2/12/18

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese

My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

IN A HURRY? JUMP AHEAD IF YOU'D LIKE:

  1. JUMP TO RECIPE
  2. WHAT IS SOUTHERN-STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE?
  3. BASIC TECHNIQUE FOR MAKING IT
  4. MY PREFERENCES FOR MAKING THE BEST

Nanny’s Macaroni & Cheese was, hands-down, my absolute favorite of all the things she cooked. Though her 12-layer banana cake, chicken n’ dumplings and greasy rice all hold special places in my heart, there was nothing – and I mean NOTHING – that was more delicious or more requested than her macaroni and cheese.

Let me just slide in a quick note here… I’m talking about the baked custard-style macaroni and cheese (sometimes called “macaroni pie”) that we make here in my part of the South, not stove-top or the kind made using a roux or béchamel sauce.

When I got a little age on me and started helping out in her kitchen (cooking, that is, not my default position as the rinser and dryer in the two-man dishwashing operation my cousin, Lisa, and I were stationed at from the time we were old enough to reach the sink), I really paid attention to how she made it. Because when I grew up I knew I wanted to cook it just like her!

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

So when I grew up, I made it like hers! And it was good. But it wasn’t Nanny’s.

I always did everything the same except, instead of using canned evaporated milk, I used half and half or a combo of milk and cream. Because Ms. Fancy-Pants Chef Extraordinaire here thought she knew better than to use stinky ol’ canned milk. 

Pffffft. What an idiot.

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

A few weeks ago I ran across this article from Serious Eats (the BEST website for recipe technique) about how using evaporated milk is essential for making smooth cheese sauces and then I had a macaroni and cheese EPIPHANY.

tick tick tick tick tick tick tick CLICK

It suddenly all made sense. Definitely read the article (and the ones linked in it) for the details but, in a nutshell, what they will tell you is that for a velvety smooth and ultra-creamy cheese sauce, you need evaporated milk because of the high volume of milk proteins which adds stability to cheesy sauces.

I’m sorry, Nanny!! You were right! And I was wrong! I’ll never question your recipes again!

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

Our grandmamas probably didn’t know any of the science that went into it and were simply using the ingredients they were accustomed to cooking with having grown up during the Great Depression and/or World Wars but that canned evaporated milk is THE secret ingredient to rich, velvety smooth macaroni and cheese!

Many of you never stopped using it and are rolling your eyes and shaking your head at me for thinking I knew better.

I know, sista. I know.

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

WHAT IS SOUTHERN-STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE?

There are basically three types of macaroni and cheese (well, there are more if you include the blue box and other such packaged kits). The three types are stove-top, baked with bechamel sauce (flour/cheese roux) and baked in cheese custard.

Southern-style macaroni and cheese is the latter, wherein the noodles are baked in a custard made with shredded cheese, eggs and evaporated milk.

Southern-style macaroni and cheese yields a gooey, cheesy custard that's both creamy and slightly coagulated. The more it cools, the firmer it becomes and where it's best to eat on the temperature timeline is entirely up to you. Some folks want it right out of the oven when it's still a little soupy, some like it best when it's cooled off some and had time to set up a bit and some folks love it cold when you can literally slice it with a knife.

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

THE BASIC TECHNIQUE FOR MAKING SOUTHERN-STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE

Every southern cook has his or her own special little something they add when making mac & cheese but the basic way to make it is like this:

  1. Layer boiled macaroni noodles and shredded cheddar cheese in a baking dish.
  2. Mix eggs, evaporated milk and spices in a separate bowl to make a custard mixture.
  3. Pour the custard mixture over the layered noodles and cheese, top with pats of butter then bake.
Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese! My grandmama’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

