Macaroni and Cheese Recipe – Tom Jefferson’s Mac and Cheese
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Hi Chef John – Things we didn't learn in elementary school: According to the 2021 Netflix series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, episode 3 Our Founding Chefs : Tom Jefferson didn't actually introduce Macaroni and Cheese to the United States, he just took credit belonging to his renowned enslaved chef James Hemings, brother of Tom's 16 yr old 'mistress' Sarah "Sally" Hemings and half-brother to his wife Martha Jefferson. The chef James Hemings also introduced ice cream, french fries and more. Credit where credit is due, Black History Month really is necessary…
I made your recipe several times but added crumbled bacon. One thing I learned is that cooking the pasta should not be in salty water so as to avoid this being over-salted.
So Thomas Hemming’s brother of Sally Hemmings Thomas Jefferson’s enslaved concubine, You know the Chef/ Slave that came up with the recipe? Who Thomas Jefferson finally granted him freedom under the condition he trained other slaves how to prepare?
James Hemmings created Mac & cheese, not Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson brought a version of it, gave it to the enslaved man, James Hemmings perfected the recipe, the cooking method, and the cheeses.
"Thomas Jefferson fought for our right to put in as much macaroni as we damn well please" – humor and cooking is good match, and Chef John never fails.
This looks so nurturing and beautiful but I really want to eat a high Rob diet and I would eat this all organic maybe put some raw cheese in with some cold macaroni that’s organic and whole wheat or maybe some rice pasta or something like that so garlic olive oil and lots of girl like I wouldn’t have any salt no just a really low sodium raw cheese would be good…I really can’t eat cook food and feel healthy so I eat very limited cook food now because I had health problems and I don’t like sodium so even though I think you’re a great cook and you really have beautiful ideas it’s probably so tasty I really have health problems when I eat too much cook food as I don’t feel healthy and I have to limit my cooked food. I even eat raw Pizza just take like a roll coconut shit and you just fill it in with pineapple and organic spinach and mushrooms and peppers and just marinated and chop it up really thinly and You marinate it in olive oil organic coldpressed olive oil and just put everything in there and try to marinate things in olive oil and cut it up really thinly and then you just have a pizza with some raw cheese there are some cheeses out there that are low sodium and raw it right now I really feel much healthier eating mostly raw food and I think you are a fantastic chef and it’s taken years for you to learn how to cook there’s nothing wrong with this but only limited cook food and all organic would be better. For your health and no added salt
So much ignorance. Thomas Jefferson did not invent mac and cheese. He had the recipe in France, and asked his chef who was a black slave and traveled with him to recreate the recipe. HIS SLAVE JAMES HEMMING CREATED THE VERSION AMERICANS EAT.
I can't believe there's no mention of Chef Hemings. The enslaved person who was America's first French trained chef and the person who created this recipe along with the ice cream that Jefferson is also credited for 😮💨. This is the style that many black families make their Mac and cheese to this day which have direct roots to slavery.
Does this freeze well? I'm looking for a make-ahead for someone who is older and does not cook as much that they can freeze and warm up on Xmas. Noticed this does not have eggs and thought it might do well texture wise when thawed.
I know how to cook but I really appreciate the quality of Chef John's recipes. They are well thought out and, I think, tested. Mac and cheese is an easy dish, but like everything from eggs to steaks, it can easily be screwed up. His hint about the ratio of cheese sauce to pasta is invaluable and worth viewing the video for by itself. That is the magic that allows you to adjust it to your own taste. Ever since that little secret, my mac and cheese is fit for kings or paupers. And I prefer to share it with paupers…kings are so picky!
I love Mac & Cheese, Chef John your recipe is awesome… very similar to my families recipe. But for the record, Thomas Jefferson was not the inventor of "Mac&Cheese", His enslave chef James made the M&C dish for the president; [James Hemings was the first American to train as a chef in France. He was African American and born in Virginia in 1765. At 8 years old, he was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson. He was an older brother of Sally Hemings and a half-sibling of Jefferson's wife Martha Jefferson, with whom he shared John Wayles as father]. But even Chef James was still not the inventor of Mac&Cheese… It's believed Mac&Cheese is an ancient Italian dish that dates bake to roman times.
