DJ Thoma's Mac N Cheese Stuff Rib Crown
TOTAL TIME4 hrs 25 mins
SKILL LEVELAdvanced
SERVINGS
About this RecipeThis Mac N Cheese Stuffed Rib Crown is the ultimate barbecue showstopper, featuring smoky, tender spare ribs shaped into a crown and filled with creamy homemade mac and cheese. Served atop a bed of buttery mashed potatoes and finished with barbecue sauce, this crowd-pleasing centerpiece is perfect for backyard cookouts, holiday gatherings, and special occasions when you want to impress family and friends.
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Ingredients
Gather Ingredients from the list below BBQ Rub (DJ used Back 9 Hogs Hybrid) Yellow Mustard BBQ Sauce Metal Skewers or Butcher Twine 1 lb elbow macaroni 2 cups sharp cheddar, hand-shredded 1 1/2 cups monterey jack, hand-shredded 1 cup whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons paprika 2 lbs small yellow and red potatoes 1 stick stick of butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder Optional, parmesan and chives
Gather Ingredients from the list below
DJ's Rib Ingredients
1 rack Fresh Pork Spareribs
DJ's Mac N Cheese
DJ's Mashed Potatoes
Directions
1.
Rib Directions: Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Pat the rack of ribs dry with paper towel on both sides. Then coat lightly with yellow mustard on both sides. Season with your favorite bbq or rib rub generously on both sides. Wrap/shape the rack bone-side out, forming a circle. Securely with metal skewers or butcher’s twine. Put it on the smoker upright and smoke at 250°F until the ribs are around 195–205°F internal (roughly 3 hours). Make your mac & cheese and mashed potatoes while the ribs finish. When ribs have about 15-20 minutes left, brush and fully coat them with BBQ sauce and cook another 10–15 minutes to set the glaze. Once the ribs are done, remove from grill onto a large cutting board or platter.
2.
Mac N Cheese Directions: Place a pot on the stove with water, heavily salt, and wait until it boils. Once it boils, Add elbow macaroni and cook 1-2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain noodles, but do not rinse. For the sauce: add in butter, let it melt and then slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream (both room temp). Add garlic powder and smoked paprika. Simmer 3–5 minutes, whisking, until it starts to thicken. Next, turn the heat to low and add cheese a handful at a time, stirring until smooth. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce. Let it sit for 3 minutes so the sauce sticks to it and thickens.
3.
Mashed Potatoes Directions: Put potatoes in a pot of generously salted water and bring to a boil. Cook 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain potatoes well. Return to pot and mash them. Add in room temp butter, milk, cream and garlic powder. Mix well making sure it’s all combined.
4.
Assembling the Rib Crown: Scoop mashed potatoes and place them around the bottom of the rib crown. Stuff the center of the rib crown with the mac & cheese. Pull out the skewers and drizzle BBQ sauce over all of it and garnish with a little parsley. Serve immediately.
