Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Today we are making southern baked macaroni and cheese. What makes it different from any of my other macaroni and cheese recipes? The ingredients, and texture! This is REAL Southern macaroni and cheese!
Today we are making southern baked macaroni and cheese. What makes it different from any of my other macaroni and cheese recipes? The ingredients, and texture! This is REAL Southern macaroni and cheese!
- Carbohydrate 32.4315870506248 g
- Cholesterol 1243.51587915282 mg
- Fat 396.076978144042 g
- Fiber 0.313583333333333 g
- Protein 311.351613484812 g
- Saturated Fat 251.559776467536 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1481g)
- Sodium 7675.80146622763 mg
- Sugar 32.1180037172915 g
- Trans Fat 20.4879270261627 g
- Calories 4938 calories
Step-by-step
- Pour 6 cups of water in a pot along with 2 tsps of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until it's al dente ( cooked, but firm).
- Drain the pasta, and rinse under cool water. Set it to the side
- In a large mixing bowl beat all three eggs until frothy. Next add in the evaporated milk, then the half & half. Mix until well incorporated.
- Add all of the cheeses, except 1 cup of sharp cheddar, and 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese.
- Next add in the pasta, then the salt, and black pepper. Fold in.
- Spray your bake dish with non sticking spray, then pour the macaroni into the dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the macaroni.
- Bake uncovered on 350 F, for 40 minutes.
- Let the macaroni and cheese sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
Pulling the dish from the oven at the exact forty-minute mark prevents the custard from separating into a grainy mess. Many cooks watch the timer intently while ignoring the internal dynamics of the baking dish. Starch and dairy react harshly to excess heat, meaning that overshooting the bake time by even five minutes dries out the interior. A true custard relies on exact thermal thresholds to set without curdling.
The Second-Day Transformation
Leftover baked pasta often suffers in the refrigerator. The massive quantity of dairy fats solidifies heavily at four degrees Celsius, turning a creamy casserole into a firm brick. Reheating requires careful intervention. Microwaving directly causes the cheese emulsion to break, releasing pure oil and leaving behind rubbery strands of elbow macaroni. Restoring the original texture demands low, indirect heat. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap moisture and warm it in a low oven until the center reaches serving temperature. Adding a splash of half-and-half before reheating helps rehydrate the starches. Quantities scale linearly if adjustments are required for larger gatherings, though baking times will lengthen proportionally as the depth of the casserole increases.
- Grainy texture indicates the oven temperature exceeded 350 degrees Fahrenheit during the initial bake.
- Oily pools on top mean the cheese blend contained too much moisture or melted too quickly.
- Stiff leftovers can be repurposed by pressing them into patties and frying them in butter until crisp.
