First found you when I was going through paramedic school and needing recipes ideas to feed the guys at the firehouse. Since then your videos decide what Firestation 1 eats that day and we all cant thank you enough! You're the man Bri!🤜
More proof that my assertion that Brian’s site has a much higher proportion of “I’d actually cook that” recipes than any other site. Plus, it’s not just American fare..there’s a great selection of really approachable and delicious recipes from around the world.
I really enjoyed this video because it explains why certain products work well when you make these recipes and why others won't work out. The video doesn't drag on. There is nice pace and all the steps are understandable. Also, several ingredients may be difficult for people in certain areas to find so alternative products are mentioned. The video is done with a fun intelligent humor. Nicely done.
I just made mac and cheese tonight then this video popped up. Turns out my recipe is similar to your top tier one in that I make a bechamel base. But my difference is that I usually rummage through the fridge for whatever cheese has been opened and forgotten about. Usually it's all dried up and cracked, and can be hard to dissolve, but usually has a decent sharp taste.
Bri! Ive been making your taco beef recipe a lot, and last night I made your sloppy Joseph recipe for the first time. I LOVE both recipes, and I want to declare you KING of ground beef recipes!
My teenage daughter and I made this tonight. Had to add enough ingredients to feed a family of 5, luckily guessed fairly well and turned out great! Look forward to cooking your recipe’s with her again, Thanks!
My pro tip for Mac n cheese, steep your milk! Put your milk in a sauce pan with a quarter onion, some garlic, whole black pepper, garlic, sky is the limit really so whatever you think might be good. Use that steeped milk to make your roux and cheese sauce
*(This comment runs for a bit longer than I intended)* I have a couple of "hacks" (I hate this term) for making cheese sauce that is still stable and smooth enough when hot, but not as full of sodium as the standard commercial ones are (around 600 mg per 100 grams instead of double or more): As you said, a key ingredient in cheese sauce is sodium citrate, which helps untangle the milk proteins and create a smooth emulsion. The often called-for sodium citrate concentration is "2% to 3% of cheese sauce weight", but that doesn't say much because what matters is the cheese protein component, which can vary between recipes. I would say it should translate to "4 grams to 6 grams sodium citrate per 25 grams of cheese protein [which is about the amount found in 100 grams of most semi-hard cheeses]". As mentioned, that ratio along the addition of salt to compensate for the cheese being diluted results in sauces that go well above 1,000 mg of sodium per 100 gram. I found that I can halve the sodium citrate concentration to 2 grams per 25 grams of cheese protein, add a thickener such as xanthan gum at 0.05% to 0.1% the cheese sauce weight, and after blending using an immersion blender get a nice sauce that doesn't separate. It depends on what the sauce is for, but I generally add 1:1 milk to cheese and instead of salt I strengthen the cheesy flavor using 0.75 grams of MSG per 100 grams of sauce. And regarding sourcing sodium citrate, we don't have it over here at standard shops but one can buy citric acid and sodium bicarbonate everywhere. 1 mole of citric acid and 3 moles of sodium bicarbonate, dissolved in liquid, react to produce 1 mole of sodium citrate; that translates to 1 gram of citric acid + 1.3125 grams of sodium bicarbonate = 1.343 grams of sodium citrate. So in my suggested low(er) sodium recipe above, per 25 grams of cheese protein (100 grams of cheddar/gouda) I add 1.5 grams of citric acid and ~2 grams of sodium bicarbonate to the melted cheese and milk (it will foam a lot).
@@ClearlyPixelated No problem! I notice I didn't summarize to a line-by-line recipe, so to make it simple: 100g semi-hard cheese 100g milk 1.5g citric acid 2g sodium bicarbonate 1.5g MSG (optional, recommended) 0.1g xanthan gum Spices to taste 1. Melt cheese in milk on medium-low heat. 2. Add citric acid-sodium bicarbonate and mix well; if your pot doesn't have a lot of clearance, add little by little so it doesn't overflow with foam. Remove from heat. 3. Add MSG and xanthan gum and blend using an immersion blender until smooth. 4. If the sauce is to be used later, transfer to the fridge after it has cooled down (you might want to mix it a couple of times as it firms up in the fridge).
Is this what I need to add to my cheese sauce to stop it separating / curdling? I’m in the UK and the closest we have in standard shops to American cheese is the packs of orange processed cheese slices, and closest to sharp cheddar is what we call mature cheddar cheese (in blocks or pre grated, but then they add an anti caking starch to it). My mum always taught me to make a roux first with melted butter, flour and milk. Then add the cheddar, then the macaroni. I don’t have what I’m doing wrong because my cheese sauce always seems to separate and curdle, especially when it’s cooled (and reheated) 😭
@@Bea_Rosy If you follow the instructions on my second comment it should not separate. If you don't have citric acid, sodium bicarbonate and xanthan gum you can probably find it locally (online or otherwise). There are also some obscure brands offering (tri)sodium citrate, but the cheapest and safest way I found is making it yourself using citric+bicarbonate. Also, because the ratios are quite small, if you don't make a huge batch of cheese sauce you will need to measure using a scale with steps of 0.1g or smaller.