MY PREFERENCES FOR MAKING THE BEST SOUTHERN-STYLE MACARONI & CHEESE

  • As I mentioned above, it took me while to figure it out, but THE BEST mac & cheese is made with evaporated milk.
  • Do NOT use preshredded cheese as it is coated in anti-clumping agents which will make the custard dry and curdled. 
  • I prefer to use mild or medium cheddar cheese, not sharp. Sharp cheddar has more flavor but it is firmer and doesn't melt as creamily. A compromise could be to use half sharp cheddar and half American cheese. You will get the flavor from the sharp cheddar and creamier consistency from the American. If using American, reduce the salt a bit because it is usually much saltier than cheddar cheese.
  • The best rule of thumb for making the custard is to use 1 egg for each can of evaporated milk. Your custard mixture needs to cover the noodles so if you increase the recipe or don't have quite enough custard mixture, mix up an egg with another can of milk (or 1.5 cups of regular milk if you don't have another can of milk).
  • I think the best TASTING macaroni and cheese has a little cayenne pepper and dry mustard powder in addition to the salt and pepper. I also add a dash of white pepper because it has that little je ne sais quoi but I don't list it in the recipe because I KNOW Nanny didn't use it in hers and this is Nanny's recipe.

Recipe for Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese

Southern-Style Macaroni & Cheese
Yield: 14-16 servings
Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 1 H & 20 M
My grandma’s recipe for Southern Mac & Cheese made the traditional “custard-style” way using eggs and evaporated milk then baked to golden, cheesy perfection.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni noodles
  • 24 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 12-oz cans evaporated milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter

Instructions

  1. Cook noodles in liberally salted water one minute less than the package instructions for al dente preparation. Drain noodles then set aside.
  2. While noodles are cooking, shred cheese, reserving two cups of cheese for the top layer.
  3. Combine evaporated milk, eggs, salt, pepper, mustard powder and cayenne pepper in a large bowl and mix thoroughly (make sure the eggs are well combined into the mixture).
  4. Spray a 3-quart 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
  5. Layer noodles and cheese evenly into baking dish (aim for about 4 layers of noodles.
  6. Sprinkle reserved 2 cups of cheese evenly over everything then pour milk mixture evenly over noodles and cheese.
  7. Cut butter into thin pats then place them evenly on top of cheese.
  8. Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is lightly browned and dish is bubbly.
  9. Remove from oven then let rest 20 minutes before serving. Don't skip this step... if you dig into this right out of the oven the inside will be soupy. The dish needs time to "set up".

Notes

  • Use regular macaroni or jumbo macaroni noodles.
  • We’re undercooking our noodles just a smidge so they will hold up during the baking process.
  • You absolutely MUST shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-clumping agents like cellulose (which is actually powdered wood pulp) which dries out your finished cooked dishes. It is also harder than cheese you shred yourself so it doesn’t melt as smooth and creamy. Just trust me here… buy a $10 box grater from Wal-Mart and shred your own cheese. It only takes a couple minutes!
  • You can use a combination of cheddar and other soft cheeses if you prefer – just make sure the majority of the cheese is cheddar. I usually don’t use sharp cheddar as it’s firmer and doesn’t melt as smoothly.
  • If you want to add some Velveeta to your cheese go for it. Some people swear by it and others spit on the floor at the mention of it. If you do use Velveeta, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
  • I actually add 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper to mine but I’m sure Nanny never did so I didn’t include it in the recipe above.
  • You can easily reduce this recipe. Just use one egg for each can of milk and adjust everything else accordingly. 
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110 comments:

  1. I'm going to make this right now. Evaporated milk hmmm, never used that before. My Daughter coming to dinner, I wonder if she will notice the difference.

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    1. Made this at Thanksgiving and it was delicious!!!! I also used extra cheese!

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    2. Do you have to add water to the evaporated milk?

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    3. Megan, no, you don't need to.

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    4. Thank you so much for replying. I'm making this today. Happy Thanksgiving! Blessings!

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  2. Better than your "other" mac & cheese?!

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  3. Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food for me. And it's gotta be homemade :) I can't wait to try your recipe. Thanks for posting it!

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  4. Family recipes are usually the absolute best. I found your Nanny's Chicken and dumplings recipe you mentioned. You need to post her 12 layer Banana Cake :)

    This macaroni and cheese looks divine. I need to make it for my ladies group mosaic party I'm having in a couple of months.

    Thanks for sharing her recipe.

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    1. I WISH I knew how to make that cake! It probably had more than 12 layers but I pulled a number out of my head. That sucker was ugly though. She made a cooked glaze to pour over each layer and, well, you know what happens to bananas when they get heated. Lord, that cake was so delicious though! You could almost drink it!

