Posted by This Carnivore Mac and Cheese is creamy, decadent, zero carb, topped with crispy raw cheese-pork rind breadcrumbs, and garnished with (optional) chives.
PREPRATION TIME:
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Total Time: 2 hrs
Ingredients
For the “breadcrumbs”:
- 2.5 oz pork rinds (pre-ground)
- 2 oz raw cheese
For the “mac”:
- 2 eggs
- 1 lb raw ground chicken
- grass-fed ghee (for pan-frying)
- sea salt, to taste
For the cheese sauce:
- 6 oz cheese
- 1 cup milk or cream
- 2 tsp yellow mustard (optional, but recommended)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
- sea salt, to taste
Garnish:
- Chives (to taste – optional)
Instructions
Make the “breadcrumbs”.
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In your blender, blend the pork rinds down to a fine powder, then set the powder aside in a bowl.
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Cut 1/4 (2oz) off your 8oz block of cheese.
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In the same bowl with the pork rind powder, with your vegetable grater, finely shred the 2oz block of raw cheese.
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Mix the pork rind powder and shredded raw cheese around with your hands to get it to a uniform consistency, then set the mixture aside.
Make the “mac”.
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In your blender, combine two eggs, the raw ground chicken, and a dash of sea salt until it forms a paste.
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Pour the paste into your freezer bag (or large plastic bag) and zip it shut while removing the air and pushing the mixture down to one corner.
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Place 1-2 tbsp of ghee in your cooking pan, and bring to medium-high heat.
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Once the pan is hot, cut one of the corners of the plastic bag with your kitchen shears, creating a hole to squeeze out the mixture.
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Squeeze out nuggets of the chicken-egg mixture into the hot pan, and pan-fry them until golden brown. I did 1-2 minutes on each side, then kept flipping them until they turned the color I wanted.
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You may have to add more ghee to the pan if it runs out before you’re done pan-frying. Once the pieces are all done frying, place them in your 8″ cast iron pan (or whatever baking dish you’re using) and set it aside.
Make the cheese sauce.
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
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Pour the milk (or cream) into your cooking pot, and bring it to a boil while stirring.
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Once the milk is boiling, slowly stir in the remaining (6oz) cheese.
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Add the mustard, lemon juice, and a dash of sea salt to the sauce while still stirring.
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Once it’s fully mixed, remove the sauce from heat.
Prepare the dish.
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Pour the cheese sauce over the mac. It may be watery. This is normal and it will thicken while baking.
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Top the Mac and Cheese with a thick layer of your breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the dish.
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Place the Mac and Cheese in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
Broil the dish.
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Near the end of the 10 minutes, set your oven to broil and watch it closely. Broil for 30-60 seconds, or until the breadcrumbs start to crisp up and brown. Don’t set it and forget it at this step! It will burn fast if you don’t pay attention.
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Once it’s done broiling, remove the Mac and Cheese from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Garnish and serve.
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Garnish with freshly chopped chives (do not use if strict carnivore) or whatever you wish.
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This dish is best served and enjoyed fresh, although leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