Just made your baked Mac and cheese on Sunday ... My daughter had told me to stop trying to make it because I just don't have the "cooking gene" in my family 😢 But wow it was a total success I've just earned my stripes for Mac and cheese thank you ❤❤❤
My favorite recipe is similar to #3 and I use gruyere, cheddar and Reggiano parm (sometimes gouda instead of gruyere), and always start with an onion brulee. Nutmeg and lots of fresh black (or white for the funk) pepper is sort of mandatory for me, and I stir in crisped pancetta or prosciutto, then top with panko mixed with microplaned Reggiano and put it under the broiler to crisp the top.
We just used cheddar but the best method is how we were taught to make Mac & Cheese in high school. In addition to pepper (both black and white) to taste I also like to add a pinch of cinnamon. Gives it a nice warming kick
My ex wife made brilliant macaroni and cheese, and I forgot how she did it and I cannot ask her for the recipe (many reasons).... The last one, without the breadcrumbs, was it! Thank you!
Really appreciate you explaining why the American Cheese was important- specifically for the Sodium Citrate. We don't have it much here in the UK, but I was able to find an alternative that has those qualities and hopefully that will do the trick. For other Brits, it's Dairylea Slices that seem to fit.
Kraft came out with one for awhile that you started with a roux, it was better than any other store bought, I was literally just thinking, I need to find a recipe since they don’t make that any more. Perfect timing.
@@samw2299’us’ here clearly means ‘food creator audience members that did not know about the method prior’. Adam didn’t invent it, but it’s no stretch to say that he is exposed a lot of people to it.
Love the video. I had seen you do the cornstarch and shredded cheese mix in one of the your prior videos and I've been using it to make my Mac and Cheese ever since. Everyone loves it! Such an awesome cooking 'hack'!
@ryanstead1312 of course, it won't stay that creamy when it cools down. It will become more thick and sticky. The taste would stay the same though. As for reheating, adding just a splash of cream and a pinch of shredded cheese should do the trick, I suppose.
Every time I'm craving a dish somehow within the next few days you come out with a video with that exact recipe! Thanks so much for sharing this! definitely gonna be part of the weekly rotation especially for fall!
I spent a lot of last year sciencing this for myself, so It's super gratifying seeing my conclusions going right into the Great version lmao. I even did the breadcrumbs and my Texan ex was mortified, same with the cheese singles
Hey Bri!!! (Please read this lol) first time long time sort of deal. You've actually helped me a bunch be a quality home cook and the basin for a lot of my knowledge of home cooking, especially pizza!!! With that being said, this video came out in impeccable timing, as I agreed to make Mac & Cheese for my fiancé's cousin's wedding next month. I think your option #2 is exactly what I want to achieve to provide this dish to her family. My mom has a tried and friends recipe that I just don't think will work because I'm trying to prepare this in an electric rotisserie style of pan for ease of comfort (you catch my drift I'm trying to keep this short) My question is, if I took recipe #2 and multiplied everything by my desired number of guests, would you anticipate the recipe would be copied and pasted? Maybe hold back on (x,y,z) ingredients because of...??? Sorry for the long comment!
I've used your earlier Mac n Cheese recipes a lot - either your Cacio e pepe version or I do a mix of English Cheddar, Red Leicester, and some Old Winchester (which is a UK hard cheese a bit like a parmesan/gouda mix) with black pepper, mace, nutmeg, cayenne, lemon zest and bayleaf. I approve the use of nutmeg in your best version - do try some mace as well!
These are great! The evap milk and cornstarch hacks are so useful! For the high end mac, I’d use cavatappi instead. It still has that mac n chz kind of shape but fancier and has great sauce to pasta ratios. Shells always hold too much sauce to pasta for my taste.
The last recipe. The others work, but this is the first time I haven't seen a Mac and Cheese recipe call for heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk. I personally use 2% milk, but I also understand how whole milk will make the sauce sinmering process quicker.
Another banger of a video, Bri! Looks amazing. My only note, and it's purely personal preference, is that I feel like anything gruyere does, manchego does juuuust a tiny bit better. A little nuttier, a little saltier, a little more flavorful overall. But I'm looking forward to trying this recipe!
