Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
A delicious stove top version of macaroni and cheese created for the convenience, ease, and superior taste to boxed options.
A delicious stove top version of macaroni and cheese created for the convenience, ease, and superior taste to boxed options.
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 6 ounces evaporated milk
- 1/2 teaspoon louisiana-style hot sauce, or to taste (i use frank's or crystal)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Carbohydrate 49.0501025 g
- Cholesterol 647.374375 mg
- Fat 52.2047925 g
- Fiber 2.04523752441257 g
- Protein 44.35396625 g
- Saturated Fat 28.455853 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (316g)
- Sodium 1056.68875 mg
- Sugar 47.0048649755874 g
- Trans Fat 4.594153 g
- Calories 844 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Cook your macaroni in this until just al dente, according to the package directions.
- Drain well, then return to the pot.
- Add the butter and toss the macaroni well to coat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard.
- Stir the egg/milk mixture into the hot pasta, then add the cheese.
- Reduce the heat to low, and continue to stir and cook until cheese is melted and mixture is creamy.
- Serve.
Standard ingredient lists omit the fundamental physical chemistry required to turn shredded cheddar and evaporated milk into a cohesive emulsion rather than a greasy, separated sauce. Evaporated milk contains roughly sixty percent less water than regular milk, concentrating casein proteins and creating a stable continuous phase that resists curdling when heated directly with fat. Tossing the freshly drained pasta in warm butter coats the starch molecules in a hydrophobic lipid layer, preventing the pasta from absorbing too much liquid and turning mushy during the final low-heat stirring phase. Whole eggs play a critical structural role here: the lecithin in the yolks acts as a natural surfactant, bridging the gap between water-based milk components and melting cheese fats to yield a glossy texture. Maintaining low heat is mandatory once the dairy and eggs enter the pot; exposing albumin proteins to temperatures above 160 degrees Fahrenheit too quickly will cause rapid coagulation and scrambling. For those requiring dietary modifications, gluten-free brown rice or chickpea elbow pasta can replace standard wheat macaroni, though alternative starches shed more surface starch into the cooking water, requiring a thorough rinse before tossing with the butter. Lactose-intolerant cooks can substitute equal volumes of evaporated goat's milk or commercially treated lactose-free concentrated milk without altering the protein ratios needed for stabilization. Leftovers kept in an airtight container for up to three days require gentle reheating over indirect heat with a tablespoon of added water to reconstitute the broken emulsion matrix.
