This Mac and Cheese Recipe Has an Incredible Secret Ingredient

Oh, cheese. In each of its many forms — parmesan, goat, gouda, you name it — cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It’s somehow just as perfect as a standalone as it is paired with a rich glass of red or melted into a dreamy pot of fondue. For full-on meals, it tranforms simple pastas into gourmet creations and makes even the blandest of vegetables taste divine. Yet when it’s truly time to shine, there’s no better place for cheddar to be than in a gooey, noodle-filled bowl of mac and cheese.

As we move into the season of winter in the next few days, you’ll want a staple mac and cheese recipe on hand to cure all your winter blues and fill you up in a pinch. Thankfully, the Hudson Valley’s very own Angry Orchard teamed up with Chef Andrew Urbanetti to craft a simple yet delicious mac and cheese with one very special secret ingredient: Angry Orchard’s hard cider. After all, beer cheese is a beloved bar snack, so why not add some cider into the sinful combination instead?

 

 

 

 

 

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A household name based out of Walden, Angry Orchard is all about Hudson Valley-grown apples. You can even visit the orchard for a tour of the facility, or head to the Cider House to taste what’s on tap. From the ordinary like Crisp Apple and Blueberry Rose to the extraordinary like Cidewineder and Funk of the Gunks, there are so many scrumptious brews available that you might want to grab a flight to test all your possible cider options before taking home a bottle or a six-pack to use in this dish. In fact, you may prefer to pick up a whole case because, while cheese goes great with wine, it only feels fitting to enjoy this hearty meal with a glass of chilled hard cider on the side. 

Angry Orchard’s Mac and Cheese

Course: EntreeCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Total time

40

minutes

You love mac and cheese, and you love Angry Orchard cider, so why not pair the two? This recipe is easy to whip up and perfect for winter nights in the Hudson Valley.

Ingredients

• ½ cup of unsalted butter

• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch

• ½ cup of whole milk

• 1 cup of Angry Orchard hard cider

• 4 cups of shredded cheese

• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

• Kosher salt

• 1 pound of pasta

Directions

• In a small saucepot, bring milk to a summer; shut off heat. In a separate saucepot, melt butter over medium heat until just melted.
• Whisk in flour and cornstarch, reduce to low, and stir continually until mixture turns a sandy brown. Whisk in hot milk over low heat until smooth.
• Whisk in cheese in small amounts, until fully incorporated and smooth. Drizzle in Angry Orchard hard cider slowly, whisking constantly; season with salt.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water, and drain. Add pasta back to pot in which it was cooked, add cheese sauce and mix to combine; serve.

Notes

• Serve this mac and cheese as a side dish to yield 8 servings; serve as a main dish to yield 6 servings.

Related: Where to Get Fresh Pasta in the Hudson Valley