I’m a Southern chef, born and bred, and even though I’ve wandered far and wide, this is my grandmother’s mac and cheese recipe, and it tastes as delicious and comforting and authentically Southern as it did when she served it to her kids in Savannah, Georgia.
Why Your Family Will Devour This Southern Mac and Cheese
You’ve never had mac and cheese or fried chicken until you’ve gone to one of my family reunions, where my grandmother, who is still living and 97 years old, will bring her infamous potato salad (with pickle juice as one of the secret ingredients), her equally infamous mac and cheese, which I share with you today, and her equally infamous chocolate sheet cake, which is so delicious and the icing is so glossy it looks like satin. I’ll share that, soon.
Perhaps it’s the mixture of both heavy cream and mac and cheese, or the hint of paprika, or the full four cups of shredded cheddar (my grandmother uses a sharp cheddar, grated off the block, mixed with Colby, grated off the block), or just knowing she loves me so much that makes it taste so good, but my family seems to think I make this just as good as she does (I’m not so sure!).
I’m beginning to think that love really is an ingredient in food. You know the way they tell us hugging puppies releases all that oxytocin — and heals people all over their body? I think when we serve our families the dishes made with love in our hearts, they can taste the love and that’s that warm, tingly feeling we get when we eat food made by people with love in their hearts for the people they’re cooking for.
So, Just What Do We Mean by Southern Food, Anyway?
Southern food, as I’ve tried to explain to my daughters, is the best food, because it’s made by chefs from the Southern states like Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, the Virginias, the Carolinas, Kentucky, and some count Florida. People in these regions, I explain, cook so well because of the melting pot of traditions they benefitted from there throughout history. Southern chefs often tend to cook more classically, with classical French cooking techniques behind their dishes (like roux for gravies, which comes from fancy French sauces), and they learned from chefs skilled in soul food, creole cooking, and Cajun cookery as well. It’s a style of cooking that is old and wise for this reason and many recipes are passed down through generations, like a sourdough starter.
I’m a Southern chef at heart, trained in classical French cookery and international cuisine as well, so I can fusion it up with the best of them. So you’ll see a lot of traditional dishes on my site your grandma might have made that I’ll keep fun by incorporating surprising flavors that keep kids interested in food and excited to come to the table.
When I want to make a real Southern meal out of my mac and cheese, I add barbecued browned beef to make a Tex-Mex kind of Southern dish. Or I veggie it up and make a healthy take on Southern Mac and Cheese with broccoli, cauliflower, and some carrot slices. Sometimes I fusion it up and make Korean BBQ mac and cheese with shredded chicken stirred in. Either way, this Southern Mac and Cheese is exceptionally cheesy and comfortingly creamy, and most definitely a family favorite in my house.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
I never make one of these without making a second for freezing. This is because mac and cheese can be frozen and NOT come out grainy if you either (a) make the casserole completely and freeze unbaked (best for less graininess) or (b) shave one-third time off your bake time and thaw in the fridge, always. You want this to thaw evenly to bake evenly. Also, the sooner you bake made-ahead “homemades,” the better. Even if they say you can freeze foods up to three months doesn’t mean you should.
For the Stretchiest Mac and Cheese
If your kids love the stretchy pull of strings on their fork, here’s how to get them every time. Add a layer of cheese halfway through, stirring an Italian cheese blend in with some cheddar. Voilà. The mozzarella and provolone combined with the lateness of the addition will give you that stretchy pull and your kids will really enjoy your efforts.
Spices That Really Add Something Special
For traditional flavors: try a shave or two of fresh nutmeg and a bit of paprika to your milk and butter with the cheese. For Southern Mac and Cheese with a kick, Southern chefs swear by a combination of a few red pepper flakes, ½ tsp of dry mustard, and Tabasco sauce all added to the white sauce part with the cheese. For heat lovers, keep the Tabasco at table.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with – everything, especially with something spicy, flaky, or pie-crusty. All of these things complement mac and cheese so well, like my Crockpot Chicken Adobo, my amazing Skillet Chicken Pot Pie, or try it with hot dogs and sauerkraut. My BLAT Hot Dogs and Chili Dog recipes are right here (with two others thrown in) — all delicious with Southern Mac and Cheese.
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese blend
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 325ºF to get it ready for baking.
- Prepare your baking dish by greasing a 9” x 13” casserole dish and setting it aside.
- Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat.
- Cook the macaroni in a separate pot, following the package directions but stopping just before it’s fully done to prevent it from getting mushy later.
- Create a roux by whisking the flour into the melted butter, then season with salt, white pepper, and paprika to taste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk and cream, then increase the heat to medium-high.
- Add 3 cups of the shredded cheese to the mixture, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens.
- Drain the cooked macaroni and combine it with the thickened cheese sauce.
- Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture into the greased casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top for a cheesy crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the top is beautifully browned and bubbly.
- Let the mac and cheese rest for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.
Leave a Comment