Dust. This dish is rich and creamy, and a well-browned crust adds a whole new dimension to this gourmet recipe. We did the baking on our Big Green Egg, which adds a wonderful hint of smoke, but this recipe can easily be cooked in an oven.

Enjoy the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness. And don’t think about the calories!

Ingredients

Print Recipe
  • 1 lb pasta (I use penne, but any shape pasta can be used)
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 5 tsp Dizzy Pig Spicy Dizzy Dust, or Original Dizzy Dust all-purpose seasoning
  • 4 oz good beer
  • 20 oz half-and-half
  • 8 oz Brie cheese, cubed
  • 1 lb cream cheese, cubed
  • 1/2 cup butter, 2 sticks
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup Parmesan, grated
  • 1 1/2 cups Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Directions

  1. Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside.
  2. Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp Spicy Dizzy Dust for the topping.
  3. Mix beer with half-and-half.
  4. Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
  5. Whisk in flour until fully incorporated.
  6. Slowly add the beer/half-and-half mixture while whisking.
  7. Add 2 tsp of Spicy Dizzy Dust.
  8. Keep whisking for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken.
  9. Reduce heat to medium.
  10. Slowly add cubed brie and cream cheese. Use wooden spoon from this point on (no whisk).
  11. Once that cheese is melted, slowly add the rest of the cheese – Cheddar, Parmesan, and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Keep stirring.
  12. When all the cheeses are melted, add the pasta and stir to coat evenly.Transfer everything into a 13″ cast iron skillet, smooth it all out with the back of the spoon, and sprinkle with the Panko/Parmesan/Spicy Dizzy Dust topping mix.
  13. Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and browned to your liking. We like it with lots of little crunchy bits.

 

Step by Step

Ingredients for Jason’s Famous 6-Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Ingredients for Jason’s Famous 6-Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside
Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside
Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese and Spicy Dizzy Dust for the topping
Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp Spicy Dizzy Dust for the topping
Mix beer with half-and-half
Mix beer with half-and-half
Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until fully incorporated
Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until fully incorporated
Slowly add the beer/half-and-half mixture while whisking
Slowly add the beer/half-and-half mixture while whisking
Season roux by adding 2 tsp of Spicy Dizzy Dust
Season roux by adding 2 tsp of Spicy Dizzy Dust
Keep whisking for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken
Keep whisking for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken
Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add cubed brie and cream cheese. Use wooden spoon from this point on
Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add cubed brie and cream cheese. Use wooden spoon from this point on (no whisk)
Stir until brie and cream cheese is melted
Stir until brie and cream cheese is melted
Slowly add the rest of the cheese - Cheddar, Parmesan, and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Keep stirring until all the cheeses are melted
Slowly add the rest of the cheese - Cheddar, Parmesan, and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Keep stirring until all the cheeses are melted
Fold in pasta, and transfer everything into a large cast iron skillet. Smooth it all out with the back of the spoon
Fold in pasta, and transfer everything into a large cast iron skillet. Smooth it all out with the back of the spoon
Sprinkle with the Panko/Parmesan/Spicy Dizzy Dust topping mix
Sprinkle with the Panko/Parmesan/Spicy Dizzy Dust topping mix
Place in oven or cooker. We did the baking on our Big Green Egg for a hint of smoke
Place in oven or cooker. We did the baking on our Big Green Egg for a hint of smoke
Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and browned to your liking
Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and browned to your liking
We like it with lots of little crunchy bits
We like it with lots of little crunchy bits
Print Recipe
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