Recipe – How to Make the Best Crab Mac and Cheese

As promised, I’m back again with another recipe from one of my recent cooking adventures. As you can tell from the title, today we will be learning how to make crab mac n’ cheese. If you decide you want to give this a shot, my only advice is that you don’t skimp on the cheese. Don’t be lazy – buy some fresh Gruyere and cheddar and grate it yourself.

Here are the ingredients that you’ll need in order to make some tasty crab mac and cheese:

1 pound dried macaroni
2 cups of grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup of grated white cheddar
half cup of grated Parmesan
half cup of bread crumbs
quarter cup of butter, quarter cup of flour, and 2.25 cups of whole milk to make the bechamel
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 pound of fresh lump crab meat

Step 1 – preparation
Take the time to grate all of your cheeses. Don’t forget to throw on a large pot of salted water to boil. While you’re waiting for it to boil, you can also butter up your baking dish. Cook your pasta as directed and then drain it over the sink. Then run the pasta through cold water a couple of times. Turn on the oven to preheat at 375 degrees.

Step 2 – the making of the bechamel
Melt your butter in a pan over medium heat. Don’t be an idiot and let it burn or you’ll have to start over. Start whisking in your flour and wait until the mixture starts turning a beige color. Slowly add in your milk and continue whisking until it begins to boil. Lower the heat and throw in some salt and pepper according to your tastes. Grab a beer and let that simmer on the stove for about 17 minutes while stirring occasionally. The bechamel is done once it starts to thicken up.

Step 3 – making the cheese sauce
Once your bechamel is ready, slowly stir in one cup of Gruyere, one cup of white cheddar, and one half cup of Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until it’s nice and thick.

Step 4 – preparing for the oven
In a large bowl, mix together your macaroni and cheese sauce. If you want, you can through in some more salt and pepper. The last step is to slowly mix in your lump crab meat – be gentle, crabs are both fragile and delicious. Carefully transfer your crab mac & cheese into your baking pan and spread the remaining cup of Gruyere over top. Throw a little butter in the microwave and mix it together with the breadcrumbs before liberally tossing them on top. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Step 5 – eat
I like to pair my mac and cheese with stewed tomatoes, so I recommend you simply buy a can of stewed tomatoes and heat it up on the stove while the mac & cheese bakes.

That’s all for now. Next up – homemade dumplings. Enjoy your crab mac & cheese!