I learned to make pizza with you. Love your channel Today I just made the last one with brie, parmesan and gouda. Used skim milk instead of whole milk (forgot to buy 😢). But worked pretty well! Thank you for this recipe! 7:19
The problem with pre shredded cheese is the anti cake powder they add to keep the cheese from balling up. I'd prefer to use stuff shredded via box grater. Cheers Bri!
My mac and cheese is between 2 and 3. I make a mornay with half extra sharp cheddar and half colby, monteray jack, or colby jack. Plus i use mustard and wostershire
The step order of the written recipe is different the the one Brian gives in the video. I am sure it doesn't matter but I will try the video version next time I make it. It was delicious. I don't plan to make Mac and Cheese any other way now. This is easy!
The American cheese slice info is so underrated. I’ve been adding it to mine with the mature cheeses and it just allows the sauce to hold so much more structure. A great alternative method for these is to cook the pasta significantly less, then bake the whole thing with some more cheese and the breadcrumbs on top. The crispy topping adds an extra cheese flavour and texture to the mix that’s so good.
I’ve made mac and cheese the third way since my mum taught me as a kid, interesting choice of cheeses. I’ve experimented myself with different types and my current favourite is about 2/3 mature cheddar and 1/3 Gorgonzola. I’ll see if I can find some taleggio to try this one. I can’t get behind American cheese though, maybe it’s because I wasn’t brought up on it but it tastes weird and chemically to me. Chopped up crispy bacon is also a great alternative to the breadcrumbs 😊
Brian is the man and I love him. HOWEVER... the recipes are usually cooking for two and I'm always cooking for myself and two voracious teenage boys. Sometimes I can just double them, but for stuff like this (i.e. when there's a liquid absorption/ milk to water ratio thing) it's much more complicated. Any suggestions? In the meantime, I'm pretty sure I'm about to make some watery Mac and cheese.😢
The best mac and cheese I have ever made was made using extra béchamel I had made for lasagna. I made way too much béchamel for the lasagna, so I grated in a bunch of cheese. I didn't add much in the way of seasoning cause I had already seasoned the béchamel for the lasagna. The nutmeg in the béchamel wound up playing the same sort of 'wake up the flavors' sort of role that I had used cayenne or mustard in previous mac and cheeses I had made, but it did so in it a unique and delightful way.
I agree about the cheese, I always grate my own … however I use a countertop suction rotary cheese grater. I have carpal tunnel, the speed in which these inexpensive devices Grate huge block of cheese it’s worth the kitchen space.
The panko bread crumbs are perfect. Reheat any leftovers in a saucepan with a bit of milk and then sprinkle on some more breadcrumbs. This makes stovetop mac and cheese the winner over it's baked brother IMO. You can also add crab to the mac and cheese and season the breadcrumbs with Old Bay.
I'm interested in making the "best" version for a holiday party on the 21st. Possible to make ahead and freeze, then reheat night of party or bad idea? Any tips are appreciated.
Eating mac and cheese while I watch this! :D My own technique, sorta, where I make the sauce from about 50/50 goat chevre and Greek yogurt. It's super tangy and creamy and EASY.
Great video, Bri. Only thing is, I would prefer your "better" recipe as I am not a fan of the crunch stuff in my gooey-stovetop mac & cheese ... and I am also not that fond of backed either. Just add some black pepper when you serve that "better" dish and it has been elevated to the "best" version.
Gotta bake it for the best. Make a roux and add milk, 10 grates of nutmeg, some hot pepper flakes then cheese. Layer in casserole dish with more grated cheese in the middle and the top.
Man, I might be trying to get too bougie with my mac. I boil my pasta in either vegetable or chicken stock, and even then I'm cheating because I use better than bouillon. To be honest, I assume it gives it a worth while taste, but I bet you I wouldn't be able to tell the difference one way or the other blind folded. My go too's are pepper jack and smoked gouda. Other than that, I'm glad I've been doing what the pros like you do brother! Awesome content, thanks for sharing.
You can buy a bag of food-grade sodium citrate online. Put that into your sauce instead of regular table salt. (1 tsp of sodium citrate for every POUND of cheese you want to melt.) Now you can drop an entire block of cheddar in and melt it--no grating necessary. Just keep the heat low enough and have patience. Or if you want it to melt faster, you can cut it into slices or chunks. No grating necessary.
@cassieoz1702 because it melts better for things like burgers, but making it yourself means no artificial chemicals, and whatever cheese combo that you actually like. It's no easier or more difficult to obtain.
