Why can't I make a decent grilled cheese sandwich?

I can't seem to get the cheese melty without getting the bread too crispy. Lower temp for longer? Different cheese?

I needed comfort food tonight and it wasn't comforting enough, dammit.

Can't say I've ever had that problem. Maybe cover it for the first side?

Use the oven.

If an electric skillet is too much hassle, the stovetop works well. I managed to make back to back perfect ones today for me and the little tyke. If an electric skillet is an option, 250F is the magic number for eggs, grilled cheese, and pancakes.

On my electric range with actual coils, the temp is between medium and low. I let the ceramic pan heat up while I buttered the bread, then put the sandwich on. Unlike usual, where I only flipped after a few minutes, I flipped these constantly, every 30 seconds or so, because I'd been burning mine.

The constant flipping helped get even heating to the cheese helping it melt better, but also let me dial in the perfect golden brown for the right crisp.

This might be a stupid question but did you butter the outsides of the bread before putting it in the skillet. Lots of butter usually makes it burn less.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:

Oven to start, finish or whole job?

In reply to toymans_daughter:

Yep.

I do a little butter on each corner and in the middle... it spreads just right and makes it a little crispy but the cheese has time to melt.

Try using butterkase cheese. That goes for everyone for everything.

Otherwise, 2 pans. One is just warm, with the bread and cheese on it. Then the other is hot. Throw butter in there, then the sandwich.

George Foreman grills make perfect grilled cheese sammiches.

In reply to RevRico:

I pretty much did it that way, other than the flipping. I will give that a shot.

In reply to Nick (Bo) Comstock:

Oooh...I have one of those.

I use olive oil on the bread, Cooper Sharp cheese... medium heat in a frying pan.

I've not had issues. It might be the second easiest food to cook just behind scrambled eggs.

In reply to Huckleberry:

I know. I'm a pretty good cook, but I just can't make grilled cheese work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RllWJUvrxEY

On my griddle there is a ring that gets hotter than the rest. This necessitate a 180* twist in the grilling for a bit before assembly.

So, 300* griddle, stack of buttered bread and cheese, bread slices go on butter side down with cheese on top, rotate after a couple minutes, then assemble into sandwiches when the center of the cheese just barely starts to melt. After that flip to desired doneness on each side.

Lower temp, longer. I just use a frypan and set it for 4 (out of 10)

We use little baggies that can go in the toaster. perfect and fast .

As others have said, lower and longer. As for cheese, I find softer cheeses melt quicker and easier. I love cheddars, pepper Jack, Red Leicester and provolone

This is why I have a sandwich Press. I berkeleying hate messing about trying to frypan or hotplate my toasted chease sandwiches. It's non stick goodness also allows me to throw a slice of cheese down on it before putting the sandwich on the cheese and then cook that sucker so it has a crispy cheese skin.

Also awesome for making perfectly flat crispy bacon and crispy quesadillas.

I like to use cast iron on a gas burner. Make sure the bread is the right thickness, butter the outside of it, put a smaller amount of cheese on both pieces of bread, and use a cheese that melts well.

http://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-make-grilled-cheese-for-a-crowd-in-the-oven-article

I got three kids a skillet takes too long.

Because decent, and grilled cheese, are mutually exclusive.

Yuck.

This has been discussed previously.

Learn me the secrets to a good grilled cheese

Search, n00b!

Lower temp, but put a lid over it while cooking the first side; melts the cheese.

I made two grilled cheese & tuna last night after the gym. Mmmmmm.

Dan

Check these threads

/r/grilledcheese

and

/r/Melts (contains more than cheese)