Learn me the secrets to a good grilled cheese sandwich

So SWMBO moved out about a year ago, and I've been bacheloring it ever since. I've been trying to expand my horizons on food choices, versus the steady stream of frozen Skyline burritos, french bread pizzas, and delivery.

I added tacos recently, pretty easy to do the ground beef and heat some soft tortillas. Hamburger Helper used to be a mainstay when I got divorced in '08 but I've become a bit of a label reader. Now I still add that in occasionally, everything in moderation...

But the new SWMBO mentioned grilled cheese sandwiches recently. Hm, ok. So far I seem to either leave the bread soggy with butter and not grilled, or it gets a bit burnt. What am I doing wrong? How much butter do you use? How long on the pan? High heat or medium? Teach me the secrets to a good grilled cheese sandwich!

Just as much butter as necessary, not any more. Medium heat, though it really depends on your stove. It's more important to get your bread toasted properly than to make a ridiculous melty mess of the cheese. If your bread is done, you gotta pull that bad boy.

A hearty dense sourdough works AWESOME for grilled cheese. Use real cheese, none of this American "Cheese" Food Product BS. Add other things.

I actually make grilled cheese in the oven sometimes, too. Thick sliced sourdough, then put some shredded white soft cheese of your choice (not cheddar), a dusting of crushed red pepper, layer some roasted red bell peppers, top with a thin slice of provolone.

Put it all on a baking sheet lightly brushed with olive oil, bake at about 350 until cheese is starting to melt, then flip. Bake until cheese is completely melted. Turn to broil to get some color on both sides of the bread if necessary.

When you pull it out, cut a garlic clove in half and rub the toasted bread real quick, both sides.

Eat.

Grilled cheese is one of those things i've mastered that unfortunately i try not to eat all the time now because them carbs.

Medium heat. Heavy butter.

My trick was always to put the first piece of bread down with cheese on top open face style. Once the cheese starts to melt, throw on the top piece of bread and turn.

I also used some kind of butter spread like country crock, IDK if it makes a difference if using real butter.

I'm generally happy with my grilled cheese, but now I'm questioning if I'm actually good at making it?

I use a cast iron pan set to 4/10 and let it come up to temp. I use real butter on the outside of the bread and I'll hit the pan with a bit of Pam before I put the sandwich in the pan and before I flip it over. I smash it down too.

Now I'm curious on what others do.

I'll just leave this here: https://www.reddit.com/r/grilledcheese

Now I'm hungry. Thanks. A lot.

Cast iron.

Good cheese. Colby jack, or mild brick if you can find it. Harvarti for a twist, I've just discovered butterkasë and want to try that on a grilled cheese too.

Don't use whole wheat bread. I'll allow eye, but that should be reserved for something with meat. If you use wonder bread, you can get away with American or velveeta. That is the only acceptable to use those "cheeses". But you should really be using sourdough or Italian bread.

Medium to low heat, watch for the crusts to crisp. If it is soggy just leave it in there longer. It will crisp. If your butter hasn't been sitting out overnight it isnt soft enough to spread, so stick the butter directly in the pan, melt it, then throw the sandwich on there and move it around in the pan to soak all the butter up. I like to put s lot of cheese on so sometimes I cover the pan to make sure it is all melty.

Also try buttering/oiling (I love olive oil, but it does taste different so use your own preference) the pan instead of the bread.

If you want real consistency, use a griddle and set it to 350 to start and move slightly up or down as you perfect your craft.

I fully agree with messing around with putting different stuff in them. Add a little salsa. meat. or potato chips. heck, make one that only uses mac and cheese in the middle. A little garlic goes a long way.

I use Mayonnaise instead of butter. Not that butter isn't good, cause it is, but I feel Mayo has a better flavor and it's how most restaurants do it.

Depending if you're cooking on gas or electric is going to decide your heat. Medium heat is the best, but I have found that non two stoves are alike and the current gas stove I have has to be under Medium heat.

As for cheese, that's your preference, but I prefer the yellow American from the deli. It has a better taste than the Kraft singles.