We just did the middle one best I’ve ever had will be trying the best next weekend ! Will be using one of them when I get my smoker out to cook for 200 people ! 😜
My preferred mac and cheese more closely resembles the "better" one here rather than the "best" - I find roux-based sauces a little grainy, dulls the flavours of the cheese, and often ends up quite thick especially if baked in the oven after. Personally much prefer a looser, more saucy mac and cheese - so a combination of cheeses + evaporated milk and sodium citrate to emulsify
I agree about roux based cheese sauces He adds mascarpone which is not a trick I’ve tried - I’m wondering if this improves the texture of the roux based sauce.
For a lobster mac & cheese, to which of these would you add lobster chunks? The 3rd recipe already seems over the top. I would think adding lobster to that would just be too much. Maybe the 2nd recipe? But if you're adding lobster, I'm guessing you would want to have a little less sauce as well to let the lobster shine through a little more. ... I don't know. I've not done this myself. Brian, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on lobster mac & cheese. Thx again for another great vid!
First found you when I was going through paramedic school and needing recipes ideas to feed the guys at the firehouse. Since then your videos decide what Firestation 1 eats that day and we all cant thank you enough! You're the man Bri!🤜
That's such a fantastic idea!
More proof that my assertion that Brian’s site has a much higher proportion of “I’d actually cook that” recipes than any other site. Plus, it’s not just American fare..there’s a great selection of really approachable and delicious recipes from around the world.
I hope Firestation 1 has experienced his Dan Dan Noodles!
They’re gonna be pumped for the mac n cheese 😂.
It’s a gay-only firehouse, right?
Dude how do you do this? Today's my wife's birthday and mac & cheese is her favorite food. Incredible timing, as usual.
He’s showing you how……….
@@Patterner you might want to adjust the playback speed back to normal?
@@FoundationsSoundLab 🤣🤣🤣
@@jamesbonamigo2436 He's referring to the timing of the video being posted being convenient for him, not how me makes the mac n cheese hahahah ❤
Happy birthday to your wife)
I really enjoyed this video because it explains why certain products work well when you make these recipes and why others won't work out. The video doesn't drag on. There is nice pace and all the steps are understandable. Also, several ingredients may be difficult for people in certain areas to find so alternative products are mentioned. The video is done with a fun intelligent humor. Nicely done.
Thanks very much for this nice comment. I’m reading it right before I work on the next vid so it’s motivating me!
a teaspoon of mustard is a good addition to cheese sauce, you dont taste it but it just adds a bit of extra somethin' somethin'
Love adding mustard to a cheese sauce.
mustard and camembert 🤌🏻
Do you use dry mustard when making the sauce, or mustard from the fridge? Thanks! 🤗
@@bearpawz_I typically use dry. I add it when making the béchamel sauce. But I’ve heard of people using fridge mustard too. ☺️
@@brandiparis5411 Thanks! I have dry mustard in the cabinet & will use that next time I make it. 🥰 xo
Thanks!
I just made mac and cheese tonight then this video popped up. Turns out my recipe is similar to your top tier one in that I make a bechamel base. But my difference is that I usually rummage through the fridge for whatever cheese has been opened and forgotten about. Usually it's all dried up and cracked, and can be hard to dissolve, but usually has a decent sharp taste.
I literally found out I have to make Mac & Cheese to deliver to a friend LAST NIGHT, how did you know I needed this Brian?!
Bri! Ive been making your taco beef recipe a lot, and last night I made your sloppy Joseph recipe for the first time. I LOVE both recipes, and I want to declare you KING of ground beef recipes!
One of the best tips I ever got for making roux's was a lil dash or splash or Worcestershire sauce with it, it works weirdly well with mac
It's a pro move to give credit where due, and you always do, so credit to you, dude.
When ever I think of mac and cheese I don't think of the elbow kind I love the shell kind way more!!
My teenage daughter and I made this tonight. Had to add enough ingredients to feed a family of 5, luckily guessed fairly well and turned out great! Look forward to cooking your recipe’s with her again, Thanks!
My pasta of choice is cavatappi - similar to elbows but a little longer and ribbed like the shells.
the last one looks AMAZING!! You really make the best videos! Elevated yet approchable!
Substituting cavatappi (corkscrew macaroni) for elbow macaroni is another way you can elevate that mac & cheese!
My pro tip for Mac n cheese, steep your milk! Put your milk in a sauce pan with a quarter onion, some garlic, whole black pepper, garlic, sky is the limit really so whatever you think might be good. Use that steeped milk to make your roux and cheese sauce
*(This comment runs for a bit longer than I intended)*
I have a couple of "hacks" (I hate this term) for making cheese sauce that is still stable and smooth enough when hot, but not as full of sodium as the standard commercial ones are (around 600 mg per 100 grams instead of double or more):
As you said, a key ingredient in cheese sauce is sodium citrate, which helps untangle the milk proteins and create a smooth emulsion. The often called-for sodium citrate concentration is "2% to 3% of cheese sauce weight", but that doesn't say much because what matters is the cheese protein component, which can vary between recipes. I would say it should translate to "4 grams to 6 grams sodium citrate per 25 grams of cheese protein [which is about the amount found in 100 grams of most semi-hard cheeses]".