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  5. I've been searching for (the best ever!) macaroni and cheese w/o a roux, using a custard instead. I can't wait to try this!

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  6. I am from the South (actually Key West, a different South) and had never had mac & cheese till after I was married. But now I make a wonderful Mac & Cheese with ham and it is roux based. However this recipe sounds wonderful and will give it a shot next week

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  7. My niece in Virginia makes her mac & cheese this way. Very good taste. But the night she misread the label and used sweetened condensed milk, my brother said it tasted like dessert for dinner. She won't be allowed to forget that one. I use a roux based cheese sauce for my mac & cheese.

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    1. That's awesome !

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    2. I accidentally used condensed milk one year for Christmas dinner with my MIL! 🤦‍♀️ It was SO BAD and SO EMBARRASSING! I won't make that mistake again! 🤣

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    3. My niece did this one year and we have laughed about it for years. She has never done it again and I bet you won’t either, haha. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  8. My husband has been waiting patiently for me to discover this recipe...being born of southern parents, he was never happy with my California ways with Macaroni and Cheese. He thanks you!

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  9. Just a question...Can I use a mix of white cheese and cheddar cheese? Reason why is cheddar cheese has sooo much oil. I feel like I need to dab it with a napkin before eating.

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    1. Absolutely! I have found that mild cheddar is less oily (no idea if that's true but it seems to be my observation). If I spend an extra buck and buy the "expensive" cheese, I don't notice any oil.

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    2. I prefer the milf block of cheddar but I rarely find it here in Mass. they have the medium and lots of the sharp. This recipe is so close to my mom’s. Only difference is she put a pinch of Cream of Tarter in hers instead of the dry mustard. So yummy.

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  10. Wanda punter2/22/18, 7:56 PM

    This is exactly how I make mine!!!

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  11. This sounds yummy! I've been wanting to try a crock pot macaroni and cheese for a while now. Pinning!

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  12. My mom always made her Mac and Cheese with eggs and it was the best I have ever eaten. The eggs make it taste so rich.

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  13. Why is it called crock pot when its baked? I'm confusex

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    1. Welllll.... I guess I'm confused too... This isn't called crock pot, this is a recipe for my baked Southern-Style Macaroni and Cheese. There is one image above with a link to my crock pot recipe... maybe that's where the confusion in coming from?

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  14. I made this Mac and cheese tonight and it was a huge hit! I halted the recipe and there was still plenty My first time making Mac & cheese with eggs;it was yummy! Thanks for sharing this one.

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  15. Hi Mandy
    What kind of cheddar cheese did you use in this recipe, since you say you don't use sharp.

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  16. I just made this and it is soooooo good!! Thx for the recipe!! : D

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    1. You are welcome! So glad you enjoyed it!

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    2. We love Colby cheese and use it when a recipe calls for a yellow cheese!

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  17. Mandy, LOVE,LOVE,LOVE your recipes!! Canned milk, now that's true southern. Two questions, can left overs be reheated, if so how do you reheat? Can it be frozen? Not sure because of the eggs. Just my husband and me now, but I still try to keep our southern roots alive. Thanks for any info and for your wonderful blog.

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    1. Thank you!! I always just heat it up in the microwave! I have no idea about freezing it but the recipe can be easily reduced if needed!

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    2. I realize this is a very late response but I have frozen this recipe and it defrosts and reheats great. I like to put it in the toaster oven so that the top gets crispy again. Yum!

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  18. And if you want to step it up a further notch: try using MILNOT instead of Pet or Carnation ... seriously, you will not BELIEVE the difference (my Ma'am taught me that, let me TASTE the difference well over half-century ago ... )

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  19. I made this as part of our supper tonight, but with a few tweaks (Due to milk and cheese availability in the house). I decided to go ahead and make a reaux because I only had two cans of evaporated milk on hand. After I added some seasonings while making the reaux - salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and nutmeg. Then added the milks and cheeses, heated through until the cheese melted. In a smaller bowl, I whipped the eggs and tempered them with the sauce before adding them to the big bowl of sauce, mixed thoroughly. Poured the sauce over my drained pasta that I put back in the pot they cooked in, stirred well to coat, and then poured everything into my prepared 9” x13” pan. Baked at 350*F (40 tp 45 minutes), pulled it out, added shredded cheese on top, and baked another 10 minutes to melt/brown up the cheese. My husband of 32 years LOVED this dish!!! I have been trying for years to convert him from the nasty boxed stuff, and I think I just succeeded! lol Thanks for sharing your recipe, Mandy! It caught my attention because it looked easy, even though I added some steps, it still WAS!

