Beef Bacon Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Beef Bacon Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Serves: 5 people
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Beef Bacon Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Ingredients

  • 200 grams of beef bacon
  • 500 grams of boiled pasta
  • 1/4 mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 1/4 cream cheese
  • 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs beaten together
  • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 pepper
  • Pinch of salt if it is needed
  • 3-4 cups canola, sunflower, or peanut oil
  • Minced fresh parsley, for garnish
  • Additional Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q sauce, for drizzling and dipping
  • 1 tsp minced dried rosemary

Instructions

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  1. In a big bowl mix the mac and cheese together.
  2. Add the minced beef bacon on the mac and cheese.
  3. Add the minced garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper to the previous mixture.
  4. Scoop large golf ball sized balls of the cold mac and cheese (an ice cream scoop works perfectly!), and use hands to form into complete ball shape.
  5. Place onto a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mac and cheese.
  6. Place the plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  7. Add oil to dutch oven or large heavy bottomed bot.
  8. Heat over MEDIUM heat until oil temperature measures 360 F degrees.
  9. While oil is heating up, add flour with 2 tsp of cornstarch , egg mixture and panko to three shallow bowls.
  10. To the panko bowl, add parsley, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
  11. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire cooling rack on top; set aside.
  12. Remove Mac and cheese balls from the freezer and roll, one at a time, in flour (shaking off the excess), then dipping in egg mixture, then rolling (and pressing lightly to coat) in the panko mixture.
  13. Repeat with remaining balls.
  14. Place half the balls on a clean wax paper lined plate and refrigerate (or freeze), while frying the other half. ** You don't want to let the balls get too warm, or they could start to fall apart during the frying process.
  15. Add Mac and cheese balls, 4-5 at a time to the hot oil, gently nudging the balls as they fry, so all sides are fried equally. Fry for approximately 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
  16. Gently remove fried balls and place onto the prepared wire rack to cool. **Repeat with any remaining balls. ** Serve hot, drizzled with a bit of Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce, sprinkled with parsley, and with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.