Chasing the perfect Mac and Cheese

[lowcountrygamecock]

I'm chasing the perfect smoked mac and cheese recipe and don't know where to start. For comparison sake, Heim bbq in Ft Worth has a green chilli mac and cheese that's fantastic. Texture and flavor are off the chart and what I'm looking for. I could modify without the green chilli's and be fine but that's the texture and cheesyness that I'm after.

Most people's baked mac and cheese comes out with soft noodles. I want some chew to my noodles and don't know how to get that.

Cheese is the other big one. My wife's baked mac and cheese is good but the cheesy part comes out curdled if that makes any sense. Almost looks like cottage cheese and I don't like it.

Any suggestions for where to start? Recipes are all over the place and that's a time consuming and slightly expensive thing(depending on the cheese) to test a bunch of different recipes.

 

[Brokenhandle]

As far as noodles go I'd say don't cook them as long to boil them at first. I've seen as short as like 4 minutes compared to the approximate almost 8 minutes for aldente.
Cheese mixture comes out almost curdled... could also be grainy? That's what used to happen to mine. Not sure I can explain it as good as others but your roux is breaking. This last batch I made came out really good... just left the milk sit out on counter to warm... never heated it.
As far as cheeses go... it's all over the place. Try making as small batches as you can to keep costs down and prevent as much waste as possible.

Ryan

 

[dazdnaz]

Look into sodium citrate it smooths out the texture of the cheese by preventing the oils from separating.

 

[voyager 663rd]

Curdled-->heat was too high when melting the cheese.

Want some chew? Your mac noodles have been cooked too long.

Want 'stringy' so to speak? Add provolone to it.

Use 10% cream instead of milk for creamier.

Best tip though is to use a lower heat.

 

[gmc2003]

Here's one I make. Cook the noodles just before they hit aldente, I like cheddar cheese but you'll need to mix in either a Jack or something like a Gruyere to give it smoothness. Also always use freshly grated cheese. The pregrated has anti-clumping stuff added to it.

End of Summer Seafood Mac-n-Cheese

Well the end of summer is fast approaching, and we had a hankering for some seafood Mac. The dish starts off with two lobsters. Both are just under 1.5 pounds. I had the store steam these for me. One less pot for me to wash. Next its grating time. An 8oz block of smoked Gruyere Cheese, and...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[BigW.]

I like this one:

Smoked Mac and Cheese - Learn to Smoke Meat with Jeff Phillips

Here's my version of smoked mac and cheese and if you are a mac and cheese lover like I am, then you will appreciate this recipe beyond words!

www.Smoking-Meat.com

I won't tell your wife what you said about her mac

 

[kilo charlie]

I'm chasing the perfect smoked mac and cheese recipe and don't know where to start. For comparison sake, Heim bbq in Ft Worth has a green chilli mac and cheese that's fantastic. Texture and flavor are off the chart and what I'm looking for. I could modify without the green chilli's and be fine but that's the texture and cheesyness that I'm after.

Most people's baked mac and cheese comes out with soft noodles. I want some chew to my noodles and don't know how to get that.

Cheese is the other big one. My wife's baked mac and cheese is good but the cheesy part comes out curdled if that makes any sense. Almost looks like cottage cheese and I don't like it.

Any suggestions for where to start? Recipes are all over the place and that's a time consuming and slightly expensive thing(depending on the cheese) to test a bunch of different recipes.

No Boil Smoked Mac n Cheese by Cold Iron

2 1/2 cups of uncooked elbow noodles
3/4 stick butter
12 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, shred a brick it melts better and less oil
4 oz. Velveeta cheese to make it creamier
5 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper

2.5 hours at 240. Careful not to over cook. Stir 3 times toward the end.

 

[Jim_C]

I like this one:

Smoked Mac and Cheese - Learn to Smoke Meat with Jeff Phillips

Here's my version of smoked mac and cheese and if you are a mac and cheese lover like I am, then you will appreciate this recipe beyond words!

www.Smoking-Meat.com

I won't tell your wife what you said about her mac

Just what I needed...another rabbit hole to go down. So now the game plan is to get a pork butt, some Dr Pepper, and make the No Boil Smoked Mac n Cheese. That should take care of tomorrows duties.

 

[radioguy]

Here is one that will impress. Not sure where Sqwibs is now but his recipe is still here. Try version #3.
RG

SQWIBS Macaroni and Cheese

Fixed Links February 28, 2013 This post had to be changed due to missing images and formatting, however all the information is accurate SQWIBS Macaroni and Cheese OK here was the dilemma, some of my family like “Oven Baked Mac n’ Cheese”, while others like the smoother creamier type like...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[lowcountrygamecock]

Looks like I have some new recipes to test!

 

[Quiganomics]

I'm chasing the perfect smoked mac and cheese recipe and don't know where to start. For comparison sake, Heim bbq in Ft Worth has a green chilli mac and cheese that's fantastic. Texture and flavor are off the chart and what I'm looking for. I could modify without the green chilli's and be fine but that's the texture and cheesyness that I'm after.