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  20. I made this for my son and sent it to his house frozen. He just called to ask me to add to my rotation. He thought it would be perfect if I threw some ham in it. Anyone done that yet?

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    1. I haven't added it to this particular recipe, but I have made other similar recipes with ham chunks in them - sounds yummy!! I would recommend using mild cheddar if you add the ham, and maybe only the 1 tsp. of salt instead of 1 1/2 tsp. since the ham is often a saltier meat :)

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  21. Can this be assembled ahead of time and refridgerated?

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    1. Yes! Though, I don't pour the egg/milk mixture over mine until I'm ready to bake it. You don't want the noodles to get mushy.

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  22. I am southern and so proud of it, but my grandma's never made us mac and cheese (if they didn't grow it or raise it, we didn't eat it, so it was probably a cheese thing). However, I had this version of it (custard) at a friends house (also Southern, bless her heart), and I was done... how in the world have I been eating all of those roux based M&C's (not a fan) and not known about the custard style M&C? Since then, I have been searching for years (because also, my Southern friend wouldn't tell me how she made hers!), but it was never quite right. Now, you have revealed the secret! Canned Milk!! I am head over heels in love w/this recipe! thank you!

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    1. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I KNEW about the canned milk but didn't use it until I read the Serious Eats article/recipe! And you're right, it is THE SECRET!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!

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  23. THIS is how I grew up eating mac & cheese in Texas!!! :D We would occasionally have the boxed junk, but most of the time it was this type of mac & cheese...but THIS recipe is the BEST that I have ever had!!!! Thank you SO much for sharing it! I have been searching for the perfect recipe for quite a while. My mom used to make "President Reagan's Favorite Mac & Cheese" recipe, which is similar, but this is even better ;) I did mix in some Velveeta, but I had cut it into small cubes since shredding it would have been a nightmare, and I placed them here and there...it was yummy, but we ended up with small pockets of Velveeta. Next time, I am going to melt the Velveeta, then mix it in with the noodles, then add the cheddar cheese, and I think I will also incorporate some medium cheddar since the mild was quite flavorful enough for me (I am used to using sharp in pretty much everything! LOL) :) We also plan to try different soft cheeses like havarti or goat...more of a gourmet feel, maybe? lol Anyhoo, thank you again for upping my mac & cheese game...I actually said, last night, "This is the best mac & cheese I have made in my entire life!!"!!! LOL <3

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    1. JENN!! You just made my day! I'm SO happy that you enjoyed it!!

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    2. Update - I mixed Velveeta in with the hot noodles this last time I made it and it was SO GOOD!! I froze a portion of it and am going to thaw it at Thanksgiving to see how it holds up ;) Thank you again for this wonderful recipe <3

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  24. My task this year is to make the MAC and Cheese and I'm terrified! My mom is the best cook/ southern cook in the family and the pressures on. This sounds the closet to my moms recipe but I would need to double it, maybe even triple it because we have a big family... more like 2 or 3 pounds of noodle... so you said 1 egg per can on evap, per pound? Now I'm even more confused?

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    1. That note was more so for folks who wanted to reduce the size of the recipe. If you need to double or triple, just double or triple all the ingredients. Good luck! YOU GOT THIS!

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  25. Mandy, I made this receip several months ago and it was delicious. I forgot to add the butter but it was still awesome. Two people even asked me for the recipe. Now I’m looking to make it again for Thanksgiving but I’m afraid to add the butter since it went over so well before. It was not dry at all and I’m thinking that with the melted cheese it might be a little greasy with butter.

    Have you tried it without butter or with a smaller amount?

