Mac n' Cheese: Tips?
I've made mac n' cheese 3 times now (and I'm not a beginner cook) and each time it doesn't have that creamy factor. It either is too dry, too oily, or too not-right. Does anyone have tips on preparation (e.g. oven temp, time in oven, amount of cream, etc.) THANKS!
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20 Comments:
Please post what you have done to the Mac and Cheese. Recipe,cooking time, baking tray?
nelson5757 at 4:55PM on 12/10/07
My first try was using the Barefoot Contessa's recipe:
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi (see Note)
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
###
I axed the tomatoes and I baked it in a enamel, white baking dish. I baked at 375 for 30-40 min.
My second try, I used the same recipe, but baked for less amount of time.
And, for my third I used 1 1/2 quart of cream (not milk). It didn't come out dry, but it just didn't have the nice creamy, cheese sauce.
Decca at 5:30PM on 12/10/07
I think the trick is to slightly overcool your pasta and then, once assembled, to bake it only as long as it takes to melt any extra cheese. Long baking times tend to break the bechamel and make a greasy mac.
I tend to use 4-5 cups of milk for every pound of pasta and a full pound of cheese (I use cheddar and gruyere). 5 TB of flour in a roux tightens the sauce up just enough. If I'm looking for a heart attack, I'll layer in extra cheese in the middle and on top.
I hate the thought of it, but the creamiest mac-n-cheese I've ever had was supplemented with Velveeta!
Dominic
the zen kitchen
dvchurch at 5:31PM on 12/10/07
I meant "overcook" not "overcool" :-)
dvchurch at 5:32PM on 12/10/07
I usually make a bechamel for my mac and cheese and fold in cheese and partially cooked macaroni before putting it in a casserole and baking.
For a pound of macaroni I'll use 6 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of flour, and about 5 1/2 cups of milk. I'll cook my macaroni a few minutes short of the suggested cooking time on the box and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Start by making a roux with the butter and flour and then slowly pour in the milk (whisking the whole time). After you've got all the milk incorporated and the sauce has thickened season it with salt, pepper, and some cayenne. Next stir in some sharp cheddar (I usually use sharp white cheddar) and pecorino, about 4-5 cups total with most of it being cheddar. Of course how much cheese you want depends on your taste. Then I'll incorporate in my partially cooked macaroni and transfer to a casserole. Next I'll top it with more cheese and some buttered breadcrumbs before I pop it into a 375 oven until it gets browned on top, usually about a half hour.
Hope this helps!
lliang at 5:44PM on 12/10/07
I would make a bechamel, then incorporate the cheese into the sauce. Next toss the pasta with the sauce, pour the whole thing into the casserole, and top with a mixture of equal parts cheese and bread crumbs processed together in the food processor. Sprinkle the top with a little olive oil or dot with butter and put under the broiler on the bottom rack and brown it off. Keep the casserole as far away from the broiling element as you can so it brown slowly and evenly. This will give you less gooeyness but perfect creaminess and a nice crunchy topping.
coolname at 6:01PM on 12/10/07
I'm a fan of this recipe from Saveur (orig published in Nov/Dec '95), and have great results with it EVERY time...
¾ cup milk
¾ cup cream
Equal portions of cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, totaling 2 cups
½ lb. medium elbow macaroni
butter
salt and pepper
ground white pepper
cayenne
½ c. bread crumbs (I use panko)
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook 1/2 lb. medium elbow macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, toss with 2 tbsp. butter in a medium bowl, and place in a baking dish.
Heat milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Season with salt, freshly ground white pepper, and a pinch of cayenne.
Stir in 2 cups total of grated cheddar, gruyere, and parmesan cheeses.
When cheese melts, pour sauce over macaroni and mix well. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup bread crumbs and dot with 2 tbsp. butter.
Bake till golden brown and bubbly, 30–35 minutes. Serves 6–8.
This recipe was first published in Saveur in November/December 1995
My hints:
I do all of the stovetop work in one big pot, so I'm putting the milk/cream in to a warm pot (after emptying the pasta).
I buy similar sized pieces of each cheese and then measure the total amount after shredding; that’s how I ensure even cheese balance and keep track if I’m going to double/triple/quadruple the total recipe. :-)
I also skip the butter over the pasta step, but include butter with the bread crumbs (and often use panko).
I throw the pasta in to the pot of ooey gooey cheesy goodness, rather than stir it around in the baking dish.
Lastly, I find that a hit of the broiler on low after baking does wonders to create a crunchy topping.
This recipe is always a hit...
Curlz at 6:03PM on 12/10/07
I think the key is to cook the pasta all the way. The temptation is to undercook it since it is going in the oven to cook more. But if the pasta is al dente, it will absorb liquid from your bechamel, leaving the sauce less creamy.
And it doesn't need to bake very long -- just enough to brown the top.
And some mild cheese helps -- it will melt better. I use some mild cheddar and some jack cheese. Sharp cheeses aren't as melty nice.
kjgibson at 6:05PM on 12/10/07
I use the recipe from the America's Test Kitchen Cookbook The Best Recipe - one makes a bechamel, and then they explain their reasoning behind their use of two cheeses, Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack: the cheddar has the good flavor but, like kjgibsion says, they aren't melty. Monterey Jack isn't super flavorful, but is very gooey and melty. Mix the two and voila!
lo82070 at 6:11PM on 12/10/07
I recommend the recipe on epicurious for Macaroni and Cheese with Garlic Bread Crumbs, Plain and Chipotle that is located here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102738
Some tips:
1. Use good quality pasta, not the cheap stuff. We use the imported cavatappi from Trader Joe's. Either way, make sure that you use something curved and ridged to hold the sauce, not just elbows.
