The Secret Ingredient For The Best Grilled Cheese
My cheesemonger friend got me onto using mayonnaise instead of butter.
Its always spreadable, it gives you a fabulous golden-brown crust thats not as apt to burn as butter, and it offers just a little zip.
My favorite brands are Hellmanns/Best Foods and Dukes. I havent tried Miracle Whip , but I figure its too sweet to work well here. You can also make your own mayoits actually just as easy as making a grilled cheese!
Give mayonnaise a shot! Use the same amount as you would butter.
If you are 100 percent Team Butter, I understand. You can either butter the bread directly or melt a pat of butter in the pan. I prefer to butter the bread directly, but lets say your butter is straight from the fridge and rock-hard. In that case, melt it in the pan.
One of my colleagues here at Simply Recipes swears by this approach and uses it in his Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
How To Make A Better Grilled Cheese: 7 Tips For A Cheesier Crispier More Flavorful Sandwich
Of all the quick but delicious meals Ive leaned heavily on the past 18 months, grilled cheese is near the top of the list. I almost always have the basic ingredients around some type of bread, some type of cheese as well as some little extras to make the sandwich really sing. I suspect Ive rarely made the same one twice.
Whether youre a grilled cheese improviser or creature of habit, theres usually at least one thing you can do to help transform a good sandwich into a great one. Im not necessarily talking about overhauling your strategy. Instead, these are small tips for making a next-level grilled cheese.
I canvassed the Voraciously team, my food-loving Instagram followers and my own experience to compile this list of suggestions. Mix and match, or pick one to focus on. But most importantly, have fun trying them.
Wed love to hear your tips for the perfect grilled cheese! Share in the comments below.
The Best Pan For Grilled Cheese
The pan is just as important, if not more so, than the bread and cheese. A flimsy skillet will grill your sandwich unevenly. A skillet thats too small makes it hard to maneuver the sandwich.
For one sandwich at a time, I like a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Grilled cheese sandwiches dont really stick to the pan, so if you dont have a nonstick pan, its fine. I prefer a cast-iron pan.
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What Pan To Use
I prefer to use my cast iron skillet as it maintains a consistent heat better and gives a superior crispy surface. A nonstick skillet works well and prevents sticking if using sweeter types of bread. In either case, you want to use very moderate heat for making the sandwiches, about medium-low or low if the bread is toasting too quickly.
Making More Than One Grilled Cheese At A Time
For me, its easier to use a 10-inch skillet and grill just one or two sandwiches at once. Unless you have an amazing stovetop with giant burners, its difficult to have even heat distribution across a very large skillet, leaving your sandwiches with pale patches.
Need to make a bunch of grilled cheese sandwiches all at once? Try it in the oven:
The sandwiches wont be quite the same, being baked rather than grilled, but theyll all be ready to serve at once.
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Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Sausage And Kale
This grilled cheese sandwich with sausage and kale was inspired by one of our favorite warm soups and is a satisfying meal by itself.
It combines spicy sausage, citrusy kale, savory caramelized onions, and slightly tart Wisconsin Kasseri cheese, which melts perfectly. We recommend serving it alongside a jammy Cabernet Sauvignon to help balance the saltiness of the sandwich.
How To Prepare Grilled Cheese In A Microwave
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How To Make Grilled Cheese In A Toaster
Warning: Check that the cheese doesnt hang over the sides of the bread slices since it could drip inside your toaster and create a fire hazard.
Or Go Healthy Add Fermented Deliciousness
A forkful of pickled peppers, pickled cucumbers, pickled onions, or sauerkraut adds tangy crunch to the inside.
Or slice up an apple and add some fresh thyme. “The apple adds a little crunch and pop of tartness, and the thyme gives it freshness with just a tease of its flavor, just enough to make this sandwich special,” says lutzflcat.
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Tips And Tricks For The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Heat: Always keep the heat to medium-low if you want to make an ideal grilled cheese sandwich that has a melty cheese and golden crispy crust. Medium-low heat prevents the bread from scorching too fast and helps in melting cheese.
Butter + mayo: Try the combination of butter and mayonnaise if you want that perfectly crispy exterior and buttery brilliance.
No matter which type of bread you are using, make sure to use the thick-sliced bread. Using thick sliced bread stops it from being soggy.
You can always make it with 1 cheese slice, but the more cheese the better. I have used 3 cheese slices, you can use up to 4 cheese slices.
If you dont want to use sliced cheese, then you can surely use shredded cheese here, it works perfectly fine. Shredded cheese melts more quickly than sliced ones.
Slicing: You can slice the sandwiches any way you like, but I found that the grilled cheese sandwiches that are cut diagonally taste much better.
You can use any skillet/pan you like for toasting this sandwich, but I personally prefer using a well-seasoned cast iron pan for toasting. No matter what pan you are using, make sure to wipe it clean before making the next sandwich.
Cover with the lid: When making a grilled cheese sandwich, cover the pan with a lid, and cook until the cheese is melted in the center. The steam helps melt the cheese. Flip it once, and when it is crispy from the underside remove the lid to crisp up the bread.
If You’re Going To Make A Grilled Cheese Sandwich It’s Only Right To Make It Drool
We asked Food Networks Chris Santos , owner and chef at New York City hot spots Stanton Social and Beauty & Essex and author of the new cookbook to tell us all his grilled cheese secrets.
First mistake to avoid: Do not try to be healthy. If youre going to eat grilled cheese, youre not trying to be healthy. Eat it less often but when you do, just go for the fat, he says. That means take a break from your healthful whole wheat or 7-grain bread and reach for a rich brioche. Thats always my first choice because brioche is buttery, and thats how a grilled cheese should be, says Santos. Those healthier breads are great but not so much for grilled cheese because they often dont absorb all that butter and fat.
