Best baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

Last one I did was in 7" cast iron skillets. I saw some place on Triple D that did that, and it came out awesome.

Use whatever recipe you want, butter the inside of the skillet, then bake it off.

It gives the cheese all around the skillet a crust, and helps the texture for the rest of the forkfulls.


Damn man, this thread is gonna have me making mac'n cheese before the end of the day.

In a large saucepan, make a light butter-flour roux or bechamel with 1 stick of butter and 1/2c flour. Slowly add your evaporated milk or cream. Blend in some grated cheese. Get good cheeses. I have used aged cheddars, jarlsberg, smoked gouda, ect. Yes, you can use American for a more traditional dish.

Pour this into a baking pan with your boiled noodles and cover with another layer of cheese then bake. *I use the sharp cheese of top, and a creamier cheese in the sauce.

Hope this helps.

quote:

---

Btigerfan

---

Mornay is the only way to make proper mac and cheese.

Mac'n Cheese

16 oz. macaroni
5 cups milk (Combination of your choosing: 3 cups buttermilk & 2 cups half-n-half is excellent. Or use 3 cups sweet milk (whole, 2%, skim) & 2 cups half-n-half or any combo you like, even heavy cream.)
1 stick butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbs. dried mustard
2 lbs of cheese, shredded (All cheddar, or a combo of extra sharp & mild, or extra sharp and goat and Gruyere or extra sharp and Manchego, or whatever you like best. Velveeta? I'll avert my eyes.)
Salt & pepper to taste (I like cayenne.)
Bread crumbs (panko is good)
Some Parmigiana Reggiano cheese, grated
A few more pats of butter

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9 x 11 baking dish.

Cook macaroni as directed on package, but slightly undercooked. You'll be cooking it further when you bake the mac and cheese.

Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour, whisking until well combined, cooking for 2 minutes. Add milk slowly (some people heat the milk before adding it; I don't), whisking it in until smooth, do not boil. Add dried mustard & S&P. Slowly add most of the cheese, bit by bit, whisking smooth and cooking until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Combine the cheese sauce and the macaroni and pour it into the buttered baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and the grated Parmigiana Reggiano, and then top that with a light layer of panko. Dot with butter. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Add some cayenne and jalapenos.

Want to make some legit mac, use some gruyere

I saw the recipe below on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: French Favorites last night. It sure looked good when it was served.

Gratin de Macaroni
Ingredients:
1 pound macaroni
5 ounces smoked slab bacon cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups grated Gruyere cheese, divided
Salt (I'd go light on this, if any)
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
3/4 cup heavy cream
Directions:
The keys to this recipe are its simplicity, the quality of the ingredients and how the dish is baked. The recipe uses a classic French mother sauce with cheese and some basic seasonings. The chef bakes the macaroni in a enameled iron gratin dish that allows browning on the top and bottom of the dish and then cooks it in a pizza oven until golden brown. Our tester says this delicious recipe is quite rich and that home cooks may be more comfortable baking it at 450 degrees for a few minutes longer.

PREHEAT oven to 500 degrees.

COOK the macaroni in boiling salted water for 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

SAUTE bacon until brown and a little crispy, drain the fat and add bacon to the cooked macaroni.

MELT the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, whisk in the flour and continue stirring until a smooth pale roux has formed. While whisking, begin ladling the milk into the roux, about one cup at a time. After the milk has been completely incorporated, continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and bubbles gently, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of Gruyere cheese, a handful at a time, and stir to melt and combine. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

POUR the finished sauce over the macaroni, then stir 1 more cup of shredded gruyere cheese into the mixture. Transfer the macaroni mixture to a gratin dish and top generously with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Drizzle with heavy cream and bake in the oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Yield:

8 to 10 servings as a side dish

Read more here: LINK

quote:

---

Want to make some legit mac, use some gruyere

---

quote:

---

Gruyère is generally known as one of the finest cheeses for baking, having a distinctive but not overpowering taste.

---

might have to try that.

That's looks awesome. I will try the iron skillet next time myself.