You're thinking of James Hemings. Thomas Jefferson WAS NOT the Inventor of Mac and Cheese, his enslaved chef James Hemings was the Inventor of Mac and Cheese.
Try simply using a tin of Campbells condensed tomato soup, cheese and macaroni mixed together well in a pan. Then transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven with a cheese crust. Better than the original version, and easier.
50 Comments
It looks good
Hi Chef John – Things we didn't learn in elementary school: According to the 2021 Netflix series High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, episode 3 Our Founding Chefs : Tom Jefferson didn't actually introduce Macaroni and Cheese to the United States, he just took credit belonging to his renowned enslaved chef James Hemings, brother of Tom's 16 yr old 'mistress' Sarah "Sally" Hemings and half-brother to his wife Martha Jefferson. The chef James Hemings also introduced ice cream, french fries and more.
Credit where credit is due, Black History Month really is necessary…
I made your recipe several times but added crumbled bacon. One thing I learned is that cooking the pasta should not be in salty water so as to avoid this being over-salted.
I use a blend of 8 oz extra sharp Cheddar, 6 oz Asiago, and 4 oz Gruyere and I don't cook the pasta all the way through, so it finishes when baking.
chef john: make a update for this please!
Thank you! I can do this! You’re the best!
So Thomas Hemming’s brother of Sally Hemmings Thomas Jefferson’s enslaved concubine, You know the Chef/ Slave that came up with the recipe? Who Thomas Jefferson finally granted him freedom under the condition he trained other slaves how to prepare?
MANNNN!!!! YOu can't get the recipe to this anymore. When you click on the link it doesn't exist….😑
Thomas Jefferson? You mean his enslaved cook?
James Hemmings created Mac & cheese, not Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson brought a version of it, gave it to the enslaved man, James Hemmings perfected the recipe, the cooking method, and the cheeses.
Jefferson used cheddar, and Mastodon bones, to tell Europeans to go to hell. He also liked black booty. Kudos Jefferson!
Hey, go to the history of Nanking and where panko breadcrumbs comes from! Lots of fun!
Oh, and he didn’t invent Mac and Cheese,,, he imported it and his chef, a slave, developed his version.
… I followed your recipe … stuck a feather in my cap and made some maccaroni … used 12 oz because because I am the President of my mac and cheese….
Here is the updated recipe:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219166/chef-johns-macaroni-and-cheese/
👍🇺🇸👍
I wanted a simple classic style…thank you! Other recipes on utube have wayyyy too much cheese and cream. Your recipe is perfect!!!
Great recipe! One suggestion: let’s stick with salt to taste. 1 tsp turned out way too salty for me.
"Thomas Jefferson fought for our right to put in as much macaroni as we damn well please" – humor and cooking is good match, and Chef John never fails.
Not carmelized, caramelized, clown😂
This looks fabulous, love the lower ratio of cheese! But didn't Jefferson's cook use egg yolks?
This looks so nurturing and beautiful but I really want to eat a high Rob diet and I would eat this all organic maybe put some raw cheese in with some cold macaroni that’s organic and whole wheat or maybe some rice pasta or something like that so garlic olive oil and lots of girl like I wouldn’t have any salt no just a really low sodium raw cheese would be good…I really can’t eat cook food and feel healthy so I eat very limited cook food now because I had health problems and I don’t like sodium so even though I think you’re a great cook and you really have beautiful ideas it’s probably so tasty I really have health problems when I eat too much cook food as I don’t feel healthy and I have to limit my cooked food. I even eat raw Pizza just take like a roll coconut shit and you just fill it in with pineapple and organic spinach and mushrooms and peppers and just marinated and chop it up really thinly and You marinate it in olive oil organic coldpressed olive oil and just put everything in there and try to marinate things in olive oil and cut it up really thinly and then you just have a pizza with some raw cheese there are some cheeses out there that are low sodium and raw it right now I really feel much healthier eating mostly raw food and I think you are a fantastic chef and it’s taken years for you to learn how to cook there’s nothing wrong with this but only limited cook food and all organic would be better. For your health and no added salt
Looks good
So much ignorance. Thomas Jefferson did not invent mac and cheese. He had the recipe in France, and asked his chef who was a black slave and traveled with him to recreate the recipe. HIS SLAVE JAMES HEMMING CREATED THE VERSION AMERICANS EAT.
