Recipe for Mac and Cheese

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 50–¾ cup or one number 8 scoop and one number 16 scoop servings of Mac and Cheese in ovenable trays.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

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 Topping

• 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

4. On low heat, melt butter in 12 quart stock pot.
5. Slowly add flour to melted butter to make a roux. Cook roux over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove roux from pot, set aside.
6. Pour milk into empty roux pot. Bring milk to simmer over medium heat.
7. Add kosher salt, white pepper, and granulated onion to simmering milk. Gently stir to mix well.
8. 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.
9. Add parmesan cheese, stir until well blended.
10. Add shredded cheddar cheese, one–½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
11. 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

12. Mix cooked macaroni and cheese sauce in one–18 inch by 26 inch by 9 inch food container on the same day of service.
13. Portion ¾ cup of cheese sauce and macaroni mixture into individual ovenable trays.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese at 135°F or higher for service.
17. Serve one–9.5 ounce individual container of macaroni and cheese for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 349
  Carbohydrates, in grams: 21.8
  Protein, in grams: 21.30
  Saturated fat, in grams: 12.30
  Trans fat, in grams: 0
  Total fat, in grams: 19.80
  Sodium, in milligrams: 604.60
  

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. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 100–¾ cup or one number 8 scoop and one number 16 scoop servings of Mac and Cheese in ovenable trays.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

For the Pasta

• 6 gallons water
• 8 pounds and 14.5 ounces dry, elbow macaroni pasta, whole grain-rich
• 1 pound and 10.5 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 pound and 10.5 ounces all-purpose flour (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon and 2½ teaspoons granulated onion
• 2 gallons and 3½ cups whole milk
• 9 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
• 5 pounds and 12 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, reduced fat, shredded (USDA food item)

For the Topping

• 6 pounds and 4 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, reduced fat, shredded (USDA food item)

Directions

To Prepare in Advance

1. Bring water to a boil in 40 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

4. On low heat, melt butter in 22 quart stock pot.
5. Slowly add flour to melted butter to make a roux. Cook roux over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove roux from pot, set aside.
6. Pour milk into empty roux pot. Bring milk to simmer over medium heat.
7. Add kosher salt, white pepper, and granulated onion to simmering milk. Gently stir to mix well.
8. 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.
9. Add parmesan cheese, stir until well blended.
10. Add shredded cheddar cheese, one–½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
11. Remove sauce from heat. Pour into two–12 inch by 20 inch by 2 inch pans 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

12. Mix cooked macaroni and cheese sauce in two–18 inch by 26 inch by 9 inch food containers on the same day of service.
13. Portion ¾ cup of cheese sauce and macaroni mixture into individual ovenable trays.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese at 135°F or higher for service
17. Serve one–9.5 ounce individual container of macaroni and cheese for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 349
  Carbohydrates, in grams: 21.8
  Protein, in grams: 21.30
  Saturated fat, in grams: 12.30
  Trans fat, in grams: 0
  Total fat, in grams: 19.80
  Sodium, in milligrams: 604.60
  

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. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

• Hot plate recipes
• Side dish recipes
• Vegetarian recipes

Serving Suggestion

• Yield 50 or yield 100–¾ cup servings or 9.5 ounce ovenable trays of macaroni and cheese.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

• 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
• 1.5 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

• All-purpose flour
• Reduced fat, shredded, yellow cheddar cheese (USDA food item)

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

• American classic
• Southeast USA

Preparation Time

• Preparation: 15 minutes for 50 servings or 100 servings
• Cook time: 1 hour for 50 servings or 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

• CCP: Hold macaroni in the refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
• CCP: If macaroni held for next day service, reduce temperature from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and from 70°F to 41°F or colder within an additional four hours.
• CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
• CCP: Heat macaroni and cheese to 165°F for at least 15 seconds.
• CCP: Hold macaroni and cheese at 135°F or higher for service.

Kid Rating

Culinary Center

Centralia Elementary School District