Jim's Beer Mac and Cheese Gratin

3 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 3
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This mac and cheese is so delicious! It has beer as a secret ingredient. It honestly is the best mac and cheese I've ever had.

By JimChicago52
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Ingredients

8
Original recipe yields 8 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a baking dish.

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl.

  • Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk flour into melted butter until a thick paste (roux) forms, about 2 minutes. Add nutmeg; cook and stir until incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually pour beer and milk into roux, whisking constantly until smooth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer sauce for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

  • Remove skillet from heat; stir 2/3 of the Cheddar cheese and 2/3 of the Gruyere cheese into the sauce until melted. Pour sauce over pasta and stir to coat; spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese and Gruyere cheese over pasta mixture; top with bread crumbs.

  • Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling and cheese is melted, about 40 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
454 calories; 25.3 g total fat; 77 mg cholesterol; 413 mg sodium. 32.4 g carbohydrates; 22.1 g protein; Full Nutrition

Popular in Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Reviews (3)

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Most helpful positive review

thedailygourmet
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
01/31/2017
This is an expensive yet delicious mac and cheese. I made a deviation to elbow noodles and used Abito turbodog beer (figuring it would be better than a strawberry beer). The gruyere makes this mac and cheese...it's worth the splurge so don't try substituting a different cheese.
Helpful
(4)

Most helpful critical review

thedailygourmet
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
01/31/2017
This is an expensive yet delicious mac and cheese. I made a deviation to elbow noodles and used Abito turbodog beer (figuring it would be better than a strawberry beer). The gruyere makes this mac and cheese...it's worth the splurge so don't try substituting a different cheese.
Helpful
(4)
3 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 3
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
thedailygourmet
Allstar
Rating: 5 stars
01/31/2017
This is an expensive yet delicious mac and cheese. I made a deviation to elbow noodles and used Abito turbodog beer (figuring it would be better than a strawberry beer). The gruyere makes this mac and cheese...it's worth the splurge so don't try substituting a different cheese.
Helpful
(4)
Casey Thomson
Rating: 5 stars
03/14/2019
Great comfort food recipe. I cooked a package of bacon and chopped it up and put it in the cheese sauce as well as a tin on green chilies. Let that boil then mix it in the noodles. Delicious
jsilkrx
Rating: 5 stars
01/02/2019
This is the best Mac and cheese recipe I have come across yet. It is versatile in the fact that you can modify the flavor based on the brew you choose. As far as modifications- I substituted cavatappi pasta and used more panko to make a thicker crunchy topping.