I can't believe there's no mention of Chef Hemings. The enslaved person who was America's first French trained chef and the person who created this recipe along with the ice cream that Jefferson is also credited for 😮💨. This is the style that many black families make their Mac and cheese to this day which have direct roots to slavery.
This man is therapy
13 year old recipe. Is this still a good recipe to use or has mac and cheese recipe technology advanced?
Thanks for your version. It looks delicious! But respectfully, the creator of Macaroni and Cheese is Sally Heming (Thomas Jefferson's enslaved cook).
Does this freeze well? I'm looking for a make-ahead for someone who is older and does not cook as much that they can freeze and warm up on Xmas. Noticed this does not have eggs and thought it might do well texture wise when thawed.
I know how to cook but I really appreciate the quality of Chef John's recipes. They are well thought out and, I think, tested. Mac and cheese is an easy dish, but like everything from eggs to steaks, it can easily be screwed up. His hint about the ratio of cheese sauce to pasta is invaluable and worth viewing the video for by itself. That is the magic that allows you to adjust it to your own taste. Ever since that little secret, my mac and cheese is fit for kings or paupers. And I prefer to share it with paupers…kings are so picky!
I tried this and it came out a bit gritty. Not sure what I did wrong.
I come to this recipe every year! Thank you 🙏🏼
Delicioso yummy
Why do we not have macaroni and cheese cookoffs?….this would be my go to!!
Please remake this vid. It's a classic and idk why you never got your own show. Love the channel even til this day.
I love Mac & Cheese, Chef John your recipe is awesome… very similar to my families recipe. But for the record, Thomas Jefferson was not the inventor of "Mac&Cheese", His enslave chef James made the M&C dish for the president; [James Hemings was the first American to train as a chef in France. He was African American and born in Virginia in 1765. At 8 years old, he was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson. He was an older brother of Sally Hemings and a half-sibling of Jefferson's wife Martha Jefferson, with whom he shared John Wayles as father]. But even Chef James was still not the inventor of Mac&Cheese… It's believed Mac&Cheese is an ancient Italian dish that dates bake to roman times.
You're thinking of James Hemings. Thomas Jefferson WAS NOT the Inventor of Mac and Cheese, his enslaved chef James Hemings was the Inventor of Mac and Cheese.
the end was the best
Can someone please tell me where l can find the list of ingredients (not particularly for this recipe) and also the quantities? Thanks
Awe Hun, your voice has changed in this video…hope you're doing well ❤️🩹
The link to the recipe is not working
I wish chef John still spoke normally – like he did in these older episodes. . .
Try simply using a tin of Campbells condensed tomato soup, cheese and macaroni mixed together well in a pan. Then transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven with a cheese crust. Better than the original version, and easier.
I love this site. So far I've made 3 recipes, all successful. And I never knew Panko was a thing back in the day! LOL, I know John tweaked it.
Made this morning. AZ is going to be 107°+ but my grandson is visiting so it's mandatory. He loves "Nana's" Mac n cheese. Thanks Chef John! ☀️🌵
This stinks
Making this now with small shell pasta instead of elbow mac – every cranny filled with cheese sauce. Would recommend.
Did you ever try Ritz crackers, instead of panko?
Sheesh this popped up for me after 14 years. This looks so darn good! I must try.
It's 2023 and I just made this for a dinner date with my Mom! She loved it! Thank you Chef John!!!!