In a recent article that I wrote for www.mademan.com, I was asked to create a burger worthy of the title "The Kickoff Classic." Knowing that this burger had to reach epic proportions, I went right to the beer can burger category and began planning how I wanted to stuff this gargantuan hamburger. Making a burger worthy of this title required more that just onions, mushrooms, cheese, etch. This burger needed something bigger so I went with pulled pork and macaroni and cheese as the fillings and it turned out pretty amazing. Having completed this project this past weekend, it dawned on me that this beer can burger is not just for a football Sunday and would also be a worthy apres ski meal. Filled with pulled pork and macaroni and cheese, it is the perect combination of protein and carbs that your body desires after a long day of gnar shredding. Below are the recipes for the pulled pork and the macaroni and cheese. For the full recipe visit www.mademan.com.
Pulled Pork:
5 slices of thick cut pork belly
5 country style ribs
2 cans of root beer
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
Macaroni and Cheese
1 pound of elbow macaroni cooked
¼ cup Franks Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons of butter
1 shallot
2 tablespoons of flour
4 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of shredded jack cheese
2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar
½ cup of panko bread crumbs
Pulled Pork:
For the rub, combine all dry ingredients and stir. Season the pork belly and pork butt on both sides with salt and pepper then rub all cuts of meat on both sides. Place in the crock pot and cover with root beer. Cook for six hours, when finished remove some of the liquid from the pot and stir the bbq sauce. Let sit covered until needed.
Macaroni and Cheese:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. and saute the diced shallot. Add the flour and stir then whisk in heavy cream and let reduce. Stir in the hot sauce, then the cheeses. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in the macaroni.
