BBQ Pulled Pork Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Fourth of July week. Dave's day off Tuesday. Cookout in our backyard — smallish this year because the extended family is doing their own thing for various reasons. Gayle sat in the shade of the oak tree in a lawn chair and presided over the proceedings. Eli came. Amber was working shelter intake most of the day but got home by 6.

Fireworks in the driveway at dusk. Josie set off three sparklers and ran around the yard. The dog spent the evening under the bed. A neighbor set off something big and illegal across the fence and we watched it in the sky. Tyler and Justin stood with Dave on the patio drinking root beer out of glass bottles Dave had bought specifically because "it felt like a root beer night." Both boys taller than Dave now. Dave looked up at them and said, "You two grew." Justin said, "We ate." Tyler said, "Mom fed us." Dave said, "She did." It was the briefest warmest moment of the summer.

Drove a Des Moines run Thursday-Friday. Short summer run. Signed a book at a rest stop for a woman whose husband had died in 2021. I signed it "For Hannah, who raises her family." She was crying. I hugged her. I am now that person. I did not expect to be this person but I am.

Book two at 56,000 words.

Gayle has been stable. Long stretch of stable. I knock wood. I say a small prayer every time she stands up and sits down without trouble. I know stable is a season.

Sunday dinner: another pulled pork — it was good last time and the kids begged. I made enough for ten and they ate enough for twelve.

The pulled pork from the cookout was such a hit that Sunday dinner wasn’t even a question — it had to happen again, and this time I wanted to do something a little fun with it. These BBQ Pulled Pork Fried Mac and Cheese Bites felt exactly right for the tail end of a holiday week: the kind of recipe that turns a simple thing into something the table gets genuinely excited about. Tyler took four before I could plate them. That felt like a victory.

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 45 min (plus 2 hours chilling) | Servings: 24 bites

Ingredients

2 cups cooked pulled pork, tossed with 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (for breading)
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
Extra BBQ sauce, for dipping

Instructions

Make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in 2 tablespoons flour. Cook 1 minute, then slowly whisk in milk. Stir until thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and Monterey Jack until fully melted. Season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Combine mac and pork. Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce until well coated. Gently fold in the BBQ pulled pork. Spread the mixture evenly in a parchment-lined 9x13 baking dish.
Chill until firm. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the mixture is firm enough to scoop and shape.
Shape the bites. Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, portion the chilled mixture into balls roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll each between your palms to smooth. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Set up the breading station. Place flour in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and panko in a third. Season each with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Bread the bites. Roll each ball in flour, then dip in egg, then coat thoroughly in panko. For extra crunch, dip back in egg and panko a second time. Return to the baking sheet.
Heat the oil. Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 350°F over medium-high heat. Use a thermometer to maintain temperature throughout frying.
Fry in batches. Carefully lower 4–6 bites into the hot oil at a time. Fry 2–3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining bites.
Serve immediately. Arrange on a platter with warm BBQ sauce alongside for dipping. Best eaten fresh and hot.

Nutrition (per serving)

BBQ Pulled Pork Fried Mac and Cheese Bites — When They Ate Enough for Twelve