Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: For Whom the Cheese Melts 2

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (448)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 35 min

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Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
6 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheese. Over low heat continue to stir for 3 minutes or until creamy.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Claudia Seattle, WA 02-07-2010
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Simply Awful! The very definition of BLAND!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I have to preface this with that normally Alton rocks, and I've had many of his dishes turn out beautifully, including his... cheese souffle. This mac 'n cheese however, something I'd wanted to try for a long time, was a total waste of time! I read a bunch of reviews, and altered the ingredients only by adding additional evaporated milk and using 1/2 sharp, 1/2 medium cheese. I don't know how it could be stirred to the end without the extra milk, it was so thick! Mainly, though, it was bland bland bland. I added tabasco to mine after a few bites in the hope it would help - and I never use tabasco! It didn't help. I ate 2/3 of mine, mostly because I didn't want to waste it. My husband, who normally loves my cooking, and who will usually eat anything, threw his out after eating only half. The leftovers also went into the trash. What a waste of good ingredients! I can't believe this got so many good reviews. Yuck!Read more
recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Ro Baltimore, MD 02-04-2010
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Save this one to your favorites!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

So glad I doubled this one...it was truly delicious and so much easier than most mac and cheese recipes. I had been using a... recipe from Guy's show that also uses evaporated milk, but couldn't find it last night and had to get started as it was getting late. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly but did add garlic powder (if memory serves that wasn't an ingredient but I use it in nearly everything), and I used half sharp cheddar and half fontinella cheese just becuase that was what I had. I think I'll always do it that way as it was just so darn good. I also think the fontinella paired well with the hot sauce. We'll be having the leftovers this weekend, likely with some kind of sausage. Last night we had it with pork and green beans cooked with sage and prosciutto. We were a happy family! Thanks Alton!!Read more
recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Beth Marlton, NJ 02-03-2010
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Perfect Every Time
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

When we want mac and cheese - this is the only recipe to use! Fast fabulous comfort food.
recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Nix Greensburg, PA 02-02-2010
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Well, it had macaroni and it had cheese...
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

So, this seemed like the best bet for a mac and cheese novice such as myself. I am staying out of town and didn't have the... equipment needed to make a baked mac and cheese, which is what I think I would have preferred. This was ok, but not really what I was hoping for. A little too bitey for the meal I was preparing, also the texture was off. I honestly don't believe I could have added the cheese any slower than I did. Cheddar just isn't really a melting cheese without giving off a certain amount of oil. I even substituted some colby jack and slightly more real milk than the evaporated kind. Still no dice. I may try his baked mac and cheese with a smoother cheese next time. Read more
recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Heather Richmond, VA 01-31-2010
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Much too bland
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I tried this b/c of all the rave reviews. Sorry. I adore Alton's recipes, but this one was kind of awful. The texture was... fine, but it really didn't have much flavor at all and I did not skimp on the hot sauce or the mustard. It almost made me wonder if there were misprints in the recipe. Even my toddlers refused to eat it. I have tried many stovetop mac and cheese recipes and I'd have to say that this would be at the bottom of the list. I kept the leftovers in the refrigerator for a week, hoping that my husband would eat some, but no such luck. It all went in the trash. Better luck next time, I guess.Read more
recipe Stove Top Mac-n-Cheese
Kerry San Bernardino, CA 01-31-2010
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Yum
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This really was good... but to be honest, I prefer using the cheese sauce recipe from his baked version and I just don't bake... it. I stir the noodles in and eat away... so good and it takes one more pot. No egg, so you don't have to worry about accidentally cooking them. Still, Alton, you rock!! I have yet to find a recipe of yours that I don't LOVE. Read more