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Guinness Mac & Cheese Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

I’m not a huge fan Guinness. It’s a little too thick and bold for me to enjoy as a beverage, however, adding it to recipes like my Guinness Cheesecake, Guinness BBQ Sauce, and other recipes adds a richness that is quite delightful. Adding Guinness to macaroni and cheese added this new depth of flavor that makes this Guinness Mac & Cheese the best macaroni and cheese ever. (Yes I know I say this with every new Mac & Cheese recipe, but I mean it this time!)

Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
Yield
4-6
Difficulty
Medium

Guinness Mac & Cheese Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

1 lb.

your favorite pasta for Mac & Cheese

2 tbsp.

butter

2 tbsp.

flour

 1 tsp.

Dijon mustard

pinch

garlic powder

1½ cups
or ¾ cup + ¾ cup

heavy cream,
milk, heavy cream

1/3 cup

Guinness beer

3½ cups

shredded sharp Irish cheddar cheese
(Try Isle of Mann Aged Cheddar)

¾ cup 

shredded gruyere cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup

sourdough bread crumbs (If you can’t find, make your own using our crouton recipe, just crush once toasted)

1 tbsp.

parsley

1 tbsp.

butter, melted

Method
  1. Preheat the grill and prepare for indirect grilling. Measure out the Guinness for this recipe so that it can come up to room temperature while you prep.
  2. Set a pot of water to boil. Cook the noodles until al-dente and drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water just in case. Do not rinse.
  3. While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the mustard and garlic powder, followed by the flour. Allow the butter mixture to cook for a little. You should have something of a gluey-clumpy texture.
  4. Add the cream about ¼ cup at a time, whisking it in completely before adding more. The first few additions will make the butter mixture look really strange and clumpy, this is okay, good even. Just keep going, slowly.
  5. Once all of the cream (milk) has been added, allow the mixture to warm until it begins to thicken. Add the Guinness.
  6. Reserve about ½ a cup for topping, then start adding the cheese to the Guinness Mixture. Add cheese one handful at a time, allowing each handful to melt before adding the next, whisking the entire time. If it’s too thick, add a few tablespoons of pasta water until you like the texture of your sauce.
  7. Add the cheese sauce to the noodles along with a handful of shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly and place it all into a prepared baking dish.
  8. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, butter, and parsley, then sprinkle that over top of the macaroni and cheese. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake the macaroni using indirect heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is crispy and golden.
  9. Serve immediately.

Alright, this really isn’t a true Irish recipe, well what I mean is that it’s not the uber-traditional iconic Irish thing like potatoes and Soda Bread. Just because you add Guinness and Irish Cheddar to a dish doesn’t make it automatically Irish. That being said, I really think that this recipe for Guinness Mac & Cheese would definitely please the palate of pretty much any pure-blooded Irishman. What do you think?

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It looks so delicious

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Remember to use appropriate, Irish themed, napkins

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Two perfect top-down views

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Just look at that perfection

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Such gooey-cheesiness

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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Thumbnail

It looks so delicious

Thumbnail

Remember to use appropriate, Irish themed, napkins

Thumbnail

Two perfect top-down views

Thumbnail

Just look at that perfection

Thumbnail

Such gooey-cheesiness