My husband couldn’t stop talking about these sliders, and I think your family will love them too. Tender, juicy pulled pork tossed in a root beer barbecue sauce is topped with a crispy, creamy fried mac ‘n cheese square for a fun, flavorful bite.

These sliders were born from leftovers of a new barbecue recipe I tried: Slow-Smoked Root Beer Barbecued Pig Wings. After enjoying the wings for a few days, I wanted to turn the leftovers into something special, so I paired the smoky pork with a simple mac ‘n cheese that I chilled and then fried into crunchy squares.

To make the mac ‘n cheese, prepare your favorite easy stovetop version. Cook macaroni until al dente, drain, then stir in butter, Velveeta, shredded mozzarella-provolone blend, a bit of grated parmesan, mustard, pepper, and heavy cream. Heat on low until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Pour the hot mac into a lightly sprayed 11×7 baking dish (or two small loaf pans) to form a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic so it touches the surface, let it cool, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight until fully chilled and firm.

While the mac chills, shred or pull your leftover smoked barbecue meat and place it in a saucepan. To finish the pork, combine three ingredients for the root beer barbecue sauce: a bold sweet-and-spicy sauce, a classic sweet barbecue sauce, and a splash of A&W root beer. If you’re reheating chilled meat, add about 1/4 cup of hot water to the pan under the meat to prevent scorching. Stir the sauces into the shredded pork and heat gently over low until warmed through and well coated.

When you’re ready to assemble the sliders, heat about 2–3 inches of oil in a deep frying pan to medium. Cut the chilled mac ‘n cheese into squares roughly the size of your slider or hamburger buns. Set up a triple-coating station: seasoned flour (about 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper), a beaten egg bath (2 extra-large eggs), and seasoned breadcrumbs (1/4 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs mixed with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp pepper). Coat each mac square in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, making sure each side is covered evenly.

Fry the mac ‘n cheese squares 1–3 at a time until deep golden, turning as needed — this should take about 30 seconds to a minute per side depending on oil temperature. Remove the fried squares to a cooling rack over a baking sheet to drain. Only fry as many as you’ll serve immediately to maintain their crispness.

To assemble, pile the bottom half of each bun with plenty of the root beer barbecue pork, top with a fried mac ‘n cheese square, and finish with the top bun. For easier eating, slice the slider in half. Serve hot and enjoy the contrast of smoky, saucy pork with crunchy, gooey mac ‘n cheese.

These sliders are simple but spectacular. From half a batch of mac ‘n cheese I made six full-sized sliders and turned the leftover mac into strips to fry as “fries” for other sandwiches. The combination of flavors works really well together, and it’s a recipe you’ll likely make again.

Notes: The Slow-Smoked Root Beer Barbecued Pig Wings recipe was the base for the pulled pork used here. If reheating cold pulled pork, add a bit of water to the pan before heating to keep the sauce from burning.

Smoked BBQed Pulled “Pig Wing” Sliders with Fried Mac ‘n Cheese

Ingredients

5–6 cups smoked pulled pork (leftover “Pig Wings” suggested)

Root Beer Barbecue Sauce:

1/2 cup Bold & Thick Sweet ‘n Spicy Weber BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce
1 Tbsp A&W Root Beer
Optional: 1/4 cup hot water if reheating cold pulled meat (pour into pan under meat)

Easy Mac ‘n Cheese:

2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
1 Tbsp butter
8 oz Velveeta, diced
4 oz (1 cup) shredded mozzarella-provolone blend
1 Tbsp lightly packed finely grated parmesan
1/4 tsp mustard
1/16 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream

Coating:

Bowl #1: Seasoned Flour — 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper
Bowl #2: Egg Bath — 2 extra-large eggs, beaten
Bowl #3: Seasoned Breadcrumbs — 1/4 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp pepper

Rest of Ingredients:

Oil for frying
Slider buns or regular hamburger buns

Instructions

Make the mac ‘n cheese: Cook macaroni in boiling water until al dente, drain, then return to the pan. Stir in butter, Velveeta, shredded cheese, parmesan, mustard, pepper, and cream. Heat gently over low until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth. Pour into a sprayed 11×7 dish (or two small loaf pans) to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, cool, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight until firm.

Prepare the pork: Shred leftover smoked barbecue into a saucepan. Add both barbecue sauces and the root beer, stirring to coat. If reheating chilled meat, add about 1/4 cup hot water to the pan first to prevent scorching. Heat over medium-low until warmed through.

Heat oil: Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a deep frying pan and heat over medium until ready for frying.

Coat the mac squares: Cut the chilled mac into squares matching your buns. Dredge each square in seasoned flour, dip in the beaten eggs, then press into the seasoned breadcrumbs. Repeat so each square is well coated on all sides. Place coated squares on a plate.

Fry the mac: Fry 1–3 squares at a time until deeply golden, turning as needed — about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side depending on oil temperature. Remove to a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Only fry what will be eaten immediately.

Assemble sliders: Pile the bottom of each bun with hot barbecue pork, top with a fried mac ‘n cheese square, and add the top bun. Slice in half if desired and serve immediately.