As mentioned, that ratio along the addition of salt to compensate for the cheese being diluted results in sauces that go well above 1,000 mg of sodium per 100 gram.
I found that I can halve the sodium citrate concentration to 2 grams per 25 grams of cheese protein, add a thickener such as xanthan gum at 0.05% to 0.1% the cheese sauce weight, and after blending using an immersion blender get a nice sauce that doesn't separate.
It depends on what the sauce is for, but I generally add 1:1 milk to cheese and instead of salt I strengthen the cheesy flavor using 0.75 grams of MSG per 100 grams of sauce.
And regarding sourcing sodium citrate, we don't have it over here at standard shops but one can buy citric acid and sodium bicarbonate everywhere. 1 mole of citric acid and 3 moles of sodium bicarbonate, dissolved in liquid, react to produce 1 mole of sodium citrate; that translates to 1 gram of citric acid + 1.3125 grams of sodium bicarbonate = 1.343 grams of sodium citrate.
So in my suggested low(er) sodium recipe above, per 25 grams of cheese protein (100 grams of cheddar/gouda) I add 1.5 grams of citric acid and ~2 grams of sodium bicarbonate to the melted cheese and milk (it will foam a lot).
This is the sexiest food science I’ve seen in a while! Great job! Thanks for sharing.
@@ClearlyPixelated No problem!
I notice I didn't summarize to a line-by-line recipe, so to make it simple:
100g semi-hard cheese
100g milk
1.5g citric acid
2g sodium bicarbonate
1.5g MSG (optional, recommended)
0.1g xanthan gum
Spices to taste
1. Melt cheese in milk on medium-low
heat.
2. Add citric acid-sodium bicarbonate and mix well; if your pot doesn't have a lot of clearance, add little by little so it doesn't overflow with foam. Remove from heat.
3. Add MSG and xanthan gum and blend using an immersion blender until smooth.
4. If the sauce is to be used later, transfer to the fridge after it has cooled down (you might want to mix it a couple of times as it firms up in the fridge).
Is this what I need to add to my cheese sauce to stop it separating / curdling? I’m in the UK and the closest we have in standard shops to American cheese is the packs of orange processed cheese slices, and closest to sharp cheddar is what we call mature cheddar cheese (in blocks or pre grated, but then they add an anti caking starch to it).
My mum always taught me to make a roux first with melted butter, flour and milk. Then add the cheddar, then the macaroni. I don’t have what I’m doing wrong because my cheese sauce always seems to separate and curdle, especially when it’s cooled (and reheated) 😭
@@Bea_Rosy If you follow the instructions on my second comment it should not separate. If you don't have citric acid, sodium bicarbonate and xanthan gum you can probably find it locally (online or otherwise). There are also some obscure brands offering (tri)sodium citrate, but the cheapest and safest way I found is making it yourself using citric+bicarbonate.
Also, because the ratios are quite small, if you don't make a huge batch of cheese sauce you will need to measure using a scale with steps of 0.1g or smaller.
Just made your baked Mac and cheese on Sunday ...
My daughter had told me to stop trying to make it because I just don't have the "cooking gene" in my family 😢 But wow it was a total success I've just earned my stripes for Mac and cheese thank you ❤❤❤
As someone who’s been trying to get better at making mac and cheese for years, I felt that
Love your show, food, realness and humility. Well done brother🙏🏻✌🏻
You are the king of Mac and cheese Bri. Also, excellent comment, Aaronm2..🎉😂❤
My favorite recipe is similar to #3 and I use gruyere, cheddar and Reggiano parm (sometimes gouda instead of gruyere), and always start with an onion brulee. Nutmeg and lots of fresh black (or white for the funk) pepper is sort of mandatory for me, and I stir in crisped pancetta or prosciutto, then top with panko mixed with microplaned Reggiano and put it under the broiler to crisp the top.
We just used cheddar but the best method is how we were taught to make Mac & Cheese in high school. In addition to pepper (both black and white) to taste I also like to add a pinch of cinnamon. Gives it a nice warming kick
Been making a combo of those last 2 recipes for a few years, can confirm it slays.
I'll be making the mid tier mac with the panko, pepper, and shredded cheese garnishes. Great video!
My ex wife made brilliant macaroni and cheese, and I forgot how she did it and I cannot ask her for the recipe (many reasons)....