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    1. I've never made it without the butter but if you rocked it the first time without, I'd say rock it again! I put butter on mine because Mama puts butter on hers because Nanny put butter on hers :o)

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    2. Without butter would be great for me as I never use it. I hzte butter

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  26. Thanks Mandy. I wonder if I’m missing out! I may try a small amount and graduate from there

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  27. When you say layer cheese and noodles...layer how

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    1. I layered half of the noodles, then half cheese, then repeat - I do mix it slightly with in the baking dish to get the cheese a little incorporated :) If you are going to add Velveeta, as well, I recommend melting it and mixing it into the noodles before layering ;)

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    2. Thank you....this is going on my thanksgiving table....I can't wait...reminds me of my mom mom's mac and cheese!

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  28. If you wanted to use Velveeta in this, how much would you recommend?

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    1. It's entirely up to you! I'd probably add 8 oz or so if I were going to add it. It can't be TOO cheesy!

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  29. Sorry but this dish was an epic fail for me. I’m use to using a rue or cheddar cheese soup. Your pics looked so yummy and the reviews were all so amazing. I followed the directions to a “t” except for combining everything in a large bowl minus a cup of cheese for the top. It was way to dry for our liking. Not use to Mac n cheese you can cut in squares. After having many post-Thanksgiving meal hours to think about it my conclusion is that 3 eggs was just too much. I’m not a real confident cook but my ebrows did go up when I saw that it required 3 eggs.

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    1. You should read everything above the first picture where she explains very clearly this is nothing like a roux based mac and cheese. This recipe is the best I've ever used and I will ONLY use this one now.

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    2. You altered the whole recipe and wonder why it failed!!! 🤦🏽‍♀️ U shouldn’t be in the kitchen 🤷🏽‍♀️

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  30. Made this for Thanksgiving and it was awesome. I did add a small block of Gruyere cheese and some crumbled Ritz and butter on top in addition to the butter in the recipe! Just the way I like it, thick and not creamy but just creamy enough when good and hot! Thank you for a great recipe!

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  31. I am so glad I ran across this recipe. I could not remember how my mom made her mac and cheese, but I did remember that she used evaporated milk. Your blog made me giggle because I too thought of canned milk as inferior. I made if for Thanksgiving, but I think 2 lbs of cheese and a deeper dish whould make it perfect. I forgot to mention that my mom passed away in 2007, so I can't pick up the phone to ask her about it.

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  32. I made this hoping to replicate my nana's family recipe, but it turned out kind of sweet. I definitely used evaporated milk so thinking it might have just been the store brand I bought that gave it that sweetness? Either way, I'm getting ready to make it again for Christmas and am wondering if anyone has had luck substituting 1 or 2 of the cans of milk for half & half / milk or something similar?

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    1. SOLVED: Used Carnation Evaporated Milk instead of the store brand I bought earlier. Such a difference that made. I was on the fence at first, but this is now my go-to mac & cheese recipe! I used a combo of Tillamook Extra Sharp & Tillamook Medium Cheddar for the traditional holiday meal, but might play around with some fancier cheeses for meals that aren't built around nostalgia. Thank you so much for this recipe!!

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    2. I had no idea but when I asked some folks about why you might have had that result I was told some brands of evaporated milk are a bit sweet! And I was told that if you've never cooked with evaporated milk, it might seem sweet to you at first. I'm glad it worked out for you!

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  33. Hi what’s a good brand of cheese to use for this recipe?

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    1. I have made this a few times now, and both the Walmart Great Value brand and the Publix store brand have been delicious and melted nicely. I used mild cheddar and grated the blocks of cheese instead of using pre-shredded :) We also love melting about 4-6 ounces of Velveeta, then mixing that in with the hot noodles before mixing in the other cheese and topping with the egg mixture ;) This also freezes and thaws wonderfully!!

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  34. Instead of a the Mason & Dixon Line, they should use the evaporated milk/egg vs. roux (nasty flour based Mac and Morney uppity yankee sauce) distinction.

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  35. My favorite macaroni and cheese recipe! However, I want to make it using sharp, Monterey,and extra sharp cheedar. Do yuo think it will work out?

