There are all kinds of noodles,
but today we're going full Americana
with a smoked mac and cheese
born here in Hazel Crest.
(upbeat music)
Pantella said Mae's Que house was a must for this episode.
So we're here for all the smokey goodness.
Oh and did I mention, it comes with rib tips.
(upbeat music)
- I would like to order the turkey tips.
(knife chopping)
- I'm gonna try the Mae's smoked meat salad
- And then did you want ranch or barbecue ribs?
- [Marley] Mae's Que House, we have to talk first about Mae.
- Mae is mom. (bell dinging)
Barbecue has always brought our family together.
What we do here is what we do all the time at home.
(knife chopping)
And so it's very fulfilling to give people
what we have all the time at our table.
- A little taste of your home. - That's right.
- So you're our mac and cheese specialist.
- [Nichole] Yes.
- You guys smoke your mac and cheese.
- Yes, it gives it all the flavor.
- The smoke taste that you get in it,
I've never had anything like it in my entire life.
- I'm very picky about my macaroni and cheese.
I love mine, I love my mom.
This is good, I think I'll serve this to my family.
- Something about the infusion of the smoke.
I would never have imagined it would be so good.
- This hands down is probably the best barbecue I've had.
(upbeat music)
- People usually pick a protein to go with it.
- Yes. - What're we doing today?
- Rib tips.
Mae's Que House is Chicago's best,
because we give you our family love.
- Well I'm excited to meet some more of the family,
and taste some of that love.
There he is!
I found some family.
Let's make some mac and cheese.
- Let's make some mac and cheese.
We like to boil the noodles,
put them in there warm,
and let the heat melt the butter.
So the first thing we're gonna do is add the egg mixture.
- Okay. - Then we're gonna sprinkle
the spice mixture all over.
- Can I know at least one ingredient
in the secret spice mixture? - Salt.
- Salt, wow, the one I knew was in there,
but thank you so much.
- Then we're gonna add the cheese,
and I'm gonna pour the milk in for you.
Now you're gonna mix it up.
And into the pan.
(upbeat music)
And then the cheese on top.
Now it's time for the smoker!
(upbeat music)
- I left Nichole over at the smoker,
we got 20 minutes on our mac and cheese,
but I hear you're the pit master, Derek.
- Yes I am. - Yes you are, all right.
Lets make some rib tips! - That's right.
- I like the enthusiasm.
- [Derek] This is the rib tip,
you have to cut all the fat off the rib tip,
so it won't be all nasty. - Yeah, we don't want
a nasty rib tip. - No, no, no, no, no.
- Spice rubs? - Yeah, spice rubs,
- Teach me your ways.
- Okay, you take a little bit in your finger tips,
spread it on. - And just run it along?
All right. - Then you rub, you just rub.
Called rub, you gotta rub it, all right.
- Is that enough on that side? - That's enough.
That's enough.
(upbeat music)
- How'd we do? - Okay, good.
- I usually like slightly more than that,
but I'll take, okay good.
- No, you can't put too much you'll burn it up,
make it look nasty.
That's enough, that's enough.
- I'm gonna burn it, and make it look nasty.
- Presentation is the best thing.
- Yes it is.
- If it look good, I'll eat it.
If it don't look good, then don't eat it.
- Okay, we want it to look good.
Just pick it up, bring it with.
- I have, I have a container, stop.
(vinyl scratching)
- Derek, you're kind of bossy.
- Yeah, you gotta do it right.
- He doesn't like me in his kitchen.
(upbeat music)
- [Marley] All right Chris, the sauce master.
- I would love to teach you how to make it on TV,
but it's a super secret. - Oh.
So I gotta dig into this mac and cheese first.
I have never in my lifetime had a mac and cheese
that taste like this. - It's different, isn't it?
Very different - It's different,
but it's delicious.
That smokiness gives it just the perfect flavor.
Especially to go with some tips.
The meat is so tender, and I love this combo sauce.
That is delicious. - A lot of prep goes into it,
to get it like that.
- Well and Derek's kinda nuts about his rib tips.
- If you're not gonna do it right,
then you not gonna be in the kitchen.
- Which is why I'm out here now.
- It happens, we've all been kicked out.
- So I'm in the family now that I've been kicked out.
- No, you just have one of,
you have a common experience.
- I can't be in the family?
- Yeah, you can make it,
but there's more trauma you gotta go through.
(both laughing) (upbeat music)
- Could we get messy now though and eat,
I was trying to be careful
while we were doing the TV thing, but--
- Sometimes, you gotta make a mess.
- All right, let's do it, I'm pouring this on.
It's time. (upbeat music)
(logo whooshing)