Dry macaroni and cheese is not invited to the holidays this year.
Macaroni and cheeseis a thing of beauty when executed correctly.
Unless your mac and cheese takes a turn for the worse and comes out of the oven dry.
Credit: Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
You want to use equal amounts of butter and flour by weight.
Unlike its baked counterpart,stovetop macaroni and cheeseis much easier to fix when too dry.
Be careful to add a little at a time to avoid loosening the sauce too much or splitting it.
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A blend of several cheeses balances flavor and melting qualities.
OurBest Homemade Macaroni And Cheeserecipe calls for extra sharp yellow Cheddar and sharp white Cheddar.
Pre-shredded cheese is coated to prevent clumping, and this effects how it melts.
Credit: Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
In fact, sometimes it doesn’t melt at all.
This creates a soupy sauce with a lumpy texture rather than the thick and silky result we want.
You want to avoid undercooking your pasta too much because undercooked noodles will absorb all the sauce.
Credit:JAMES RANSOM; FOOD STYLING: RUTH BLACKBURN; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINE KEELY
For best results, the noodles should be al dente.
Covering the dish with foil will ensure the moisture from the sauce doesn’t totally evaporate while baking.
Baked macaroni and cheese is best served hot, 10 to 15 minutes after baking.
As it cools, it will thicken and dry slightly, making reheating a bit of a nightmare.
Because of this, we do not recommend baking make-ahead mac and cheese in advance.
However, you could still assemble the entire dish the day before.
One of our favorite ways to repurpose dry macaroni and cheese is to makeFried Mac and Cheese Bites.
The finger food can be served as a fun appetizer while the rest of Christmas dinner comes together.