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  36. This is THE recipe I use for Mac & Cheese and I'm fussy about my mac. No need to tweak it, it's great as instructed.

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  37. This is the best, always a hit and very easy! I've made it several times in the past few months for family get-togethers.

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  38. Thank you Mandy for the recipe! I made this today for dinner and I couldn’t wait for it to set up! Once it did it was soooooo good. It has great flavor and I will definitely be using this recipe again! The jumbo noodles take it to another level!!!!

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  39. Evie maybe you cooked it too long because with 3 cans of evaporated milk and 3 eggs I can’t see how it was dry. Egg makes macaroni and cheese!

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  40. I will be making this dish tomorrow for neighbor get together, doing a “southern” theme. Brisket, green beans, Mac and cheese and pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. I should have read your comments more thoroughly about the cheese. I bought expensive sharp cheddar cheese taking back is not an option. Please tell me the Mac and cheese will be ok.

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    1. It will be lovely. The cheese "sauce" will likely not be as creamy and the flavor will be more bold but mac and cheese is like, pizza... it's all good!

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  41. I'll definitely shred my own cheese, but do I weigh out 24 oz. of shredded cheese or measure out 3 cups of cheese?

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    1. The measurement refers to weight, not volume. You will have WAAAAAY more than 3 cups of cheese. It's easier for me to buy 24-oz of cheese then shred it than to weigh it after the fact.

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  42. I'm going to make this recipe for Thanksgiving this year but I have one question - do you find that using 1 pound/16 oz of pasta truly feeds 14-16 as the recipe indicates? I need to feed 10 or 11 people but I just want to make sure that I make enough! :)

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  43. Darlene Owens-Mitchell11/28/19, 1:25 PM

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! I am trying this for the time. your picture is too die for .That is exactly what I was looking for. My Mom is from Virginia and my Grandmother on my Dads side is from Texas !!!!And I grew up on the best of both versions.With eggs and with out. I can' t wait to taste this.

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  44. I made this today. My husband (who does not like mac & cheese) loved it. I am planning to make this recipe the next time company comes to stay. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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  45. Thank you for this! My great-grandmother's mac and cheese recipe was never passed on. So I turned to reddit, got tips for how to make Southern style mac and cheese, and looked up recipes using those ingredients. I tried your recipe, making a pan for a baby shower and one for my family. My dad says it is the closest he's had to his Granny's recipe. I am going to make it again for a holiday potluck tomorrow as well. It is amazing!

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  46. THIS IS THE BEST MAC PIE I HAVE EVER MADE!!! And I used extra sharp :) Made it for Thanksgiving and the fam was very happy. Will be making again for New Years dinner.

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  47. I am visiting family and made this. I followed your recipe exactly. My daughter-in-law asked for the recipe,and as soon as it was gone she asked me to make it again. Thank you for sharing another dependable and delicious recipe with us.

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  48. Yeah so I've been trying to make my Mimi's Macaroni and cheese for early 20 years. I've tried every idea out there. THIS IS IT!!!

    Interesting though, my Mimi definitely didn't use evaporated milk, so I wonder if she used something else. Buttermilk, raw milk with more fat... Something? I don't know and I don't care. Thank you for giving me a taste of home today!!

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  49. OMG! I love love LOVED this kind of mac and cheese. Someone always brought it to church suppers, and I have never known how to make it. Thanks for sharing.

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  50. Beats the pants off the roux recipes - and Kraft crap and fake cheese lol.

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  51. Mac and cheese quiche without the pie crust. I made it for Thanksgiving, everyone loved it. This was the first time I made it this way and I'm making it this way again today, lol. Thanks for the awesome recipe!

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  52. Macaroni & cheese is not a side dish, it’s a main course as far as my grandgirls are concerned. I was searching for a recipe that reminded me of my childhood. You nailed it. Getting ready for our yearly beach trip and wondered how or if this could be frozen ahead. Don’t want to spend all my time cooking! Glad I found this one. They’re not easy to please.

