Randy Chandler
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a simple, delicious, and comforting meal. They are also incredibly versatile, as you can use a variety of cheeses, breads, and fillings to create your own unique combination. The key to a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is achieving a golden, crusty exterior with a gooey, melted cheese interior. While the classic recipe calls for white bread, sliced cheese, and butter, you can experiment with different types of bread, grated cheese, and additional ingredients like mayonnaise, mustard, or chutney. The cooking technique is also important, as you need to cook the sandwich over medium heat to ensure even browning and melting. With a few tips and tricks, anyone can master the art of making a mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwich.
How to Fix a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bread | Plain white sandwich bread, sourdough, brioche, ciabatta, peasant-style, Pullman, homemade, store-bought, garlic bread, etc. |
| Bread preparation | Buttered on one side, with mayonnaise, garlic butter, or mustard, chutney, or jam spread on the other |
| Cheese | Cheddar, American, Muenster, Swiss, mozzarella, gouda, brie, etc. |
| Cheese preparation | Grated or sliced, with apple slices, ham, prosciutto, tomato, or arugula and roasted red peppers |
| Cooking method | Stove, oven, toaster, air fryer, or microwave |
| Cooking instructions | Heat a heavy pan to medium-low heat, place bread butter-side down, add cheese, then place another slice of bread on top (butter-side up), cook until lightly browned, flip, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right bread
The ideal bread for grilled cheese is thick and sturdy, with a soft-but-hearty texture and even slices of medium thickness (about 1/4 inch). Sourdough, brioche, and rye are all good options. Sourdough, in particular, adds a tangy flavour to the sandwich, which pairs well with the richness of the cheese and butter. Rye bread, which gets its flavour from rye berries and the addition of caraway seeds, is a great complement to mild cheeses like Swiss, Gruyère, or Gouda. If you're looking for a mix of sweet and savoury, cinnamon raisin bread is an unorthodox but tasty choice.
If you're making a classic grilled cheese sandwich, sliced sandwich bread is a great option. The uniform thickness helps ensure even heat distribution when cooking. Sandwich bread tends to be soft and light, which is perfect for a grilled cheese. White bread is a popular choice, but don't limit yourself—whole-wheat, multigrain, oatmeal, and potato bread all make great grilled cheeses. Just be sure to opt for a heartier texture so that the bread doesn't flatten out when pressed down in the pan.
To avoid the sandwich sticking to the pan, consider using bread with a lower moisture content. Heavier, denser breads may stick more than lighter options, and bread that is too moist can cling to the pan. Toasting the bread lightly before adding the cheese can help reduce the likelihood of sticking and enhance the flavour and texture of the sandwich.
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Selecting the right cheese
First, consider the type of cheese you want to use. Classic options include American cheese, which offers a nostalgic taste and a gorgeous cheese pull, or cheddar cheese, which can be used in its sharp or mild variety, or as a blend of both. Other popular choices are mozzarella, muenster, and Swiss cheese. If you're feeling adventurous, you can experiment with cheeses like gouda, brie, or gouda, which can add a unique twist to your sandwich.
Next, think about the amount of cheese you want to use. While grilled cheese sandwiches are known for their gooey, melted cheese, using too much cheese can lead to a messy sandwich. It's important to find the right proportion of bread to cheese. A generous 1/4 cup of grated cheese is usually enough to satisfy cheese cravings, but you can adjust the amount to your preference.
The way you prepare your cheese also matters. Grated cheese, for example, melts more evenly and quickly than sliced cheese, resulting in perfectly synchronised toasted bread and melted cheese. If you decide to use sliced cheese, consider adding a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to enhance the flavour of your sandwich.
Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of cheese and other ingredients. You can try adding ingredients like ham, prosciutto, apple slices, or tomatoes to create sweet and salty flavours that complement your chosen cheese. Remember, the beauty of a grilled cheese sandwich is its versatility, so feel free to get creative and find your perfect combination.
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How to assemble the sandwich
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a simple pleasure, but there are a few tricks to achieving the perfect balance of crispy, toasted bread and melted cheese. The key to success is in the assembly of the sandwich, so here is a step-by-step guide:
Firstly, select your bread. You can use any type of bread you like, but it should be sturdy enough to handle the heat. Soft sandwich bread, sourdough, brioche, ciabatta, and peasant-style slices are all good options. Thick-sliced, homemade, or store-bought bread will work, but avoid thinly sliced, delicate varieties as they will fall apart.
