Beer And Bacon Macaroni And Cheese

First Biology exam. I studied for six days, made flashcards for every term, reviewed every lecture slide, went to office hours twice. I walked into the exam room and felt the particular calm that comes from preparation so thorough it has become physical — the material was in my hands, in my breathing, in the rhythm of my pencil moving across the answer sheet. I finished in forty-five minutes. The exam was an hour and twenty. I checked my work three times and left.

I got the score Thursday: 96. The highest in the section. I did not tell anyone except Mama, who screamed on the phone the way she screamed when I got into LSU, because Mama's emotional range has one volume for pride and it is maximum. Daddy got on the phone and said, "That's my girl." MawMaw Shirley said, "One exam. Stay humble." She is the balance to everything. Mama inflates. MawMaw Shirley deflates. The equilibrium between them is what keeps me level.

Priya scored an 88, which she was upset about, and I told her 88 is excellent, which it is, and she said "excellent is not 96," and I said that comparing ourselves is the fastest way to ruin a friendship and she should stop. She stopped. We went to the dining hall and ate bad pasta and talked about everything except grades, which was the right decision.

I made a one-pot jambalaya in the dorm kitchen Friday night — the budget version, sausage from Walmart, the cheapest andouille I could find, rice, Trinity, canned tomatoes. Total cost: $6.47. I calculated it. I always calculate it because the calculation is the point — you do not need money to eat well, you need knowledge, and knowledge is free if you pay attention. Seven people ate. Seven people for six dollars and forty-seven cents. Less than a dollar a person. MawMaw Shirley's philosophy in a communal dorm kitchen with fluorescent lights and a burner that lists to the left. The food was good. The company was better.

That Friday night, after the exam score and Mama’s scream and MawMaw Shirley’s deflating wisdom, I needed something that honored the week without overspending the budget — and this Beer and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese is the recipe I keep in my back pocket for exactly those moments. It’s MawMaw Shirley’s whole philosophy in a single pot: cheap ingredients, real flavor, enough for everyone at the table. The beer adds depth the way a long week adds character, and the bacon makes sure nobody walks away anything less than satisfied.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 lb elbow macaroni
8 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup lager or pale ale beer, at room temperature
2 cups whole milk, warmed
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly shredded
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni 1 minute shy of package directions (al dente). Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
Render the bacon. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Leave 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan and discard the rest.
Build the roux. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the bacon drippings and let it melt. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture smells nutty and turns light golden.
Add the beer. Slowly pour in the beer while whisking continuously. The mixture will bubble — keep whisking until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Make the sauce. Gradually whisk in the warmed milk. Raise heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5–7 minutes.
Melt in the cheese. Remove the pan from heat. Add cheddar and Gruyère in three additions, stirring after each until fully melted. Stir in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Combine. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and fold to coat. If the sauce feels tight, stir in reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a creamy, loose consistency.
Finish and serve. Fold in three-quarters of the reserved bacon. Transfer to a serving dish or serve straight from the pot. Top with remaining bacon and breadcrumbs if using. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Beer And Bacon Macaroni And Cheese — Feeding a Crowd on Next to Nothing