The last one, without the breadcrumbs, was it! Thank you!
Really appreciate you explaining why the American Cheese was important- specifically for the Sodium Citrate. We don't have it much here in the UK, but I was able to find an alternative that has those qualities and hopefully that will do the trick. For other Brits, it's Dairylea Slices that seem to fit.
Kraft came out with one for awhile that you started with a roux, it was better than any other store bought, I was literally just thinking, I need to find a recipe since they don’t make that any more. Perfect timing.
amazing video! i appreciate your dedication SO MUCH. the last one was a joy
Thank you Brian
little cubes or bars of ham go well with this, and a toasted good slice of bread, which is how we always made it when I was a kid
Made the “better” version yesterday. Really good thanks 👍
How does the consistency hold up after some time? Would I be able to reheat it at a thanksgiving?
It's so nice to have 3 great options for Mac n' Cheese, depending on whatever I have on hand. And, excellent segue to your Doordash commercial Bri!
WHERE WAS THE DANCE BRIAN
The best mac and cheese I ever made I used a sottochenere al truffalo. Amazing.
I always use shells with my homemade Mac and cheese because they are like lil spoons scooping that cheese into my face.😋
😂 almost woke up my husband from laughing at this comment 😂😂
That was a great promotion integration. Nice job. Actually watched it 👍🏻
I remember when Adam Ragusea told us about the American cheese sodium citrate hack. Good times.
'us' being who? people have been doing that for years bud
@@samw2299’us’ here clearly means ‘food creator audience members that did not know about the method prior’. Adam didn’t invent it, but it’s no stretch to say that he is exposed a lot of people to it.
@@reyshah426 cool, glad he taught you something homie
@@samw2299 Me and the adorable family of trained mice that live in my cupboard. We watch TH-cam cooking videos together. It's super wholesome.
Queso works two. It's full of it.
I cannot stress enough how exciting this is as a Mac and cheese lover!!! Another staple from Bri!
Mouth watering...my breakfast is gone!!! And now I want Mac n Cheese for lunch... Can't wait to try these methods & recipes!!
First dish I learn how to make, still a favorites. I’ll make all three recipes! Thanks ❤❤❤
Love the video. I had seen you do the cornstarch and shredded cheese mix in one of the your prior videos and I've been using it to make my Mac and Cheese ever since. Everyone loves it! Such an awesome cooking 'hack'!
That last recipe with crispy bacon bits would be the bomb. Definitely trying that one!
Cooked this today for my family, the 'better' version. The whole pot was emptied in just a few hours.
Thanks for keeping us full and happy, Brian.
How does the consistency hold up after some time? Would I be able to reheat it at a thanksgiving?
@ryanstead1312 of course, it won't stay that creamy when it cools down. It will become more thick and sticky. The taste would stay the same though.
As for reheating, adding just a splash of cream and a pinch of shredded cheese should do the trick, I suppose.
@@Anne_Grapple Ty!
Every time I'm craving a dish somehow within the next few days you come out with a video with that exact recipe! Thanks so much for sharing this! definitely gonna be part of the weekly rotation especially for fall!
Hey Bri! They all look delicious! Thanks for sharing, peace and ❤ to you Lorn and the team!
Someone should get Bri a De Cecco sponsorship!
I spent a lot of last year sciencing this for myself, so It's super gratifying seeing my conclusions going right into the Great version lmao. I even did the breadcrumbs and my Texan ex was mortified, same with the cheese singles
Hey Bri!!! (Please read this lol)
first time long time sort of deal. You've actually helped me a bunch be a quality home cook and the basin for a lot of my knowledge of home cooking, especially pizza!!!
With that being said, this video came out in impeccable timing, as I agreed to make Mac & Cheese for my fiancé's cousin's wedding next month.
I think your option #2 is exactly what I want to achieve to provide this dish to her family. My mom has a tried and friends recipe that I just don't think will work because I'm trying to prepare this in an electric rotisserie style of pan for ease of comfort (you catch my drift I'm trying to keep this short)
My question is, if I took recipe #2 and multiplied everything by my desired number of guests, would you anticipate the recipe would be copied and pasted? Maybe hold back on (x,y,z) ingredients because of...???
Sorry for the long comment!
Recipe very scalable. The American cheese keeps it very stable. Keep some water or milk nearby to thin out as pasta absorbs the liquid. Good luck
I've used your earlier Mac n Cheese recipes a lot - either your Cacio e pepe version or I do a mix of English Cheddar, Red Leicester, and some Old Winchester (which is a UK hard cheese a bit like a parmesan/gouda mix) with black pepper, mace, nutmeg, cayenne, lemon zest and bayleaf. I approve the use of nutmeg in your best version - do try some mace as well!
