r/macandcheese

The greatest store bought Mac and cheese I’ve ever had, and I’ve just about tried them all. Just absolutely unreal how good this is. How could I ever bother making my own Mac again when I know this exists?

Left is cooking on medium-high: disgusting, clumpy, burnt disaster. Right is on low heat for triple the time.

You will need:
12 oz.(~345 g) thick cut bacon
1 lb.(454 g) tubular or shell pasta - the classic is elbow macaroni, but I've grown really fond of this cellantani
8 oz.(227 g) Brie cheese
8 oz.(227 g) smoked Gouda
8 oz.(227 g) smoked Gruyere
8 oz.(227 g) fresh mozzarella pearls(this is an approximate; I had some left over in my fridge and didn't weigh them)
Some freshly grated Parmesan
2-6 tablespoons(30-90g) butter(depending on whether you use it or bacon grease to build the sauce)
About 4 cups(~1 L) whole milk
About 1/4 cup all-purpose flour(not pictured)
1 cup(50 g) Panko bread crumbs(not pictured)
Salt, pepper, and MSG(not pictured)
Some Dijon mustard(not pictured)

Begin by boiling a tubular or small shell pasta to just al dente(if you like it softer, it will be by the time we bake it). Remove the rind from the Brie and cut into 1/2" cubes. Shred the Gruyere. Cut the Gouda into 1/2" cubes. Cover and refrigerate your cheeses. Cut the bacon into 1/2" wide strips in a cold pan. Heat over high heat and stir frequently. Cook until all water has evaporated and the bacon has become browned and slightly crisp. Remove from heat. Pour the bacon and grease into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the grease; it is the reason for the variation in the amount of butter. Return the pan to high heat and heat either 4 tablespoons bacon grease or 4 tablespoons butter. When completely melted, add enough flour just to absorb the fat. Whisk and cook about 2 minutes. Add a small amount of milk and whisk in, adding more when the liquid evaporates. Do so until the roux has been fully hydrated. Cook until thick. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, the Brie, and half the Gruyere. Mix until the cheese is fully melted and the mixture is smooth; now you have a Mornay sauce. Taste, adjust for salt, MSG, and pepper and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small frying pan over high heat. When melted, add the Panko and toss constantly until golden-brown. Remove from heat and set aside. When the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot. Add the Mornay sauce, the Gouda, the fresh mozzarella pearls, and the bacon. Stir well to combine. Pour into a 13"x9" baking dish. Cover with the remaining Gruyere. Spread the panko evenly over the top. Give a generous grating of fresh parm. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the oven until the sauce bubbles, about 25-30 minutes, before broiling until the top is as golden-brown as you like. Remove from the oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Definitely Buying Again and Getting Bread Crumbs with it

So for tonights dinner i decided to make southern style mac and cheese, complete with the eggs and evaporated milk, using the binging with babish recipe here, last recipe in the vid. Everything looked perfect, every step of the way, all the way until i dug into it. Super dry, looked almost curdled??? And it tasted like nothing. I really dont get it, because every single recipe i can find seems almost exactly the same, same proportions and everything. And i followed every direction to the letter, besides substituting elbow macaroni for cavatapi. Attached is a photo of mine and a photo of what it was supposed to look like, as in the video. I used my own grated cheese, no bag stuff. Please help :(

Doesn't exactly beat Beechers except in price...(by a lot btw) close in taste tho.

I add some tuna, sweet peas and plenty of black pepper.

SO delish guys

Cabot and now this is my mainstay M&C..

For context, I have ARFID and mac and cheese is my longest safest food group of all. It is my go-to fall back when I've had a stressful day and I can't even think about food. I love this subreddit because you guys post the best reviews with detailed notes on texture and flavor so I know what to expect when trying a new box.

Curry is also a semi-safe food for me depending on where it's from and what it looks like. My husband got me to try it one time when we were on a night out and I had a few drinks so I was more open to trying things. Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala have become favorites of mine. We drive over an hour to our nearest Indian restaurant a few times a year.

When I saw this in Walmart, my eyes lit up. Guys, this stuff is spectacular. It's almost curry enough that it's not quite mac and cheese, but it's also cheesy enough that it's not quite curry sauce either. It's almost a third, super tasty thing in a category of its own.

The noodles are the super wide-open elbows with the ribs on the outside so they hold the sauce nicely and have a nice bite.

The cheese is nice and sharp and the seasoning packs so much yummy curry flavor. I will say it is a bit gritty texture-wise with all the seasoning but I get past that because the flavor is exceptional.

10/10, highly recommend.

Super creamy mac from a recipe that makes too much sauce and so just begs to have things added to it. Frozen California blend veggies cooked with the boiling pasta for the last five minutes and diced cooked chicken breast thrown in to make the most epic dinner casserole.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/87860/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese/

I wish I had hot sauce to make it more in line of what I'd like it to be. Thoughts?

Large wide elbows. Goopy cheese slid out of the foil pack in one long rectangle, nothing left inside the foil pack. Took like 5min to break it up and stir it effectively into the noodles. The taste was mild to start with. It got tastier with about 3 more bites, then went back to Mild/Barely Noticable. I bought it at an organic co-op grocery store. It looks like a Daiya knockoff.

SCORES

noodles: 5/10

Cheese goo: 3/10

Texture: 4/10

Taste: 4/10

MOOD: DISSATISFIED

buy it again? NAH BRO.

This time southwest mac. 2 cheddars and a Monterrey Jack. Just a can of no salt added rotel and fresh jalapeño. Salt, pepper, garlic powder, MSG, yellow mustard. My fav noodle cavatappi.

Recipe :
Half yellow and red bell pepper each (chopped in bite size pieces)
A cup of boiled sweet corn
One finely chopped onion
3/4 finely chopped garlic cloves
Butter
Flour
Milk
Black pepper
Salt
Mozzarella cheese
Boiled macaroni

1. In a pan, take a splash of olive oil, add garlic and onion.

2. Once it is aromatic, add all the bell pepper and sweet corn.

3. Add salt and let it cook till all the moisture has evaporated.

4. In another pan, add butter, melt it on low flame.

5. Add some flour.

6. Add milk in parts and keep stirring to avoid lumps

7. Once smooth, add black pepper and salt and a little bit of red chilli powder.

8. Add all the sautéed veggies and macaroni, mix well.

9. Remember to keep flame on low throughout.

10. Once mixed, transfer the macaroni to a bowl and add mozzarella cheese on top for the crust.

11. Put it in the airfryer at 185 degrees for 4 mins or until you see golden/brown crust.

Enjoy!

Tangy and creamy. Not bad at all.