Best Killer Mac And Cheese With Bacon Recipes

Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon and Cheese image

Provided by Tyler Florence

Time 1h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
4 cups milk
2 or 3 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme

Steps:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a small saucepan heat the milk with the thyme sprigs and 2 garlic cloves. Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to keep lumps from forming. Strain the solids out of the milk and whisk it into the butter and flour mixture. Continue to whisk vigorously, and cook until the mixture is nice and smooth. Stir in the 4 cups of the cheese and continue to cook and stir to melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and the parsley and fold that all in to coat the macaroni with the cheese mixture. Scrape into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
While that bakes, heat a saute pan. Add the bacon, render the fat and cook until crispy. Add onion, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the onion. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, scatter the bacon mixture over the mac and cheese. Use a big spoon to scoop out servings, making sure you get some of the smoking bacon mixture on each spoonful.

Anne Burrell's Killer Mac and Cheese image

Provided by Lorraine of AZ

Categories Cheese

Time 1h20m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

olive oil, extra virgin
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 onion, cut in 1/4-inch dice
kosher salt, as needed
1/2 cup flour
1 quart whole milk, plus more as needed
1 lb pasta shells or 1 lb other short pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly grated
2 cups Fontina cheese, freshly grated
1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Steps:

Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add bacon and bring to medium heat. Stir bacon occasionally. When crisp and brown (6-8 minutes) remove bacon from pan. Drain. Do not discard bacon fat!
Add butter and onion to pan with the fat. Season with salt and cook till onions are soft and aromatic (8-10 minutes). Add flour and cook stirring 4-5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, season with salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer on low heat 8-10 minutes more.
In the meantime, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package directions stipulate. Drain and reserve.
Add the three cheeses to the milk mixture and whisk to combine. Add mustard and Tabasco; taste and adjust seasonings. If mixture is too thick, add more milk. Stir in bacon and pasta. Mixture should be very creamy and flavorful. Serve immediately or transfer to a baking dish or ramekins and reheat in a 375 degree oven.