If brioche isnt your thing, pick up an American classic. Good old white bread is really good for grilled cheese, too, he says. If you just cant bring yourself to avoid whole grains altogether, try Sara Lee Soft & Smooth White Made With Whole Grains, which looks and tastes like regular white bread but with added benefits.
Speaking of character, theres nothing wrong with adding other fillings to your sandwich. One of his favorite additions is bacon. His new cookbook even features a grilled Cheddar and jalapeño bacon sandwich . You can impart even more flavor by glazing bacon with honey mustard or something as simple as ketchup and it takes on a whole different character, says Santos.
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How To Make Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- 20-25g Sharp cheddar cheese
- 20-25g Mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS
Notes and tips:
What is the best bread for grilled cheese sandwich?
- Basically you can use whatever bread you like. Most common bread for grilled cheese is white bread and sour bread.
- You also can use challah bread or brioche bread for extra rich sandwiches.
- For a healthier version you can use whole wheat bread, oatmeal bread, flaxseed bread, rye bread, whole grain bread, gluten free bread and more other types.
What is The Best Cheese for Grilled Cheese sandwich?
- You can use almost any type of cheese. Most popular cheeses are sharp cheddar cheese and American cheese.
- You also can use mozzarella cheese, gruyere cheese, Colby cheese, manchego cheese, Monterey Jack, Gouda, Swiss cheese, emmental cheese and more.
- For extra flavor you can use blue cheese, brie, aged cheese, goat cheese or other strong flavoured cheeses.
- My favorite: my recommendation is to combine several cheese to enhance the flavour. In the video you can see that I used cheddar and mozzarella but you can make your own combination with any kind of cheese.
What can I add to my grilled cheese?
Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Sometimes only a grilled cheese sandwich will do. You know what I mean? Likewise, sometimes a grilled cheese sandwich is the only vegetarian option I can find.
Ive been disappointed by some grilled cheese sandwiches in my life, so I set out to create my ultimate grilled cheese recipe. I aimed for a favorite grilled cheese sandwich that I could make any time the craving strikes. I wanted gourmet flavor without any complicated ingredients or methods. Grilled cheese now, or bust!
I should also confess that I want to be famous for my grilled cheese sandwiches someday. Not internet-famous, but neighborhood-famous as the mom who makes the best grilled cheese. I want my future children to brag about my grilled cheese sandwich skills. Is that too much to ask?
So, here we are, and here is my favorite grilled cheese recipe. It is truly epic, as far as Im concerned. Keep on reading for my tips and tricks, because I have a few!
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How Much Cheese To Use
I find that using at least 2 thick slices, about to ¼-inch max, of sharp cheddar provides just the right ratio of cheese-to-bread. If the slices are any thicker, itll affect the melt time. If using a block of cheese, you can grate or shred it to make an even layer, although it will melt quicker than slices.
When placing the cheese on top of the unbuttered side of the bread, leave a little bit of space along the edges so the cheese doesnt spew over, unless you like a little bit of fried cheese on the edges.
Grilled Cheese In The Oven
I have to confess that fall is not one of my favorite seasons. Despite having grown up in Ohio, I am just NOT a cold weather girl. My fingers and toes are perpetually like ice, and the gray sky days totally make me want to hibernate in my nice, warm bed until spring rolls around.
On the other hand, I do love me some fall comfort food! Soups and chilis reign, and this early on, all of our old favorites feel new again even the classic tomato basil soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. This pairing is in heavy rotation because theyre both quick and easy to prepare, with special thanks to this trick I learned for making grilled cheese in the oven
Oh yes, if you were in the dark on this technique , you are in for SUCH a treat! This has been a huge lifesaver for my larger than average family. Previously, Id have two pans going on the stovetop, along with the panini press, just to make sure everyone got a hot and fresh grilled cheese sandwich with their bowl of soup.
Surely theres a better way to make grilled cheese for a crowd, right? Im not sure if I googled for a solution or searched Pinterest, but when I stumbled on the sheet pan grilled cheese in the oven method, I couldnt believe how EASY it was This simple method makes six classic grilled cheese sandwiches per half sheet pan, hot and fresh from the oven, in just about 10 minutes.IM SOLD!!!
PIN IT NOW, MAKE IT LATER! .WHILE YOURE AT IT, LETS BE FRIENDS! FOLLOW ME ON FOR MORE EASY RECIPE IDEAS.
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What Is The Best Cheese For Grilled Cheese
Generally, American Grilled Cheese is made with American cheese but cheddar tastes the best in a grilled cheese because of its sharp flavor. In Grilled cheese sandwiches you can basically use any one type of melting cheese or with a combination of lots of different cheeses. I have used a combination of cheddar and gouda cheese.
Other cheeses that go well in a grilled cheese sandwich are along with cheddar cheese are:
-
Havarti
-
Gruyere
Best Grilled Cheese Recipe
When done correctly, a classic grilled cheese sandwich has the perfect contrast between crunchy bread exterior and creamy melted cheese filling. Its one of those fast and easy meals to serve picky eaters. But when paired with a big bowl of tomato soup, its the ultimate adult comfort food.
To satisfy our immediate cravings, the misconception is to crank up the heat and get the cheese melted fast! However, its quite the opposite. To make sure the bread gets evenly toasted and the middle completely gooey, patience and low heat is the answer. Melted butter also helps with crispness, but not too much otherwise youll get greasy results. Ready to go over the science behind making this well-loved sandwich at home?
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