# Mac and Cheese help.



## scott lambert (Apr 18, 2017)

I do some part time catering...around half a dozen jobs a year. Im having trouble keeping mac and cheese loose and creamy. I have been boiling the mac, pouring a canned cheddar sauce over it and then holding in the Cambro until service. When uncovering for service, I notice it has kind of set up and isn't loose and creamy anymore. Any ideas?


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## Chef Brian Marqus (Nov 26, 2018)

sitting too much add some milk


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## dectra (Nov 2, 2016)

I've had good luck adding a bit of warm whole milk and folding that back in after holding it in a warmer. Of course, this depends on if you have a topping on your mac-n-cheese.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

The macaroni absorbs the moisture and what isn't absorbed evaporates. What's left behind is "set up" mac-n-cheese that's not creamy and fluid. 

To avoid this, don't add the cheese sauce or put it over heat until just prior to service. Add the cheese sauce hot. 

Don't use oil or salt when cooking the macaroni. The oil can prevent the cheese from sticking to the mac and the salt can cause the mac to absorb moisture and dry out the sauce. If you are using canned cheese sauce, there should be more than enough salt in it already. 

Keep some whole milk mixed with extra cheese sauce hot and add it to the macaroni as needed to keep it fresh and fluid. Eventually, the mac will no longer be able to absorb anymore liquid and will start to fall apart, especially if kept hot for lengthy periods of time. So, there's a window of viability with this option before your product literally turns to mush. 

There are other options but, those options would involve making the cheese sauce yourself, which may not be an option. 

If it is an option, use a full fat cheese and make the cheese sauce from a roux. A roux tends to hold its creaminess longer, but, it will dry out eventually like the others. But, a good thing about a roux is that it can be reconstituted rather quickly with some hot liquid. 

Good luck.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

It could be that you cooked your mac too far. Undercooking the pasta helps I find.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Agreed, cook only to barely adente if gonna hold an hour or more.
Soft mac n cheese is nice....mushy not so much. 
Also, even in a hot box temp will gradually decrease, and sauce
thickens as it cools. This is even more pronounced with Alfredo
sauce. I always just add whole milk, warmed if possible, as noted 
above.


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