What cheese do you use for mac & cheese?

Gruyere is very good for macaroni and cheese -- try mixing it with some asiago. Add some white cheddar and parmesan and you've got the mac mix I fed to my kids as "baked ziti."

I don't know about smoked gouda -- I wouldn't.

My current favorite cheese blend for macaroni and cheese is sharp, white cheddar, asadero, and jalapeno jack; plus a mix of parmesan and cotija both to sprinkle over the top and put some grain in the mornay/custard. I don't like my mac too creamy, preferring it to set up fairly solid. Also, I like ziti more than "elbow macaroni."

BDL

No recipes here. Just add cream and cheese, toss pasta, brown in the broiler.

My kid's favorite is aged white cheddar. I always like a little blue cheese in mine. OK, a LOT of blue cheese. :D

I'm with Kuan on this one. When making mac & cheese for myself then I like to use a lot of blue cheese for flavor. Often I start with a base of white cheddar in the sauce and add the blue cheese for flavor.

Cheese for Mac & Cheese

I like a really cheesey taste in my Mac & Cheese. For two cups of uncooked (Creamette Brand) macaroni recipe, I use 1 cup of Cooper's Sharp, shredded, and 1 cup of sharp Cheddar, shredded.

I tried out the recipe someone posted in the "recipe" section of the forum and used feta, topped with moz and it came out GREAT....different, but great taste....it was a hit with my sister and her boyfriend and she is a picky eater too.

Mac and Cheese

I made some the other day and used Sharp Cheddar. What I did is make a bechemel sauce (which is equal flour and butter, roux, cook for 1 to 2 minutes making sure it doesnt brown, and milk and stir until disolved and bubbly making it to it coats the spoon. Then i folded in the cheese and a dash of nutmeg and pepper. I added the macoroni and then stirred carefully then presto mac and cheese.

You need to find a cheese that melts really nice and not that oily. Try not to care if you boil it it will look curdled.
My family loved it!
Good luck with your endevors.

My kids love it when I just use amer. cheese,cream,butter,& cavetapi ;) It's alot better than the blue box! I really would like to try spicy jack!
cg

I like to use a mature English cheddar like Davidstow, mixed with Red Leicester.

making alot of variations recently.....normally sharp cheddar, guyere or gouda and some blue....if it's for me it's all the cheese scraps melded into a bechimel. (sp?)
BUT more recently I've been focusing on the crust.....creamy goo with a crispy crunchy topping.....bread crumbs, granulated garlic, parsley, parmesan, olive oil, black pepper.....or crumbled chips in with a similar mix....

Most often, it's just medium cheddar and some parm. It depends what cheeses I have in the refrigerator though. Certainly I'll use some blue if I have it as well as pepper jack.

My favorite lately has been a blend of mozzarella, provolone, and white cheddar. It's even yummier when you throw in some sun-dried tomatoes (plumped up a little if they're completely dehydrated, or as-is if they're oil-packed) and sprinkle extra cheese (w/ a little bit of parmesan mixed in) over the top and pop it under the broiler. As far as the liquid part of the sauce, I do a roux with garlic-infused butter and flour, then add half-and-half (hey, it's already fattening!), salt & pepper to taste, and slowly add the cheese. I don't have any exact measurements because I just eyeball it. Top with the parmesan and extra cheese, broil until yummy and bubbling, and serve with a garnish of basil chiffonade.

yes! Gruyere def works - but not by itself - I like to pair it with a milder cheese - something simple like even a mozz

Gruyere & pepper jack?

I like to use sharp white cheddar, a little parmesan, and fontina.

When I make the bechamel I like to sautee in 1 finely chopped onion in the butter before I add the flour. The onion completely dissolves during the baking process but it leaves behind the sweetness that goes so well with the salty cheese. I use whole milk but I've seen my Mother make a spectacular bechamel using 1% milk! I stir in a little bit of nutmeg, dash of paprkika, and a teaspoon of mustard for tang.

On top I sprinkle parmesan cheese, and some herbed breadcrumbs.

All the suggestions of the cheese nuts above sound great- except for smoked Gouda. My impression is that it doesn't melt very well- am I wrong?

If I am, I'll try it.

How I like to top mine is with wheat germ flakes. Makes a nice crust and is healthy. My appetite has been whetted by the suggestions above and I'm going to whip up a cheesy mac over the weekend. :bounce:

This morning on Throwdown Bobby Flay whipped up a mac and cheese with five or six cheeses and sauteed pancetta and beat the lady mac expert he was challenging. Sounds pretty good.

Food Network: Mac and Cheese Carbonara

Mike

Mike