jason's drunken beer & bacon mac and cheese

How To Make jason's drunken beer & bacon mac and cheese

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  Step 1
  Cook bacon thoroughly, and set aside to cool. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small bits.
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  Step 2
  Boil macaroni according to package instructions, but reduce the time by 1-2 minutes. You want a slightly under-cooked, al dente pasta. Remove from heat and strain excess water.
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  Step 3
  LET'S MAKE A ROUX! Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour, and whisk continuously to avoid lumps.
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  Step 4
  Cook the butter and flour mixture for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. This will cook away the flour taste.
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  Step 5
  Slowly add a full bottle of beer while stirring vigorously. Light beers work well with cheddar cheese. But feel free to experiment with other beers and cheeses!
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  Step 6
  Stir in sour cream, and whisk continuously to avoid curds from forming.
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  Step 7
  Add shredded cheese to the pot, and stir until you have a nice cheese sauce.
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  Step 8
  Add salt, pepper, bacon bits, and mustard to the cheese sauce. Stir until combined. Depending upon the type of cheese you used, you may want to reduce or omit the salt.
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  Step 9
  Remove the cheese sauce from heat, and gently fold in the cooked macaroni.
• Step 10
  At this point, you can eat the mac and cheese as-is for a hearty, creamy dish. Or, you can bake it with a golden, crispy crust! Note that if you bake this dish, it will loose its creamy consistency.
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  Step 11
  To bake the mac and cheese, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pour the pasta into a 9 x 11 casserole dish, and distribute the pasta evenly.
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  Step 12
  Combine Japanese Panko bread crumbs with Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle evenly over the top of the mac and cheese.
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  Step 13
  Bake for 20-25 minutes until you have a golden crust. Remove from the oven and LET STAND for 5 minutes before serving. This step is crucial since the pasta will continue to coagulate once out of the oven!
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