Alton Brown Stovetop Mac and Cheese - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Why isn't my homemade mac and cheese creamy? ›

Cook your noodles in milk instead of water

Cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes your resulting mac and cheese creamier. According to The Kitchn, cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes the sauce creamy before you even add the cheese sauce.

Add 1 tablespoon of milk per cup of mac and cheese and mix to incorprate as much as possible. *If you'd like to add more creaminess and flavor, substitute half-and-half or cream.

Cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Fontina, and Gouda cheese are good options.

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

Sour cream is the perfect ingredient to substitute for milk when making mac and cheese, giving it a rich and creamy flavor without sacrificing texture. It's easy to add in, and you can adjust it to your liking — add extra sour cream for more creaminess, and counter with extra cheese for more cheesiness.

Why Evaporated Milk Makes Better Mac. That higher concentration of milk proteins means evaporated milk is more stable, so it's less likely to “break” or curdle.

Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.

Smooth sauce.

The cheese sauce also uses evaporated milk to stabilize all the cheesiness that doesn't separate, curdle or become grainy. Multiple cheeses: The recipe is seasoned to perfection with hand-picked seasonings and using three cheeses – sharp cheddar, smoked Gouda and Gruyere for maximum cheesy seduction.

It's crowned with buttery cracker crumbs as a final touch. With just two tricks up your sleeve, it can be made a few days ahead and tossed into the oven when it's go time, but still tastes as fresh as the day you made it.

Should I prep mac and cheese the night before? ›

Everyone's favorite comfort food can be made up to 4 days ahead of time.

If macaroni and cheese has been left out at room temperature for less than 2 hours, it should be safe to refrigerate and consume later [1]. However, if it has been left out for more than 2 hours, it's best to discard it to avoid the risk of foodborne illness.

Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese is a simplified recipe. Just boil pasta in milk and then, add butter, cheese, salt, and pepper to it. Merge all the elements and Gordon Ramsay's mac and cheese will be ready in no time.

COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA [MILLED WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, CHEDDAR CLUB CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES ...

Great mac n' cheese needs one or more cheeses that melt well, and one or more cheeses that bring the flavor. The best melters include monterey jack, fontina, baby swiss, asiago, provolone, mozzarella, and alpine-style. Cheeses for flavor: cheddar, havarti, smoked gouda, gorgonzola, feta and any other of your favorites.