Next, prepare your cheese. While you can use slices, grated cheese will melt more evenly and quickly, ensuring the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted in perfect harmony. You can use a generous 1/4 cup of grated cheese, or adjust to suit your preference, but be careful not to overfill the sandwich, as this will cause the cheese to ooze out. Cheddar, American, Muenster, Swiss, mozzarella, gouda, and brie are all excellent choices.
Now it's time to assemble the sandwich. Start by buttering one side of a slice of bread. You can melt the butter in the pan first and dip the bread in, or spread it directly onto the bread. If you're feeling adventurous, you can add mayonnaise to the buttered side, or even garlic Parmesan butter for an extra flavour boost. Place the bread, buttered-side down, in a hot skillet or pan.
Add your cheese on top of the bread. If you're using sliced cheese, you can try sprinkling a little Parmesan on top for an upgraded flavour. If you're feeling creative, this is the time to add extra fillings. Sliced tomato, apple, ham, prosciutto, or even pepperoni can take your grilled cheese to the next level. Just be mindful of the amount of filling to avoid overstuffing.
Finally, place another slice of bread on top, with the buttered side facing up. If you're using mayonnaise, spread it on the top slice of bread before placing it in the pan.
Now your sandwich is assembled and ready to be cooked to golden, crispy perfection.
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Cooking methods
A grilled cheese sandwich is a simple but delicious meal. It is a combination of crispy, toasted bread on the outside and melted cheese on the inside. You can use any type of bread, but it should be sturdy enough to handle the heat. For the cheese, you can use any melting cheese, such as American, Muenster, or Swiss.
Stovetop
Butter one side of two slices of bread. You can also spread mayonnaise on the bread, which some people prefer. Place one slice of bread, buttered-side down, on a hot skillet or pan. Add cheese on top of the bread, then place the other slice of bread on top, buttered-side up. Cook the sandwich until the bottom slice is lightly browned, then flip it over. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the sandwich is golden brown on both sides.
Oven
Preheat your oven to 450 °F (232 °C) with a rack in the top position. While the oven is heating up, prepare your sandwiches by buttering the bread on one side. You can also add mayonnaise to the other side of the bread. Assemble the sandwiches with cheese in between the slices of bread. Place the sandwiches in the oven and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Toaster
Assemble your sandwich by placing the cheese between two slices of bread. Set your toaster to cook for about 5 minutes, then place the sandwich in the toaster. After 3-4 minutes, unplug the toaster to prevent it from popping and making a mess. Once the toast is done, slowly pull out the lever to remove the slices of bread. Put the slices together to make your sandwich and serve it hot.
Air Fryer
Prepare your sandwich by spreading mayonnaise on the outside of the slices of bread. Place the sandwich in the air fryer basket and cook for about 2 minutes. The air fryer will circulate hot air to toast the bread and melt the cheese evenly. You can flip the sandwich over if you want the other side to be more browned.
Once your grilled cheese sandwich is ready, you can enjoy it as it is or with a side of tomato soup. You can also experiment with different ingredients, such as adding ham, prosciutto, apple slices, or tomatoes to your sandwich.
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Storage
To store your grilled cheese, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and keep it in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
If you want to freeze your grilled cheese, again, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and then place it in a freezer bag. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat your grilled cheese, simply pop it into a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted to your liking. You can also use a skillet or frying pan over medium heat, cooking for 3-5 minutes on each side until warmed through.
Enjoy your grilled cheese!
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Frequently asked questions
Soggy grilled cheese is usually caused by low heat or too much butter/oil. To fix this, use a thin layer of butter or mayo on the outside of the bread, and cook on medium-low heat.
Burnt grilled cheese is often caused by high heat or leaving the sandwich on the pan for too long. To avoid this, cook on medium-low heat and monitor the sandwich closely, flipping it every couple of minutes.
Cheese leaking out is usually due to too much cheese or the cheese not being properly contained. To fix this, use just enough cheese to fill the sandwich without overflowing, and place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread, sealing the cheese in the middle.
Uneven melting is often caused by high heat or the wrong type of cheese. To fix this, use a cheese that melts well, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or Gruyère, and cook on medium heat.
Greasiness is often caused by using too much butter, cold cheese, or the wrong type of cheese. To fix this, use a light coating of butter on the outside of the bread, let the cheese come to room temperature before cooking, and choose a cheese with a higher fat content that melts well.
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