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  53. My fiance (older guy lol) has ALWAYS talked about his grandmother's homemade macaroni and cheese from when he was young,young. None of the family had her recipe, and many have attempted to make it and have failed though definitely giving a good effort. I ran across this recipe, read the reviews and figured I would give it a whirl, first time I've ever tried my hand at making his macaroni and cheese dreams come true. I made it, called him in for dinner and he sat down, saw the dish, watched me put it on his plate (whole time he had a very serious look on his face) and tried a bite. Didn't crack a smile but I swear I saw a tear in his eye when he looked at me and said this WAS his grandma's mac and cheese!!!! ������ Thank you so much for making me look absolutely awesome!!! Keeping this recipe to pass down!!!

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  54. I make mine the same way but I don't shred the cheese, I cut slices of it. I use Colby and Monterey jack Inside because it gets stringy and I use cheddar on top for the taste . I do need help though. How do you get more layers of noodles in? I can never get more than two layers in a two qt baking dish.

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  55. I made it couple weekends ago (Aug 29th) with Kraft shredded cheese and it was a top hit and melted great! Got compliments and even had some to take as freezer lunch meals to work.

    Today September 11 time of writing, shredding cheese myself alot harder, wouldn't recommend shredding my own cheese again! taking to potluck and it gets eaten pretty fast!

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  56. Hi! Wondering if 2 cans of milk will be enough? I don't want it dry but definitely want it VERY cakey because that's my favorite. I can't wait to try this!

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    1. You need enough custard mixture to cover the noodles. As long as you have one egg for every can of milk, the texture will be perfectly moist but semi-firm once it's set.

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  57. I could've written this! This is EXACTLY how my granny made hers! Minus the dry mustard, everything is the same! And mine has never been quiiiiite the same because I always used a whole milk half and half combo thinking it was better. WRONG! I will be buying the canned Carnation evaporated milk that my Granny called canned cream. And it HAS to have the jumbo noodles because the cheesy goodness inside of the noodle. There was no exception to the jumbo noodles, canned milk, or shedding your own block of medium cheddar cheese. And she always peppered the top before putting it in the oven. I love this recipe and can now have it saved as I couldn't remember the ratio amounts. Thank you so very much!!

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  58. I hate shredding cheese so I just cut it in chunks and pulverized it in my food processor - worked just as well!! This is my favorite recipe. I had the best Mac/cheese ever at my dad's memorial and when I made this it totally reminded me of that. I do NOT like the velvetta, runny Mac/cheese they serve at buffets. I love this chewy, cheesy deliciousness and it's SO much easier than when I used to make homemade cheese sauce starting with a roux. Thank you!

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  59. The best Mac and cheese. Hate when it's super creamy, love how this one curdles. My family has Been making this Mac and cheese for Thanksgiving since I was a child.

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  60. The Mac and cheese is good but the cook time is suuuper misleading - 15 minutes of prep + 45 minutes of cooking + 20 minutes of cooling is way more than the hour it states at the beginning!

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  61. Hi there... you mentioned using ¼ teaspoon white pepper in your notes. Do you swap out the 1 teaspoon black pepper in the recipe for the ¼ teaspoon white pepper, or is the white pepper in addition to the 1 teaspoon black pepper?

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    1. I add it in addition to the black pepper 🙂

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    2. Wow wow wow~ I have been looking for a long time for an exceptional Mac & Cheese recipe. This was amazing. I used the jumbo elbows and equal parts medium Cheddar and Monterey Jack. Followed the recipe exactly. Will be my one and only M&C recipe from here on out. Wouldn’t change a thing…. Thanks 😊

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  62. Mamma mia, Mandy! I made this last night and now I'm just frankly not interested in eating anything else. (Hope that changes!) The texture is PERFECT. I had to use pre-shredded cheese because I just had shoulder surgery and if it's appreciably better with shredding it yourself I'm in big trouble. Made this recipe exactly as written - so easy to make and remember! Couldn't find jumbo mac so I used the cavatappi you suggest, which is the perfect bite size. Gotta find a way to get this macaroni monkey off my back or I'll be shopping for a muu-muu real soon! Seriously AWESOME recipe. Many thanks!

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  63. The butter you use, is it salted or unsalted? I know cheese can be salty so didn’t want to mess this up. Thanks!

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