Most people's baked mac and cheese comes out with soft noodles. I want some chew to my noodles and don't know how to get that.

Cheese is the other big one. My wife's baked mac and cheese is good but the cheesy part comes out curdled if that makes any sense. Almost looks like cottage cheese and I don't like it.

Any suggestions for where to start? Recipes are all over the place and that's a time consuming and slightly expensive thing(depending on the cheese) to test a bunch of different recipes.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I prepare my mac and cheese so that it can be served in squares on hold firm as pictured below. Can give you my method/recipe if so...

 

[civilsmoker]

Here is how Mrs Civil does it are house..... it was from this thread.....
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/butter-knife-brisket.314282/

Homemade Mac & Cheese:
1/4C Flour
1/4C Butter
Cook flour & butter till the flour is cooked in.
Wisk in 2C Milk & 1C heavy cream & put on a very low simmer
Once sauce is creamy add:
1C (each) of coarse grated smoked gouda & extra sharp cheddar (Tillamook)
1/2C fine grated parmesan
Season with S&P and some old bay (yes old bay its a secret spice for mac)....you can add some red pepper if you want some heat as well.

Next your fav pasta, about 8 to 12 oz dry (boil it al dente while making the sauce).
Add pasta to cheese sauce it is creamy, you want it saucy cause it will be absorbed by the pasta
Put in oven safe dish (individual size or family size). Add some for cheese blend on top and any other goodies you want, ie sausage, bacon, chicken…..then seasoned bread crumbs if desired. The sauce and pasta are the canvas create individual tastes….

Then put in the oven at 400ish to melt the cheese and brown the crumbs (about 6 to 10 min). Added chopped green onion if desired.

 

[civilsmoker]

Oh had to add this is the best way to eat mac.....
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...mac-cheese-brisket-pizza.314296/#post-2317300

 

[Fueling Around]

I use the recipe on the back of the Creamettes noodle box, but double the bechamel (roux and dairy) as a rough starting point.
As other's posted, you wife doesn't let the bechamel cool enough before adding the cheese.
Overheated cheese breaks into a greasy mess with chewy clumpy granules.
I use a blend of cheeses including cheddar, american, and jack
Under cook the noodles by a minute.
The most important part is a lot of rendered bacon ends and pieces.

 

[chef k-dude]

Look into sodium citrate it smooths out the texture of the cheese by preventing the oils from separating.

I found this when we went low carb for several years. I bought low carb pasta (not the konjac rubber bands) and started making "molecular keto" cheese sauce. My Mac n Cheese hasn't had flour in it for years now. I've had to make some tweaks over the years to get the "set" right on the baked version and the looseness right on the stove-top version, but the cheese sauce method is the same, only the moisture vs. cheese ratios change. Using chicken broth instead of just water amps up the umami.

This guy makes his sauce on the stovetop. I dont use Gruyère either.

Modern Baked Mac and Cheese With Cheddar and Gruyère Recipe

This baked macaroni and cheese recipe harnesses the amazing emulsifying powers of sodium citrate to make the gooiest and silkiest cheese sauce. It's like the boxed stuff, but even better because we use cheddar and Gruyère.

www.seriouseats.com

I make all of my cheese sauce in the microwave. Easy.

The same base method goes in my baked version, stovetop version for summertime and also gets thinned a bit for broccoli and cauliflower, etc. Also great for queso. most soft cheeses can be used, like pepper-jack, etc.. I like to make pimento mac n cheese too.

You have to play around with it to get exactly whats right for you, but eating the trials doesn't suck! I dont smoke mac n cheese.

Oh, and I didn't read all the other recipes but I use seasonings and when I'm doing sharp cheddar (Almost always and always extra sharp) I also use cheddar powder which jacks the flavor up. Mustard powder is also a great ingredient.

 

[zwiller]

I found this when we went low carb for several years.

STPP also works. Alternately, a base made with American (Extra Melt "govt" cheese) does the same thing.

Call me nuts but have no desire for smoke on mine and as far as I am concerned Chick Fil A has mastered the stuff.

 

[jcam222]

Look into sodium citrate it smooths out the texture of the cheese by preventing the oils from separating.

100%

 

[chef k-dude]

STPP also works. Alternately, a base made with American (Extra Melt "govt" cheese) does the same thing.

Call me nuts but have no desire for smoke on mine and as far as I am concerned Chick Fil A has mastered the stuff.

Yep, sodium citrate was Kraft's breakthrough back in the day for making shelf stable cheese. Velveeta, etc. are also in this lane. Now Kraft/Heinz.

I'm with you, I dont want smoke on mine either, but hey, this is a smoking site. Some folks probably smoke their dinner napkins up in here!

 

[Fueling Around]

Yep, sodium citrate was Kraft's breakthrough back in the day for making shelf stable cheese. Velveeta, etc. are also in this lane. Now Kraft/Heinz.
...

"American" cheese was developed in Switzerland.