Mac n' cheese

[SQWIB]

Macaroni and Cheese

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Sqwibs Macaroni and Cheese

(SQWIBS Own)
(Recipe test #3)


(Smoked with Reverse Flow Smoker)

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Ok here was the dilemma, some of my family like “Oven Baked Mac n’ Cheese”, while others like the smoother creamier type like the velveeta shells.​

I know everyone will eat the smoother type and not complain, especially Stephen and I.
So I decided to work from an “Oven Baked” type and tweak it to a smoother “kid friendly” type.
Here's what happened....

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Recipe: (Test 1) cooked on Reverse Flow. [FAIL]

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• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup yellow cheddar cheese
• 6-8 slices American cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cups heavy cream
• ½ – ¾ sleeve of Ritz Crackers

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Salt and pepper to taste

• Pour 2 cups of uncooked noodles in a 9 x 13 greased pan
• In a Saucepan bring milk and heavy cream to a low simmer using a very low heat, stirring continuously, add butter, and add the rest of the ingredients, reserving a ¼ cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of cheddar for the top. Stir until everything is smooth.
• Remove cheese sauce from flame and pour over top uncooked macaroni.
• Smoke at 250 for approximately 2 hours or until golden brown and bubbly
• To prevent this dish from becoming too brown and crusty, cover with foil if needed.
  

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Conclusion:
This was made for a party of 12 and 2 did not like it, my son Stephen and I did not care for it, I thought it was to lumpy inside and dry, I believe the cheese sauce had curdled and did not have much flavor. Back to the drawing board.

It was worse the next day.

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Recipe: (Test 2) Baked in Oven [FAIL] But a little Better

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• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup yellow cheddar cheese
• 6-8 slices American cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ – ¾ sleeve of Ritz Crackers

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Salt and pepper to taste

• Pre heat oven 350
• Boil macaroni 10 minutes, while macaroni is boiling, bring milk and heavy cream to a low simmer using a very low heat, stirring continuously, add butter, and add the rest of the ingredients, reserving a ¼ cup of mozzarella and cheddar for the top. Stir until everything is smooth.
• Remove cheese sauce from flame, remove elbow macaroni and drain, transfer to a greased 9” x 13” dish, pour cheese sauce over top.
• Sprinkle a small amount of cheddar on top, crush some Ritz crackers on top of the cheddar then add the rest of the Cheddar and mozzarella.
• Bake 350 for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly
• To prevent this dish from becoming too brown and crusty, cover with foil for the last 15 min. of baking if needed.

Conclusion:
This was made for our family of 5 and Stephen and I thought it was just so so. It was not as lumpy or dry (curdled) like the first batch but was greasier, I believe I need to use more processed cheese.
My wife loved them, but still need to come up with a “Mac n’ Cheese” that everyone likes. Back to the drawing board.

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Recipe: (Test 3) cooked on Reverse Flow [EUREKA!!]

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• 2 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon red hot
• 1 lb. American cheese
• 1 lb of Velveeta cheese
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1 cup sour cream

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• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup yellow cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• ½ – ¾ sleeve of Ritz Crackers
• 6 – 8 slices of cooked chopped bacon, or crumbled

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chicken stock, optional
¼ cup Parmesan optional

• Cook bacon until crispy, set aside
• Boil macaroni 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter then add milk slowly add the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the Ritz Crackers, Mozzarella cheese and Cheddar Cheese. Stir until everything is smooth.
• Remove cheese sauce from flame, remove elbow macaroni and drain,transfer to a greased 9” x 13” dish. Stir in the cheese sauce.
• Sprinkle a small amount of Bacon on top followed by some cheddar then the Ritz crackers then rest of the cheddar and and mozzarella.
• Smoke at 250 for approximately 2 hours or until golden brown and bubbly
• To prevent this dish from becoming too brown and crusty, cover with foil if needed.
• I decided on the bacon at the last minute

Conclusion:
Total success, everyone loved them and they were perfect the next day and even tasted good cold.
They had a great consistency, very creamy and not too rich, with a decent crust on top.
The goal here was to find a happy medium between a traditional “Oven Baked Mac n’ Cheese” and a smoother type Mac n’ cheese that most kids love

I had done a little bit of research and the problem may have been that the cheese was curdling, either from heating the cheese too high to quickly or in the oven, so to avoid this I used processed cheeses for the cheese sauce and the cheddar and mozzarella for the crust.



10/24/10
Tried recipe #3 again but added an extra cup of noodles, not as creamy but still good, I will stick with 2 cups noodles but for those that prefer the not so creamy, try the 3 cups of noodles but add an extra half cup of milk. No Ritz crackers this time, I like it better without the crackers, the browned cheese gives enough of a crust.

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[syndicate559]

man you're on a roll today. that looks inredible, just like everything else you've posted :clap2:

 

[bover]

+1 on the velveeta for the sauce and shredded for crust. Works like a champ!

 

[inv3ctiv3]

Looks delicious!

 

[Little Bob's BBQ]

Look great,Thanks for adding in recipe I will try it next time.