Kasim Hardaway

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Kitchen Essentials

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This is a recipe that requires little introduction or explanation: ranch mac & cheese with bacon fat pork panko crust.

It’s incredibly savory thanks to a ranch-cheese sauce & fried pork rind crumbs toasted in bacon fat that serves as the ‘panko crust.’

I’ll leave it at that. If you love ranch & bacon, then this recipe will be your latest obsession. 

Ranch Mac & Cheese with Bacon Fat Pork Panko Crust

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook macaroni to desired doneness; drain & set aside.

In a pot, melt butter over low heat. Once melted, sprinkle in flour, whisking continuously until you have a paste; about 2 minutes. Add heavy & sour cream & milk to pot; whisk until smooth. Add salt & pepper to taste. Whisk. Slowly add pepper jack, mozzarella & 1 1/2 cups of cheddar, stirring well. Add ranch mix & whisk. Add macaroni to pot & gently toss / fold with cheese sauce. Pour into a greased cast iron skillet. Top with remaining cheddar & bake for 18-20 minutes or until browned to your preference. While baking, prepare bacon fat pork panko topping.

Sprinkle the panko topping over the mac & cheese then bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until slightly crisped. Garnish with green onions & serve immediately!

In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Do not drain oil; keep about 2 tablespoons. Remove bacon & place on paper towels to drain. Add breadcrumbs to skillet & stir to coat in oil. Cook for 4-6 minutes until golden. Remove skillet from heat. Season with salt & pepper, to taste. Mix again & set aside.

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