These are great! The evap milk and cornstarch hacks are so useful! For the high end mac, I’d use cavatappi instead. It still has that mac n chz kind of shape but fancier and has great sauce to pasta ratios. Shells always hold too much sauce to pasta for my taste.
Love the Schnucks product placement. I have a a couple of packets of that shredded cheese in my fridge right now.
The last recipe. The others work, but this is the first time I haven't seen a Mac and Cheese recipe call for heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk. I personally use 2% milk, but I also understand how whole milk will make the sauce sinmering process quicker.
Another banger of a video, Bri! Looks amazing. My only note, and it's purely personal preference, is that I feel like anything gruyere does, manchego does juuuust a tiny bit better. A little nuttier, a little saltier, a little more flavorful overall. But I'm looking forward to trying this recipe!
I learned to make pizza with you. Love your channel
Today I just made the last one with brie, parmesan and gouda. Used skim milk instead of whole milk (forgot to buy 😢). But worked pretty well!
Thank you for this recipe! 7:19
never made mac & cheese before but i used the first recipe today and it turned out amazing :)
Spotting the Schnucks logos never gets old for me. 🔥
This is the first time I ever noticed it. I had to pause the video to confirm he was from the area.
It's honestly distracting watching the videos and seeing products from St. Louis. 😂
The problem with pre shredded cheese is the anti cake powder they add to keep the cheese from balling up. I'd prefer to use stuff shredded via box grater.
Cheers Bri!
My mac and cheese is between 2 and 3. I make a mornay with half extra sharp cheddar and half colby, monteray jack, or colby jack. Plus i use mustard and wostershire
I'm starting my 2nd year of college in September, I'm gonna try those recipes first chance I get
The step order of the written recipe is different the the one Brian gives in the video. I am sure it doesn't matter but I will try the video version next time I make it. It was delicious. I don't plan to make Mac and Cheese any other way now. This is easy!
Shells with cheese sauce > also those panko crumbs on top were the chef's kiss.
The American cheese slice info is so underrated. I’ve been adding it to mine with the mature cheeses and it just allows the sauce to hold so much more structure.
A great alternative method for these is to cook the pasta significantly less, then bake the whole thing with some more cheese and the breadcrumbs on top. The crispy topping adds an extra cheese flavour and texture to the mix that’s so good.
Yep. Definitely making this.
“What you just witnessed was a re-enactment” 🤣🤣 reminds me of murder documentaries
I’ve made mac and cheese the third way since my mum taught me as a kid, interesting choice of cheeses. I’ve experimented myself with different types and my current favourite is about 2/3 mature cheddar and 1/3 Gorgonzola. I’ll see if I can find some taleggio to try this one. I can’t get behind American cheese though, maybe it’s because I wasn’t brought up on it but it tastes weird and chemically to me. Chopped up crispy bacon is also a great alternative to the breadcrumbs 😊
Thanks for another banger! Can’t wait to try these out 😋
What about Loaded Baked Potatoes 3 Ways: From Basic to Bougie?
Brian is the man and I love him. HOWEVER... the recipes are usually cooking for two and I'm always cooking for myself and two voracious teenage boys. Sometimes I can just double them, but for stuff like this (i.e. when there's a liquid absorption/ milk to water ratio thing) it's much more complicated. Any suggestions? In the meantime, I'm pretty sure I'm about to make some watery Mac and cheese.😢
Can’t wait to give the last one a try.
The best mac and cheese I have ever made was made using extra béchamel I had made for lasagna. I made way too much béchamel for the lasagna, so I grated in a bunch of cheese. I didn't add much in the way of seasoning cause I had already seasoned the béchamel for the lasagna. The nutmeg in the béchamel wound up playing the same sort of 'wake up the flavors' sort of role that I had used cayenne or mustard in previous mac and cheeses I had made, but it did so in it a unique and delightful way.
I make #3 but add fried diced onion and sliced bacon. I top with sliced tomato, breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
I agree about the cheese, I always grate my own … however I use a countertop suction rotary cheese grater. I have carpal tunnel, the speed in which these inexpensive devices Grate huge block of cheese it’s worth the kitchen space.
YEEEAAHHH!! My wife LOVES mac and cheese, so we are so pumped to try these!
Yesss need to make that second recipe asap
I made the best version of this and it was amazing. I couldn't get any taleggio but used some funky brie as suggested.
imagine this dish was once a classic Casio E Pepe from Italy and an American took this from Italy to America and transformed it into Mac and Cheese.
5:21 I've always said B-man is the King, now I see he sits on a throne!
Another thing that you can do to kick up the silky texture on the first 2 is toward the end of cooking add a little butter.
