Dr BBQ’s Mac n Cheese Soup

After having a bowl of Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup, I knew I could find something better that I could make from scratch.  Through the search, I found Dr BBQ’s Mac n Cheese Soup.  This is a recipe from Ray Lampe’s (aka Dr BBQ) NFL Gameday Cookbook.  Ray is a friend and fellow competition BBQ’er.  Among many things, Ray is the executive chef at Justin Timberlake’s Manhattan restaurant: Southern Hospitality.

Mac and Cheese Soup
(Revised from the original NFL Gameday Cookbook recipe)
10 slices thick-cut bacon
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup all purpose flour
16 oz chicken stock
3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves
4 cups (1 pound) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups dried elbow macaroni, cooked

Cut the bacon strips into quarters. Over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove it to paper towels to drain.

Add a little oil to the pan if needed, then add the onion. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and butter.  Continue cooking until the onion is soft and lightly browned, about another 5 minutes. Add the flour and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Add the milk, chili powder, pepper, mustard and tarragon. Return the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the cheese and bacon and continue cooking and stirring until well blended, about 4 minutes. Add the cooked macaroni and return to a simmer.

As an added treat, I created garlic, oregano toasts to float in the soup.  A compound butter with pressed garlic was spread on both sides of some day old Italian bread.  Oregano was dusted onto the top.

Using my oven’s broiler, the bread was toasted on both sides until crisp.