I do on occasion play with different ingredients, but I always fall back on the traditional.

Foreman grill always made a perfect grilled cheese for me.

1) Use olive oil, not butter
2) Medium heat
3) Use real vermont cheddar you slice yourself not E36 M3ty sliced stuff made from oil
4) Use fresh sliced tomatos instead of ketchup
5) Use bacon
6) Avacado is the tits

bread, thick cut of a light airy bread preheat your cast iron in the oven for 10 minutes at 350, Butter bread with real butter, insert sliced cheese and dried meats as deemed fit, sprinkle crushed basil, oregano and rosemary onto butter, remove skillet from oven(with mitt) and place onto low heat (2-3), place pad of butter into skillet, flip when center portions of bread turns golden brown, note that the edges may receive a very slight, light, crispy char from a fry from the additional butter having been added to the skillet. Flip and repeat.

also something else to try is grilled peanut butter sandwich. same as grilled cheese but replace the cheese with peanut butter. the hardest part is applying butter and peanut butter to once piece of bread.

ya'll are talking too high temps. any non-stick or properly treated iron pan will work.

-pan/skillet on medium-low.

-decent bread, completely coat one side of each piece with butter (medium to light coat).

-add lunch meats for heartier sandwiches. turkey is a good healthier option.

-cook it slowly. keep in mind, there's nothing that needs to "cook", you're browning the bread and melting the cheese. leave it on there longer if need be.

-I like it with tomato soup that's been prepared thickly so it's more like a dip. usually put it in a mug on the larger plate w/ a couple sandwiches.

sourdough, real cheese, - I like a mix of swiss & cheddar - real butter, sliced tomatoes, heat up the tomatoes too.

Good ingredients is the key IMO. If you are using wonder bread and kraft singles you are doomed to mediocrity.

I do grilled cheese at a medium low heat because usually the cheese I like has a higher melting point and to get it nice and gooey without burning the bread means low and slow.

If I'm feeling decadent I add bacon (bacon makes everything better). If I'm doing quick it might be pepper jack and ham with a touch of mustard inside the sandwich.

Because real butter is so hard straight from the fridge I like "spreadable butter" which is olive oil combined with real butter to make it easier to deal with.

Geeze you people can make everything difficult.

All I'm going to say is never use Kraft singles. Use real cheese.

I melt the butter first, add some garlic powder to it, then brush it onto the bread. Grate some smoked Gouda and cook it on medium/low. Don't press it with the spatula if you don't want soggy bread. Pair it with a good soup and a nice beer and you have a great meal.

spitfirebill wrote: Geeze you people can make everything difficult. All I'm going to say is never use Kraft singles. Use real cheese.

Nothing here is difficult--Adding 1-2 more ingredients to a 3 ingredient meal makes it a 4-5 ingredient meal. Still simple.

Put a slice of bread with cheese on it in the microwave till the cheese melts. Then put another slice of bread on it and grill till it looks right. If it looks right, it is right. This way you can cook it in the pan fast and not worry about the cheese melting. Then dump a can of baked beans on it. The bean juice soaks into the bread and makes a healthy treat.

Joey

WE MUST BATHE OURSELVES IN THE BLOOD OF THE BEAN.

Sorry, got carried away there.

gearheadmb wrote: Foreman grill always made a perfect grilled cheese for me.

+100

Hm, already see I'm using too high of heat. And wheat bread because I believe it's healthier and it definitely lasts longer in the cupboard than white.

Thanks for the input, I seem to have struck a nerve here!

I firmly stand in the "don't apply the butter to the bread" philosophy. I put the butter in the hot skillet, let it melt and then put the bread on it. I find it crisps the bread better and doesn't give that oil soaked feeling. When I was growing up my mother buttered both sides of each slice and filled it with slices of whatever cheese was in the fridge. It was too oily and the cheese slid out.

My standard recipe is

slices of pugliese

shredded fresh basil

thinly shredded sundried tomatoes

sliced mozzarella and provolone

about a tbsp of olive oil in the pan with half a tsp of butter melted in with it

Grill until crisp on both sides