BBQ Pork & Orzo Mac & Cheese

Preparation

For the Adobo Spice:

  • Combine everything and mix until incorporated.

For the Adobo Spice Brine:

  • Combine the water and adobo spice and mix well.

For the Adobo Pork:

  • Brine the pork butt in the adobo spice brine overnight.
  • Preheat an oven to 325°F. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry.
  • Liberally season the pork with adobo spice and roast in a covered pan at 325°F until fork tender. Check after 2 hours, and keep checking every 30 minutes after that. Remove the pork from the oven and rest at room temperature for 1 hour, then chill, covered, in the fridge.
  • Once the pork is cold, cut into 1" cubes.
  • Sear the cubed pork in oil in a hot pan until all sides are seared and crispy.

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • Sweat the shallots in butter until soft and translucent.
  • Add the flour and make a blonde roux.
  • Slowly incorporate the milk, followed by the heavy cream, while continuously whisking to ensure there are no clumps.
  • Bring the mixture to a low simmer, and slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. The sauce should be smooth, not stringy. Cool the sauce.
  • Once the sauce is cold, blend it on high in a Vitamix and strain through a fine chinois.

For the Cooked Orzo:

  • Bring the water and salt to a boil.
  • Cook the orzo until al dente but not mushy.

For the Blanched Broccoli:

  • Bring the salted water to a rapid boil over high heat.
  • Add the broccoli to the salted water and cook at a high boil for 1-3 minutes until tender.
  • Remove the broccoli and immediately shock in a lightly salted ice bath.

For the BBQ Sauce:

  • Combine all ingredients in a pot.
  • Bring everything to a low simmer, stirring constantly.
  • Once simmering, remove the sauce from heat and chill.

For the Crispy Onions:

  • Mix the corn starch and salt.
  • Toss the julienned onions in the starch mix.
  • Shake off excess starch from the onions and fry in batches at 350°F until golden-brown and crispy.
  • Remove from the fry oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

For the Build:

  • Preheat an oven to 375°F.
  • Reheat the cheese sauce in sauce pan. Add the cooked orzo and cubed adobo pork to a large casserole or oven safe baking dish, and toss with as much or as little cheese sauce sauce as you prefer.
  • Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until the pork is hot in the center.
  • Plate the bbq pork orzo mac & cheese and top with crispy onions and parsley. Serve with the blanched broccoli and Carolina-Amarillo BBQ sauce.

Ingredients

For the Adobo Spice:

  • 5.2g Allspice, ground
  • 67.4g Paprika, smoked
  • 18.5g Cayenne, ground
  • 71.1g Black Pepper, ground
  • 59.8g Cumin, ground
  • 26.7g Espelette, powder
  • 314.8g Sugar, granulated
  • 71.4g Sugar, dark brown
  • 40g Ancho, ground
  • 52.3g Cinnamon, ground
  • 5.7g Clove, ground
  • 22.2g MSG
  • 245.8g Salt, Kosher

For the Adobo Spice Brine:

  • 2000g Water
  • 50g Adobo Spice

For the Adobo Pork:

  • 730g Pork, shoulder, boston butt
  • as needed Adobo Spice Brine
  • as needed Adobo Spice
  • as needed Oil, neutral

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • 33g Butter, unsalted
  • 33g Flour, AP
  • 0.5g Thyme, dry
  • 1.5g Black Pepper, ground
  • 2g Nutritional Yeast
  • 76g Shallot, peeled, minced
  • 9g Garlic, powder
  • 0.1g Nutmeg, ground
  • 1ea Bay Leaf
  • 864g Milk, whole
  • 312g Heavy Cream
  • 8g Salt, kosher
  • 64g Gruyere, shredded
  • 63g White Cheddar, shredded
  • 46g Yellow Cheddar, shredded
  • 28g Cream Cheese

For the Cooked Orzo:

  • 454g/1# Box Orzo
  • as needed Water, salted

For the Blanched Broccoli:

  • 340g Broccoli, crowns
  • as needed Water, salted

For the Carolina-Amarillo BBQ Sauce:

  • 100g Mustard, yellow
  • 31g Sugar, brown, light
  • 83g Water
  • 32g Vinegar, apple cider
  • 11g Honey
  • 69g Ketchup
  • 1.5g Garlic, powder
  • 3g Aji Amarillo, paste
  • 3g Salt, kosher

For the Crispy Onions:

  • 240g Onion, yellow, julienne
  • 32g Starch, corn
  • 3g Salt, kosher

For the Build:

  • 1# Box, cooked Orzo, cooked
  • as needed Cheese Sauce
  • 454g Adobo Pork, cubed
  • as needed Crispy Onions
  • 227g Blanched Broccoli
  • as needed Carolina-Amarillo BBQ Sauce
  • as needed Parsley, fresh, chiffonade

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