Hello, my name is Steve, I'm macaroni & cheese challenged. Anyone have any suggestions? This is

S

steve2-in-la

Well-known member
getting stewpid. I can make a gumbo that would make a grown man weep, a pie that would humble any grandmother and sourdough bread even Joe would like but Mac & Cheese? Doesn't happen for me. Don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've tried Alton's recipe, Paula's recipe and others. Still doesn't turn out cheesey-tasting, or with that rich mouth feel that is so desirable in this kind of dish.

I start with cooked macaroni, a bechamel made with milk, flour, salt & pepper, a bit of cayenne, a bit of dried mustard, a dash of Worcestershire sauce. I stir the shredded sharp cheddar (12-16 oz) into the warm sauce sauce until smooth, mix with pasta. Pour this into a casserole and top with buttered panko. Bake @ 350 until bubbly, 35-45 minutes.

So, what am I doing wrong? (I grew up on the Blue Box-Powdered Cheese version so maybe that ruined me for the "real" thing?) Anyone with a foolproof recipe? Ayudame, por favor.

 
Maybe it's the all-cheddar cheese. Try some mozzarella, preferably whole-milk mozz,

for creaminess. Also, perhaps your sauce is too thick. The pasta absorbs so much liquid that very little flour is needed in the bechamel.

 
Hmmm, I use 3 Tbsp flour to make the roux with 3 cups milk . It's not too thick, it simply

doesn't taste "cheddary". Again that may be the flavor memory of the blue-box version. Maybe I should just cannibalize a package for the powder although I'd hate myself if I did. Add to that I make the dish once in a blue moon and I may simply be under trained.

 
What would the neighbors say with all those ripped-open blue boxes scattered outside the door,

with the macaroni still inside.

That should not be too much flour. I still think adding a softer cheese will help. And the mixture should be soupy going into the baking dish--perhaps you could hold back on the macaroni.

 
I would suggest also, if not "cheddary" enough,. . .

a couple of squirts of yellow mustard (yes, yellow mustard) or put some sour cream in there.

 
I think you're baking it too long. Just long enough for the cheese on top to melt.

If your mixture is hot when you put it in the oven it shouldn't take that long

 
P.S.... I too was brought up with the blue box, although mine was the store brand. I still smile

and enjoy it every once in a while. My Mom was quite creative, adding cream of mushroom soup, hot dogs, etc. I think she even used it to make tuna casserole. $$ was tight, so it worked for us.

 
Steve, how is it before you bake it? If the crunchy top isn't essential,

I like it straight out of the pot.

 
To recap; used a bechamel, used dry mustard, used 12 oz cheddar, 6oz velveeta. Pasta was smooth and

creamy, topping was nicely crunchy but not "hard".

I guess my issue is it just didn't taste "cheddary". Mind you it tasted the same before going into the oven (Alton Brown's recipe used a 1/2 cup minced onion which I'll omit in the future.) In the past I've also tried using various combinations of cheese which included, besides cheddar, Fontina, Cream, Gruyere, Bleu, Parmesan and Ementhaler. Still doesn't taste right.

I had a bite of the leftovers with some a dab of French's Yellow Mustard and that was an improvement but it just may be I'm expecting Blue Box-Powdered Cheese flavoring and nothing quite matches that sense memory. Maybe I'm Mac & Cheese doomed?

 
Maybe you need cheese powder? (I'm not kidding.)

Maybe a more concentrated dose of cheddar would help. You could take the blue-box route:
http://www.foodservicedirect.com/product.cfm/p/57150/Cheddar-Cheez-Boost-513.htm

But I'd put my money on this:
http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spices/chepdrs.html
(Started out as a Denver shop--very fresh and very good quality herbs and spices. Their Paris cheese-powder blend is good on darned near everything.)

I don't think you're doomed--it sounds like an excellent first draft. smileys/smile.gif

 
Try KingArthurFlour's Vermont Cheese Powder - the tag line is And it makes wonderful "boxed" macaron

macaroni and cheese....

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/vermont-cheese-powder-6-oz

The essence of Vermont cheddar cheese, in easy-to-use powdered form: That's Vermont Cheese Powder.

Try this aromatic powdered cheddar cheese in homemade crackers or bread; enjoy it in savory monkey bread. And it makes wonderful "boxed" macaroni and cheese.
No preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors.
6-ounce bag.
WHY WE LOVE THIS: Vermont Cheese Powder is pure sharp cheddar flavor, in easy-to-use dry form. We’ve found all kinds of ways to use it, besides sprinkling it on popcorn or atop baked potatoes. Try Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup, a creamy, hearty vegetable-laced chowder. For a real treat, serve soup with Vermont Cheese Crackers. Treat your family to “The Big Cheese-y,” the best Mac & Cheese you’ll ever make. Our Cheese & Onion Swirl Buns, a savory, cheese-y version of the traditional cinnamon bun, are perfect with soup and salad. Basic Cheese Sauce is an easy-easy-EASY topping for veggies – or Welsh Rabbit, served over our Classic White Bread. Tempting, eh? Try it yourself, and see.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/vermont-cheese-powder-6-oz

 
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