Six-Cheese Pitmaster Mac
Kirby Kitchen Signature Recipe
Creamy macaroni baked with the Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend, a rich tallow Mornay sauce, and a subtle kiss of smoke.
Every family has a macaroni and cheese recipe. This one is ours.
Built around the Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend, this macaroni and cheese brings together bold cheddar, buttery Gouda, nutty Gruyère, creamy Brie, and savory Parmesan in one incredibly smooth cheese sauce.
Beef tallow replaces traditional butter in the Mornay, adding a rich, savory depth that pairs especially well with smoked meats and backyard barbecue.
Bake it in the oven for a classic holiday side or give it a short trip through the smoker for that signature Pitmaster finish.
This is the kind of macaroni and cheese that earns a permanent spot at holidays, cookouts, and family gatherings.
Recipe at a Glance
Servings: 16
Prep Time: 30–40 minutes
Cook Time: 35–45 minutes
Oven Temperature: 375°F
Smoker Temperature: 225°F
Ingredients
Pasta
2 lbs elbow macaroni
Mornay Sauce
170 g beef tallow
Unsalted butter may be substituted140 g all-purpose flour
600 g whole milk
600 g heavy cream
Cheese
2 lbs Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend (Performance Pantry)
Website note: Make “Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend” a clickable link to its Performance Pantry recipe rather than using the old cookbook page number.
Seasonings
3–3½ tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
2½ tsp dry mustard powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
½–¾ tsp cayenne pepper
1½ tsp white pepper
⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
1. Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Add the elbow macaroni and cook it 2 minutes less than the package directions.
Drain well and set aside.
Kirby Rule: The pasta finishes cooking while the mac and cheese bakes. Slightly undercooking it now allows the pasta to absorb some of the sauce without becoming mushy.
2. Build the Mornay Sauce
Melt the beef tallow in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and nutmeg.
Stir for 20–30 seconds, just until the spices become fragrant.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually pour in the whole milk and heavy cream while whisking continuously.
Continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth and begins to thicken.
Season with the kosher salt.
Kirby Rule: Briefly blooming the seasonings in the warm tallow wakes up their flavors before the flour and dairy are added, creating deeper flavor throughout the sauce.
3. Melt the Cheese
Reduce the heat to low.
Gradually add approximately three-quarters of the Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend, adding it a handful at a time.
Stir or whisk gently after each addition until the cheese has melted before adding more.
Continue until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and glossy.
Kirby Rule: Never let the sauce boil after adding the cheese. Gentle heat helps keep the cheese emulsified and the sauce silky instead of grainy.
4. Bring It Together
Add the cooked macaroni directly to the Mornay sauce.
Gently fold everything together until every piece of pasta is coated.
Transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish or divide between two smaller baking dishes.
Top evenly with the remaining Six-Cheese Blend.
Finish with a light dusting of smoked paprika.
Choose Your Finish
🔥 Pitmaster Smoker Method
Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
Place the prepared mac and cheese in the smoker uncovered.
Smoke for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, the mac and cheese is heated through, and the top has picked up a subtle layer of wood smoke.
Best Woods
Pecan — My first choice. Rich but balanced.
Cherry — Mild smoke with a touch of sweetness.
Apple — Light and slightly sweet.
Kirby Kitchen Tip: Mac and cheese absorbs smoke quickly. We're looking for a kiss of smoke—not enough to overpower six different cheeses.
🏠 Classic Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake uncovered for 35–45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned.
Let the mac and cheese rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
This gives the sauce a chance to settle while keeping everything creamy.
Kirby Kitchen Notes
🧀 The Six-Cheese Difference
The Kirby Kitchen Six-Cheese Blend isn't about adding cheeses just to increase the number.
Each cheese has a job.
Sharp cheeses provide bold flavor. Gouda brings buttery richness. Gruyère contributes nuttiness. Brie adds creaminess, while Parmesan provides a savory finish.
Together, they create something none of them could accomplish alone.
🥩 Why Beef Tallow?
Butter absolutely works here, but beef tallow gives the Mornay sauce an additional layer of savory richness.
It's particularly at home when this mac and cheese is served alongside brisket, ribs, pulled pork, smoked turkey, or other barbecue.
🌶️ The Secret Seasonings
White pepper, dry mustard, cayenne, and freshly grated nutmeg aren't supposed to announce themselves.
They're there to make the cheese taste more like cheese.
That's the point.
👨👩👧👦 Built for Gatherings
This is a big-batch recipe for a reason.
It belongs in the middle of a holiday table, beside the smoker at a backyard cookout, or anywhere you're feeding people you care about.
Make Ahead
Prepare the mac and cheese through the assembly step, but don't bake or smoke it yet.
Cover tightly and refrigerate.
When you're ready to cook, remove it from the refrigerator while the oven or smoker preheats.
Because you're starting with a cold dish, expect the final cook to take longer than it would when freshly assembled.
For the creamiest results, I'd make it no more than one day ahead.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently rather than blasting it with high heat.
Add a small splash of whole milk or heavy cream before reheating to help loosen the cheese sauce and restore some of its original creaminess.
Fuel Profile — Estimated Per Serving
Calories: 700 kcal | Protein: 25 g | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Net Carbs: 41 g | Fiber: 2 g | Fat: 53 g
Based on 16 servings. Nutrition is estimated and will vary depending on the specific pasta, dairy, and cheeses used.