2. Don't overcook the pasta - go for a little short of done.
3. Don't skimp on the dairy - you can cut one cup of the whole milk down to 2%, but not more, otherwise the dish loses its good mouth feel.
4. Grate the cheese finely, preferably with the largest holes of a Microplane box grater.
5. Don't overheat the cheese sauce.
6. When you make this recipe, it will appear that there is too much sauce. DO NOT let this bother you. Proceed as directed; the quantity of sauce keeps the dish moist, creamy and cheesy.
7. Use a glass baking dish, well buttered. We find that this recipe requires a 10x15 pan in order to have the proper ratio of creamy to slightly chewy.
8. I note that we make it all chipotle, but we use one chopped chipotle and two tablespoons of adobo.
Enjoy!!
Mizbee at 7:01PM on 12/10/07
Decca : I'm wondering if using whole milk instead of 2% or skim might be the key to creamier mac and cheese. You didn't indicate what you were using.
DaveFaris at 8:06PM on 12/10/07
Go here. This recipe is the best Mac & Cheese I have ever prepared. It's out of a restaurant called The Chat 'n Chew. It is NOT diet food - fat through the stratosphere and calories to match. In other words PERFECT for this time of year...LOL.
(A word of advice - print and keep the recipe or save it to WORD because TVFN has a lousy habit of removing recipes from their site.)
For years I made this for my daughter's birthday - she and her friends loved it - but it also appeals to adults. You will have your "creamy food" quota met.
therealchiffonade at 6:52AM on 12/11/07
Patti LaBelle's Over the Rainbow Mac and Cheese
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 TBS butter
1/2 Cup muenster cheese (2 oz), shredded
1/2 Cup mild cheddar cheese (2 oz), shredded
1/2 Cup sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz), shredded
1/2 Cup Monterey jack cheese (2 oz), shredded
2 Cups half and half
1 Cup Velveeta (8 oz), cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2 quart casserole.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.
4. In a small saucepan, melt 8 Tbsps of the butter.
5. Stir into the macaroni.
6. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp Cheddar, adn Monterey Jack cheeses.
7. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 1/2 C fo the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, adn the eggs.
8. Season with salt & pepper.
9. Transfer to the buttered casserole.
10. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 C of shredded cheese and dot with the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter.
11. Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.
grampart at 7:47AM on 12/11/07
Although the kids still prefer Kraft Mac & Cheese in the blue box I think the best is the recipe in 'Beard on Pasta' It's even better leftover.
NanaJoie at 9:29AM on 12/11/07
I made really good mac and cheese a few weeks ago using a combo of skim milk and heavy cream- more milk than cream- plus mild cheddar and gruyere. I made white sauce, melted the cheese and dumped in the noods, then topped it with panko and baked until bubbly. I can't give you exact ratios of milk:cream or cheddar:gruyere but it was the best I've ever made. Experiment a bit. I was afraid the gruyere was going to be too sharp but it wasn't. It adds the right amount of flavor and creaminess.
AuntJone at 10:26AM on 12/11/07
Alright, I'll throw my recipe in the ring. I serve it unbaked. If I were to bake it I would poke a few holes in the cold, set dish (like aerating a lawn), pour a layer of seasoned heavy cream and a bit more cheese over the top, and then top it with cheesy crumbs - gruyere and panko processed together.
Macaroni & Cheese
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2oz high quality smoked bacon, cut into lardoons
4 Tbsp flour
2oz white wine
1 pint heavy cream, hot
.25 lb aged Vermont cheddar, such as Shelbourne Farms, grated
.25 lb parmigiano reggiano
.25 cup crumbled stilton or other blue cheese
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups cooked pasta (we use Garofalo lumachine)
1) Over low to medium heat, render the bacon lardoons in the olive oil until crispy.
2) Remove bacon and reserve. Add flour to olive oil/bacon fat mixture and whisk thoroughly to combine. Cook, whisking often, 5 minutes.
3) Add wine, all at once, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
4) Add hot cream and whisk to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
5) Add cheeses, one at a time, stirring after each addition until fully incorporated.
6) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7) Fold cooked pasta and reserved bacon into cheese mixture and heat through.
8) Taste and adjust final product for salt and pepper again.
zapatista at 2:43PM on 12/11/07
I hate mac n cheese
kcashman98 at 3:45PM on 12/11/07
Make a roux first and use a variety of cheeses.
brilynn at 7:57PM on 12/11/07
The Cooks Illustrated (or Best Recipe) mac and cheese is delicious--always creamy, never oily AT ALL, and never dry!
Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
If you’re in a hurry or prefer to sprinkle the dish with crumbled common crackers (saltines aren’t bad either), you can skip the bread crumb step.
Serves 4 as a main course or 6 to 8 as a side dish
Toasted Bread Crumbs
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs from French or Italian bread
Pinch table salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
2 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard , dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , American cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 3 cups)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix bread crumb ingredients together in small baking pan. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix eggs, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, and mustard mixture in small bowl; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 quarts water to boil in large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and macaroni; cook until almost tender, but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butter; toss to melt.
4. Pour egg mixture over buttered noodles along with three-quarters of the cheese; stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining milk and cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately topped with toasted bread crumbs.
ChristineB at 12:45PM on 12/12/07
Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your feedback!
Decca at 12:58PM on 12/13/07