Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why use evaporated milk in mac and cheese? ›

The second big key was to use evaporated milk as the base liquid. Evaporated milk is a highly concentrated source of milk protein micelles—bundles of proteins that can act as powerful emulsifying agents—which help to keep the sauce creamy and smooth.

How do You Keep Macaroni and Cheese Creamy? Don't skimp on the milk or butter as those ingredients help keep the cooked macaroni ultra-rich and creamy. Use full-fat milk for creamiest results. Also, avoid overbaking, as that will dry out your mac and cheese.

Milk: Keeps our cheese sauce super creamy. I use whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Mustard and spices: A combination of Dijon mustard, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt makes this macaroni and cheese extra delicious. Cheese: I use white cheddar and parmesan or pecorino cheese.

It is better to use heavy cream for Mac and Cheese instead of milk, or better yet, use evaporated milk which has the thickness of heavy cream without all of the fat! Furthermore, it is more stable than heavy cream so your Macaroni and Cheese is less likely to curdle or separate.

Evaporated Milk Substitutes

Although it may be tempting, because of the added sugar, you should generally avoid substituting sweetened condensed milk in any recipe that calls for evaporated. If you don't have evaporated milk available, it's possible to substitute a cup of light cream, or you can make your own.

But when left in its thickened, low-moisture canned state, it can also stand in for milk or heavy cream as an enriching agent. Evaporated milk gives body to smoothies, thickens up and sweetens coffee, and adds nuance and richness to creamy soups and chowders, not to mention savory sauces and even oatmeal.

Feta has a high moisture level and doesn't melt properly, so it would clump rather than give you a smooth sauce. This also goes for cheeses like queso fresco and paneer.

Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? Yes, adding more cheese than a recipe calls for will not improve the dish. Too much cheese will result in a dish that is heavy and greasy.

If you're really in a pinch, try adding around 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (I highly recommend Duke's or Kewpie) and whisking it in. You may want to add a bit more salt or cheddar cheese or even some parmesan cheese to cover up the distinctive taste of mayonnaise. Don't knock it until you try it!

Milk and chicken broth: Added to the roux to make the sauce for creamy mac and cheese. Chicken broth isn't commonly used to make mac and cheese, but we find it works great in place of half the milk and adds more flavor.

Can I use sour cream instead of milk for mac and cheese? ›

Sour Cream

There are a couple of reasons this is such a good substitute. For one thing, since sour cream is thicker than regular milk, it doesn't thin out the cheese sauce as much. That means that you can add more sour cream and still get a creamy finish.

According to the FDA, half-and-half contains between 10.5 percent to 18 percent milk fat, while heavy cream contains between 36 percent and 40 percent milk fat. Because heavy cream contains more fat, it is thicker and has a richer taste and a creamier mouthfeel than half-and-half.

Evaporated Milk – With a similar consistency, you can use a 1-to-1 swap of evaporated milk for heavy cream in most sweet and savory dishes. Its flavor is richer with unique caramelized tones and is not a lower-fat option, but evaporated milk makes do in a pinch.

The main difference between the two is their fat content. Heavy cream has slightly more fat than whipping cream. Otherwise, they are nutritionally very similar. You can use them interchangeably in recipes without affecting the taste, although they may lead to different consistencies.

Evaporated milk is a saving grace in cheese and dairy-based sauces, where curdling can easily compromise that coveted smooth and silky texture. Appert's evaporated milk was the genesis of a tapered path to the canned version we see in stores today.

The product was invented in 1885 as a way to enjoy milk without the need for refrigeration. Heating the milk kills lingering bacteria that can cause spoilage and also reduces its weight, making it easier to transport. Evaporated milk is slightly thicker than fresh milk and has a more opaque, slightly yellow color.

There are a few different ways to keep your macaroni and cheese moist, from adding a solid layer of shredded cheese on top to holding back on the cream when making your sauce.

Evaporated milk tastes like milk but with a thicker, less watery consistency. The process of heating the evaporated milk in the cans imparts a slightly sweet flavor to the milk and it's just a bit darker in color than ordinary milk.