Ultimate Mac and Cheese.
Skip the shortcuts—build a proper roux, control the heat, get the creamy payoff you deserve
Skip the shortcuts—build a proper roux, control the heat, get the creamy payoff you deserve
Ingredients
Ingredients
- FOR THE ROUX:
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- FOR THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE:
- All of the roux from above
- 1 Tablespoon shallots, minced
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1-1/2 teaspoon Casa M Spice Co® Cattle Drive®
- FOR THE MORNAY SAUCE:
- All of the Béchamel sauce from above
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
- 1 cup Munster cheese, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- FOR THE ULTIMATE MAC AND CHEESE:
- All of the Mornay sauce from above
- 2 pounds dry pasta
- 6 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1 bunch chives, diced
Method
-
01
Gather and prep all ingredients
15 minGrate cheeses, dice jalapeños and chives, mince shallots.
-
02
Make roux with coconut oil and flour
12 minStir constantly until roux reaches tan color, then cool pan.
-
03
Add shallots and milk to make béchamel
8 minAdd milk slowly while stirring constantly until smooth.
-
04
Simmer béchamel sauce for 45-60 min
52 minStir regularly; sauce should coat back of spoon when done.
-
05
Boil and cook pasta to 2/3 package time
8 minSalt water well; drain and quench with cold water when done.
-
06
Preheat oven to 350°F
15 minOr preheat smoker to 250°F if using that method.
-
07
Add cheeses to make Mornay sauce
10 minAdd each cheese gradually, stirring constantly to avoid scorching.
-
08
Assemble mac and cheese in roasting pans
5 minMix pasta with jalapeños, pour Mornay sauce over.
-
09
Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes
60 minCheck after 40 min every 5 min; cover with foil if over-browning.
-
10
Let cool for 10 minutes
10 minYou're letting carryover cooking finish the job and the sauce thicken up as it cools—don't skip this or you'll have a runny casserole when it hits the table.
-
11
Garnish with chives and blue cheese
2 minFresh chives cut thin and crumbled blue cheese cut the richness and add a sharp bite that keeps every forkful interesting instead of heavy.
From Mike's Notebook
Coconut oil burns hotter than butter—watch that roux like a hawk or you'll start over.
Undercooked pasta matters here; finishing it in the oven means you control the final texture, not the box.
Add cheese off heat or it seizes up; patience beats speed every single time.