Mac and Cheese

November 29, 2023

Ingredients

For the Pasta

  • 3 gallons water
  • 4 pounds and 7.25 ounces dry, elbow macaroni pasta, whole grain-rich
  • 13.25 ounces unsalted butter
  • 13.25 ounces all-purpose flour (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2¾ teaspoons granulated onion
  • 1 gallon and 1¾ cups whole milk
  • 4.5 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 pounds and 14 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, reduced fat, shredded (USDA
    food item)

For the Pasta

  • 3 pounds and 2 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, reduced fat, shredded (USDA
    food item)

Directions

To Prepare in Advance

  1. Bring water to a boil in 22 quart stock pot
  2. Pour dry macaroni into boiling water and cook for 8 minutes
  3. Remove macaroni from boiling water and shock in ice water immediately. After 1 minute, drain the pasta. Critical Control Point (CCP): Hold macaroni at 41°F or lower

To Prepare Cheese Sauce

  1. On low heat, melt butter in 12 quart stock pot.
  2. Slowly add flour to melted butter to make a roux. Cook roux over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove roux from pot, set aside.
  3. Pour milk into empty roux pot. Bring milk to simmer over medium heat
  4. Add kosher salt, white pepper, and granulated onion to simmering milk. Gently stir to mix well.
  5. Add roux slowly to simmering milk, continue to stir well. Continue to cook roux and milk sauce on low heat until sauce thickens and is smooth.
  6. Add parmesan cheese, stir until well blended.
  7. Add shredded cheddar cheese, one–½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
  8. Remove sauce from heat. Pour into one–12 inch by 20 inch by 2 inch pan to cool. CCP: If macaroni held for next day service, reduce temperature from 135°F to
    70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional 4 hours.

To Prepare for Service

  1. Mix cooked macaroni and cheese sauce in one–18 inch by 26 inch by 9 inch food container on the same day of service.
  2.  Portion ¾ cup of cheese sauce and macaroni mixture into individual ovenable trays.
  3. Top each individual serving of macaroni and cheese with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Hold in refrigerator. CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese in refrigerator at 41°F or lower
  4. Preheat convection oven 325°F or conventional oven 350°F. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. CCP: Heat macaroni and cheese to 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
  5. CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese at 135°F or higher for service
  6. Serve one–9.5 ounce individual container of macaroni and cheese for each serving.

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe