Beecher’s World’s Best Mac and Cheese
My eleven-year-old daughter recently watched the latest episode of Oprah – you know, the one where she lists her favorite things. Never mind the cool electronics and gadgets that Oprah gave away, my daughter wanted to know where she could get the Mac and Cheese.
I found the company’s name (Beecher’s Cheese) on Oprah.com, and then located their website. It turns out that you can buy a 9×13 pan of their World’s Best Mac and Cheese for the very un-frugal price of $70. THAT wasn’t happenin’ in MY household. In typical money-saving fashion, I embarked plan B: To track down the recipe instead. Making copycat recipes at home is always the frugal solution to eating well.
I found several recipes online (credited below), which were all very similar. Based on studying all of them, I came up with my own frugal copycat recipe version of the Oprah’s (Beecher’s) Mac and Cheese here.
Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac and Cheese Recipe
- 16 oz. penne pasta (a 1 lb. box)
- Beecher’s Cheese Sauce (recipe below)
- ¼ C. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- ¼ C. grated Jarlsberg cheese (the original recipe calls for Gruyere, but at $18.99/lb. vs. $8.99/lb Jarlsberg is an acceptable substitute
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 baking dish. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than package directions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Rinse pasta in cold water and set aside.
Combine cooked pasta and Beecher’s Cheese Sauce in a medium bowl and mix until the cheese sauce has been completely incorporated. Pour the pasta/cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chile powder. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Beecher’s Cheese Sauce
- 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or Wondra
- 3 cups milk
- 3 ½ C. sharp Cheddar cheese
- ½ C. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (add up to 1/2 tsp. if you like more heat)
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, chile powder and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to three days.
We loved this recipe. My son thought it was a little spicy, but he still cleaned his plate. We thought for our next go-round we’d add bacon to the recipe to enhance the smoky flavor.
Thanks Three Imaginary Girls, Seattlepi, Tastebook, and Martha Stewart.
Thanks!! Will have to try it b/c $70 isn’t happening in this household either!!!
Let me know what you think after you try it, Karen. We really liked it!
Yummers!!
Well, how was it? Let us know how you liked it, please…looks good!
Just saw that you guys liked it…sorry. Looks worth a try! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you – this looks yummy! I’d also recommend sometime splurging for a special occasion with the gruyere or maybe even the cheese from Beecher’s>. I used to live nearby, ate there once in awhile, and took it home frozen to bake for out of town guests. Two different friends told me after biting into it that they’d wondered, until they tasted it!, why in the world I was serving them mac and cheese, but they found it amazing – it’s pretty much in a class of its own.
Wait, wait! I just noticed this is the Mommysavers website. I honestly wouldn’t bother with the suggestion I just gave for children – they’re more than happy with other cheeses. I was just thinking it terms of using the Beecher’s cheeses for a more sophisticated, adult version, of the dish.
Here is a link to the actual recipe:
http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Mac-and-cheese-cheese-cheese-1248595.php
‘WORLD’S BEST’ MAC AND CHEESE
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
6 ounces penne pasta
2 cups Beecher’s Flagship Sauce (recipe follows)
1 ounce cheddar, grated ( 1/4 cup)
1 ounce Gruyere cheese, grated ( 1/4 cup)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Oil or butter an 8-inch baking dish.
Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and set aside.
Combine cooked pasta and Flagship Sauce in a medium bowl and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chile powder. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTE: If you double the recipe to make a main dish, bake in a 9-by-13-inch pan for 30 minutes.
BEECHER’S FLAGSHIP CHEESE SAUCE
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
14 ounces semihard cheese, such as Beecher’s Flagship, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 ounces grated semisoft cheese, such as Beecher’s Just Jack
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, chile powder and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to three days.
NOTE: A single batch of sauce makes enough for a double recipe of macaroni and cheese.
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Mac-and-cheese-cheese-cheese-1248595.php#ixzz1M8qSaoP7
Just curious.. In your recipe you list:
■3 ½ C. sharp Cheddar cheese
■½ C. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
Are these both grated and do you know approx. how many ounces each consisted of? And for such a small amount, is Jarlsberg really needed or can another cheese be substituted?
Jeanine, I didn’t pay attention to how many ounces these cheeses were before they were grated. I’m sure you could substitute something else for the Jarlsberg.
I have made home made mac and cheese for years. I have made it with all cheeses but the Jarlsberg is such a yummy treat. I do not recommend using mozzerella it gets too stringy. I use 1/2 and 1/2 instead of milk though.
I was looking for a 21 Day Fix-friendly recipe and found that plus this – what a bonus! I was visiting my son and daughter-in-law. I made the 21 Day recipe for my d-i-l and my son and I had the Beecher’s copycat recipe. That was last month. I hadn’t even seen comment with the link until this minute – and I just finished making it again! I got on to ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS (with faint hope of an answer soon, but worth a shot):
1. if not having til tomorrow, is it best to bake now and rewarm, or refrigerate oven-ready and bake tomorrow? Prefer tomorrow, but not sure if refrigerating might have a negative effect.
2. If baking tomorrow, should I let it get to room temp first?
FYI made a double recipe in a deep 10X16 pan. Thanks for any help!