We remember the first time we ever tasted a Shortrib Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Or maybe that was because the sandwich’s creator, Chef Govind Armstrong of then-Table 8 in Los Angeles, was within view (hot!).
Whatever the reason, the addition of a tender tangle of slow-cooked, pulled shortribs to an already melty mess of butter and cheese was new and creative and demanded attention.
Back then. Nowadays shortrib grilled cheese sandwiches don’t quite excite us the way they did the first time. Sure, cheese and meat will always be delicious, but shortrib grilled cheese sandwiches are everywhere, we’ve had too many and they all sort of taste the same…
Until we met the Cheesy Mac n Rib.
It has macaroni and cheese in it.
And obviously, that’s all we have to say, as we wipe away a tear from our eye.
The recipe for the Cheesy Mac n Rib, which comes from the Grilled Cheese Truck, is printed below, though we suspect that you could probably figure out how to do this in your own kitchen without a recipe (macaroni and cheese smacked between two slices of buttered bread?). The Grilled Cheese Truck’s recipe doesn’t include individual recipe for macaroni and cheese, but we’ve pulled our favorites from a little food + recipe site that we happen to like ;)
Scroll down and click on each of the pictures to get to the individual recipes!
Cheesy Mac n’ Rib
Ingredients:
8 slices buttermilk bread (white is fine too)
8 oz. soft unsalted butter
6 oz. mayonnaise
4 cups of your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe (browse all of TasteSpotting’s macaroni and cheese recipes, or scroll down this post to check out our Editor’s picks!)
2 yellow onions, sliced into ¼ inch strips
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups of pulled pork
1 cup (or more if you like!) your favorite BBQ sauce
12 slices sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Beat butter and mayonnaise in a mixer until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure complete mixing. Set aside.
Prepare your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe. When finished, spread evenly into a sheet pan or casserole dish to a thickness of about ¾ inch. Cover with plastic wrap and cool in refrigerator. Cut the chilled macaroni and cheese into squares that are slightly smaller than the diameter of your bread.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Add sliced onions and cook over a medium/high heat stirring frequently until onions have caramelized. Season with salt and black pepper to taste
Heat up BBQ sauce and add pulled pork. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.
To Assemble the Sandwiches:
Generously butter one side of each slice of bread with the butter/mayo mixture. Be sure to butter to the very edges!
On unbuttered side, layer as follows:
- One slice of cheddar cheese
- One square of chilled macaroni and cheese
- One slice of cheddar cheese
- ½ cup BBQ pork mixture
- ¼ cup caramelized onions
- One slice of cheddar cheese
Top with slice of bread, buttered side out.
To Cook the Sandwiches:
Use a flat, non-stick griddle and bring to a medium heat (approx. 340 degrees).
Lay sandwiches on hot griddle and proceed to cook on one side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). A bacon press or heavy pan may be placed on top of sandwiches to help with interior melting. Flip sandwich and repeat.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 1 minute before cutting.
Makes 4 sandwiches
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