Mac and cheese waffles at 'Arrogant Swine' in Bushwick

Lauren Glassberg Image
Friday, November 11, 2016
Mac and cheese waffles at 'Arrogant Swine' in Bushwick
Lauren Glassberg highlights this BBQ joint in Brooklyn for this week's Neighborhood Eats

Bushwick, Brooklyn (WABC) -- This week in Neighborhood Eats we try some North Carolina BBQ at the "Arrogant Swine" in Brooklyn.

The restaurant is located at 173 Morgan Avenue in Bushwick.

"No one else is doing Carolina BBQ because if you don't have the whole hog your don't have Carolina BBQ," said Tyson Ho, Arrogant Swine.

Butterflied and on the Barbie, Ho opened the "Arrogant Swine" two years ago in an old warehouse in Bushwick.

There are picnic tables outside and lots of room inside to gorge on barbeque.

"If you notice there's east and west, it's all delicious to me," Ho said.

Ho who's from Flushing, Queens, thinks North Carolina BBQ is so delicious he left a career in the financial world to do this.

His pigs are heritage breed Chester whites from North Carolina, and each cooks 12-16 hours.

"Everything the animal is eating and every step it takes is coming through in every bite," Ho said.

When you order the pulled pork, you're getting bites from every part of the animal.

"When you get pulled pork anywhere else you're only getting pork butt. That's one note. We are looking for a symphony sandwich," Ho said.

"It's soft and tender the meat melts in my mouth," a customer said.

You can get ribs, even chicken if you must, and plenty of sides.

"The running gag here is you can have any side dish you want as long as it's shaped like a waffle," Ho said.

Aside from the smokers there are no actual ovens.

So if you want mac and cheese, it's going to be in a waffle form.

Ho makes a roux with butter, flour, and milk.

He melts cheddar into that and adds the cheese to cooked elbow pasta, and then it's into the waffle iron.

There's a little humor with that arrogant swine.

"We are the pigs, we love this place, are you kidding me," a customer said.

That's exactly what the pit master loves to hear.

"Drooling human beings are my favorite entertainment," Ho said.

Mac and Cheese Waffle Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of elbow macaroni

1 stick of butter

cup of flour

2 cups of whole milk

salt

1 pound cheddar (sharp) cheese (shredded)

Directions:

Cook macaroni al dente and drain.

Meanwhile melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium low heat. Begin making a roux by adding a little bit of flour at a time, don't stop whisking. Once all flour is in, add the milk and continue whisking. Add a pinch of salt. Add the cheese a little at a time to it melts; you may need to adjust the heat. Once it's all melted in, add in the macaroni. You can do this over low or no heat.

Heat waffle iron and coat with non-stick spray. Cover bottom of iron with enough macaroni and press. Keep closed until waffle is cooked.

Makes 3-4 waffles, depending on size of waffle iron.