My Whiskey Mac and Cheese recipe is in my top 3 go-to comfort foods. Regular visitors know that I love a good gourmet Mac & Cheese as well as Whiskey. So why not come up with a recipe with the best of both worlds?
🥃 Alcohol Warning
Please take into consideration that some of the alcohol in this recipe may not completely burn off and the remains could be of significant concern to recovering alcoholics, parents, and others who have ethical or religious reasons for avoiding alcohol.If the whiskey is a concern to you and your guests, you can easily substitute it with some apple juice and a touch of vanilla extract.
If you do decide to try my Whiskey Mac & Cheese recipe with the whiskey, you can basically use any bourbon whiskey you have on hand but I prefer the unique flavor of Jack Daniel's. Not only will it give this dish great flavor, but it will also give the cheese sauce a nice brownish color.
🥓 How to Make Bacon
If you struggle to make bacon perfectly, I've put together a short tutorial on How to Make Perfect Bacon - 3 Ways. Check it out! My preferred method is baking it in the oven.
And don't throw away that bacon grease! Bacon is expensive and the grease is great for making Scrambled Eggs, Grilled Cheese, Popcorn and even hash browns. It can keep up to 3 months if properly stored in the refrigerator.
If you've ever wondered what part of the pig Bacon comes from check out the picture below. Surprised?
If you are fortunate enough to have an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, I suggest you try my Instant Pot Mac & Cheese. A great alternative that does not require any alcohol.
If you like your Mac and Cheese baked, you must try my Mac & Cheese with Green Onions and Ham or my Easy Baked Mac and Cheese. All super delicious!
💭 What is Al Dente
When making Mac and Cheese, it's important to cook the pasta al dente to ensure to best texture possible. If you are not familiar with the term "al dente", it means cooking the pasta so it's still chewy and form and that it will hold its shape when the sauce is added to it.
An alternative to using chicken broth is Better Than Bouillon. I often use it when I don't have broth on hand.
For more great Whiskey based recipes, I suggest you check these recipes out:
📋 What Ingredients do I need
You will need the following ingredients to make this Whiskey Mac & Cheese recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Kosher Salt, Bacon, Unsalted Butter, Whiskey, Low Sodium Chicken Broth, All Purpose Flour, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Seasoned Diced Tomatoes, Chili Paste, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Heavy Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Asiago Cheese, Pasta, Bread Crumbs, Unsalted Butter, Parsley, Cayenne Pepper and Salt & Pepper.
🥣 How to make Whiskey Mac and Cheese
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet cook bacon and keep 2 tablespoon of bacon grease and toss the rest.
Pour 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease back into the skillet and over medium heat add butter. Once butter is melted add flour and whisk to combine.
Add spices, chili paste, Worcestershire, mustard, whiskey, and chicken broth and whisk to combine. Bring to a bubble, whisking occasionally to pick up bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add heavy cream and whisk to combine. Bring back to a bubble and add cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted.
Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir to combine. Add cooked bacon and diced tomatoes. Cook pasta in the sauce for about 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens.
While pasta is cooking in the sauce, mix all topping ingredients in a bowl. Once pasta is done, transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the topping mixture over pasta.
Whiskey Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
MACARONI BASE
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 lbs Bacon, Cooked & Diced
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- ½ Cup Whiskey
- ½ Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Can Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Chili Paste
- 1 tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 4 oz Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 2 oz Provolone Cheese, Shredded
- 2 oz Asiago Cheese, Shredded
- 1 Pkg Pasta
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
- 1 Cup Bread Crumbs
- ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
- ¼ Cup Dried Parsley Flakes, Chopped
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Salt and Pepper, To Taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet cook bacon and keep 2 tablespoon of bacon grease and toss the rest.
- Pour 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease back into skillet and over medium heat add butter. Once butter is melted add flour and whisk to combine.
- Add spices, chili paste, Worcestershire, mustard, whiskey and chicken broth and whisk to combine. Bring to a bubble, whisking occasionally to pick up bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add heavy cream and whisk to combine. Bring back to a bubble and add cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted.
- Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir to combine. Add cooked bacon and diced tomatoes. Cook pasta in sauce for about 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens.
- While pasta is cooking in sauce, mix all topping ingredients in a bowl. Once pasta is done, transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle topping mixture over pasta.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
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