Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why use evaporated milk in mac and cheese? ›

The second big key was to use evaporated milk as the base liquid. 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.

Milk: Keeps our cheese sauce super creamy. I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Mustard and spices: A combination of Dijon mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt makes this macaroni and cheese extra delicious. Cheese: I use white cheddar and parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Pro Tip: Don't use pre-shredded cheese. Many store-bought shredded cheese brands coat their cheese with an anti-caking agent than can make sauces grainy and less creamy. While it requires a bit of an arm workout, grating your own yields the best texture.

It is better to use heavy cream for Mac and Cheese instead of milk, or better yet, use evaporated milk which has the thickness of heavy cream without all of the fat! Furthermore, it is more stable than heavy cream so your Macaroni and Cheese is less likely to curdle or separate.

Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Although it may be tempting, because of the added sugar, you should generally avoid substituting sweetened condensed milk in any recipe that calls for evaporated. If you don't have evaporated milk available, it's possible to substitute a cup of light cream, or you can make your own.

For a creamy taste without the cream, try evaporated (canned) milk! Evaporated milk is made by removing water from fresh milk and then heating it. Heating the milk gives it the creamy, slightly cooked taste and darker colour. When mixed with an equal amount of water, it can be substituted for fresh milk in recipes.

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

Place par-boiled macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour milk mixture over macaroni, season with salt and pepper, and stir until combined. Press mixture evenly into the baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until top is browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

What cheese to avoid for mac and cheese? ›

I would avoid Swiss (greasy when melted), mozzarella (melts great but noticeably bland here), parm (doesn't blend well with this technique), pecorino (same problem), and all low-fat or part-skim cheeses, which will not turn into a sauce at all but a bunch of stringy sludge.

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? Yes, adding more cheese than a recipe calls for will not improve the dish. Too much cheese will result in a dish that is heavy and greasy.

Those starch molecules thicken the sauce, while the concentrated milk proteins from the evaporated milk add that signature dairy flavor, without all the water you'd get from cream or regular milk. Translation? Smooth, shiny, perfectly emulsified cheese that doesn't clump, taste floury, or break into greasy pools.

The product was invented in 1885 as a way to enjoy milk without the need for refrigeration. Heating the milk kills lingering bacteria that can cause spoilage and also reduces its weight, making it easier to transport. Evaporated milk is slightly thicker than fresh milk and has a more opaque, slightly yellow color.

Evaporated milk tastes like milk but with a thicker, less watery consistency. The process of heating the evaporated milk in the cans imparts a slightly sweet flavor to the milk and it's just a bit darker in color than ordinary milk.