Beer Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni & cheese with bacon is pretty delicious. But how do you make it even better? Incorporate some beer into the recipe. I will show you how to use beer throughout the cooking process to make one amazing macaroni & cheese dish.

Ingredients: 

• 30 ounces beer of your choice (Dax prefers New Glarus Spotted Cow)
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (Dax prefers Nueske’s)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup half and half, or 2 percent milk
• 6 ounces IPA, or your favorite beer
• Cracked black pepper
• 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Combine 24 ounces of beer with the five cups of water and boil the pasta. 
   
2. While that is happening cook the bacon to your liking and crumble it up once it is cool. 
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 
4. In a large pan melt the butter then add flour and stir till it’s a nice golden color. 
5. Add the milk and stir till there are no lumps and add the remaining 6 ounces of beer, continue to stir till smooth.
6. Add your pepper and cheese and stir until it’s creamy.
   
7. Throw in the pasta and bacon and mix together until everything is cheesy.  
8. Transfer everything to a cooking dish and put in the oven for 30 minutes uncovered. 
9. Once done slap it on a plate grab your favorite beer and enjoy.    

Is this a recipe you will try yourself? Do you have your own beer recipes? Let us know on Facebook & twitter.

This work by Daniel Mapes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://bayareabrews.blogspot.com.