The panko bread crumbs are perfect. Reheat any leftovers in a saucepan with a bit of milk and then sprinkle on some more breadcrumbs. This makes stovetop mac and cheese the winner over it's baked brother IMO.
You can also add crab to the mac and cheese and season the breadcrumbs with Old Bay.
Start of the video at 0:00 btw
my hero
Real MVP
the man ong
I'm interested in making the "best" version for a holiday party on the 21st. Possible to make ahead and freeze, then reheat night of party or bad idea? Any tips are appreciated.
Bro, if you had a restaurant, it would be DOPE. The fancy mac would for sure need to be a staple on the menu. I'd order it as an entree.
The 2nd recipe is seriously bomb. Super easy and insanely delicious. Epitome of "adult" Kraft.
👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
Eating mac and cheese while I watch this! :D My own technique, sorta, where I make the sauce from about 50/50 goat chevre and Greek yogurt. It's super tangy and creamy and EASY.
Pipe Rigate noodles are the absolute best for mac and cheese. You can find some bronze cut ones from Whole Foods.
Need another Q & A video!
Great video, Bri. Only thing is, I would prefer your "better" recipe as I am not a fan of the crunch stuff in my gooey-stovetop mac & cheese ... and I am also not that fond of backed either. Just add some black pepper when you serve that "better" dish and it has been elevated to the "best" version.
Hey man, I saw you make such delicious food in STL straight from the Schnuck's marketplace that I had to move here myself. Cheers!
Gotta bake it for the best. Make a roux and add milk, 10 grates of nutmeg, some hot pepper flakes then cheese. Layer in casserole dish with more grated cheese in the middle and the top.
You are now my favorite cook!!!!!!!!!!
Man, I might be trying to get too bougie with my mac. I boil my pasta in either vegetable or chicken stock, and even then I'm cheating because I use better than bouillon. To be honest, I assume it gives it a worth while taste, but I bet you I wouldn't be able to tell the difference one way or the other blind folded. My go too's are pepper jack and smoked gouda. Other than that, I'm glad I've been doing what the pros like you do brother! Awesome content, thanks for sharing.
You can buy a bag of food-grade sodium citrate online. Put that into your sauce instead of regular table salt. (1 tsp of sodium citrate for every POUND of cheese you want to melt.) Now you can drop an entire block of cheddar in and melt it--no grating necessary. Just keep the heat low enough and have patience. Or if you want it to melt faster, you can cut it into slices or chunks. No grating necessary.
ngl that was a smooth ad incorporation there bri
Right! That was some Adam Ragusea-level ad incorporation, and it made that section of the video a lot more engaging.
The true hack is just buying sodium citrate and melting any type of cheese combo you want. The bag lasts forever too.
That's one of my favourite pantry items
@cassieoz1702 you can combine it with sodium hexametaphosphate and make your own American cheese slices too!
@weatheredtome um, can't really think why I'd want to make American 'cheese'. Is sodium hexametaphosphate easier to get than sodium citrate?
@cassieoz1702 because it melts better for things like burgers, but making it yourself means no artificial chemicals, and whatever cheese combo that you actually like. It's no easier or more difficult to obtain.
@@cassieoz1702 Amazon sells it. In fact there's a seller that sell both the sodium citrate and hexametaphosphate together as a bundle.
We just did the middle one best I’ve ever had will be trying the best next weekend ! Will be using one of them when I get my smoker out to cook for 200 people ! 😜
My preferred mac and cheese more closely resembles the "better" one here rather than the "best" - I find roux-based sauces a little grainy, dulls the flavours of the cheese, and often ends up quite thick especially if baked in the oven after.
Personally much prefer a looser, more saucy mac and cheese - so a combination of cheeses + evaporated milk and sodium citrate to emulsify
I agree about roux based cheese sauces He adds mascarpone which is not a trick I’ve tried - I’m wondering if this improves the texture of the roux based sauce.
For a lobster mac & cheese, to which of these would you add lobster chunks? The 3rd recipe already seems over the top. I would think adding lobster to that would just be too much. Maybe the 2nd recipe? But if you're adding lobster, I'm guessing you would want to have a little less sauce as well to let the lobster shine through a little more. ... I don't know. I've not done this myself. Brian, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on lobster mac & cheese. Thx again for another great vid!
Cabot makes some amazing shredded sharp cheddar cheese! Maybe the best cheese maker in the northeast US.
The high-end version. Damn that looks incredible. This video is a hate crime to ppl with lactose intolerance. 😄
Try making it with fusili. The texture is nice and it hold onto a lot of cheese sauce
Ok gotta give it to ya - that ad transition was ace