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August 16th, 2010
08:00 AM ET
We've been on a grilled cheese kick at Eatocracy HQ, in pursuit of the best sandwich in all the land, from diners and haute eateries to toasters and home skillets. When we saw cookbook author and cheese expert Laura Werlin in Aspen at the Food & Wine Classic, fresh from leading her monumentally popular seminar on just that subject, we just had to sit her down and get her top tips for a magnificent melt. Agree with our grilled cheese guru, or do you have another method? Share with the rest of the class in the comments below. Previously – Grilled cheese, please! and Grilled cheese and...grape jelly? |
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I agree garlic toasty flavor= is good. My take. Sprinkle some Mrs Dash (garlic and herbs) on the cheese between the bread layers. It adds a nice garlicky pop to the filling without getting any burnt garlic flavor on the crust.
Yum. The best Grilled Cheese sammy – Smoked gouda with bacon on roasted garlic ciabatta, and some grainy brown mustard.
Before adding the cheese you MUST grill the inside of the bread in Crisco. After the inside is grilled, add the cheese (sliced super sharp cheddar is my fave) and grill the outside of the bread in a little more Crisco. Push the sandwich down with a spatula and soon as the cheese is melted and grilled on both sides, remove from the pan and cut into triangles. Serve with a bowl of tomato soup and enjoy!
Several people have already mentioned, but it's worth mentioning again:
DO NOT COOK ON HIGH HEAT.
I find that medium heat (4-6 on the cooking dial) gives the perfect balance: perfect texture (Crisp outer shell, smooth gooey inside), evenly cooked throughout, and it's done in just 3-4 minutes.
Though I would agree that you don't have to grate the cheese, I will admit that I like piling on the shredded cheese on the buttered bread already on the grill, if only for those "accidental" sprinkles that end up on the griddle as an extension of the sandwich and toasting to a yummy golden brown goodness. I will have to try that suggestion of putting some cheese on the griddle and then putting the sandwich on that. Sounds divine.
My family loves my caprese toasted cheese sandwiches. Mozzerella, tomatoes, and chopped fresh basil between two slices of whole grain bread buttered on both outsides. A little olive oil in the pan completes the familiar caprese flavor. Fried slow so the cheese melts. Fantastic!
I'm thinking that anyone (maybe everyone) will be making up some grilled cheese after reading this... I for one, will be trying a few different types now. What's the worst that could happen? You don't like it? Try another one! Off to the grocery store...
I have been reading everyones comments since this was posted. I went home and made a grilled cheese with some of these suggestions.
I didn't have white bread, I don't care for it.
So I used some wheat multigrain bread.
Put mayo on the outside, instead of grilling it in butter.
I put on one slice, veggie cream cheese and a little bit of shredded colby jack.
On the other slice, I used pepper jack and sargento provologne. And added a little slice of tomato.
HEAVEN!!!
The best is take 2 slices of white bread lightly butter both slices on the outside, on the inside of the slice lightly spread a spicy mustard (I use mister mustard) but any spicy mustard will work (you can add a little cayenne pepper to give it a extra kick) , a couple thinly sliced, slices of fresh mozzarella with 2-3 extra-thin slices of a Jersey tomato.
I love grilled cheese! How many calories and sodium in that grilled cheese that you showcased? Is it more calories than a McDonalds Hamburger? Mcdonalds is good food yet yuppies are biased towards higher caloried grilled cheese or overlook the high fat and sodiu
M in backyard bbq burgers when McDonalds is actually better and lower in calorie and sodium
The ultimate grilled cheese – butter the bread (bakery fresh is the best), sprikinkle with parmesan, layer cheddar with tomato slices, with feta in between.
As a chef I have to tell you don't try to make too much out of grilled cheese sandwich. It is what it is, Kraft, Deli American, but for God's sake not cheddar. If you haven't read White Trash Cooking you don't know how to make a real, country grilled cheese sandwich.
After reading all of these ideas I had to have a grilled cheese. I used soft wheat bread, butter and Boar's Head Vermont White Cheddar. Cooked slowly in a pan so the outside was nice and brown and crunchy and the cheese was melted perfectly. I sprinkled just a bit of garlic salt on the buttered sides of the bread as I use unsalted butter........................OH YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
My dad, who is 83, makes the best grilled cheese – hands down! Just before you take the sandwich out of the pan, pull the bread apart and sprinke a little sugar on the melted cheese, press back together. yum yum... Serve with a glass of iced tea and dill pickle.
Sourdough bread, with Colby Cheddar cheese. Then eat it with Bread and Butter sliced pickles on the side. Skip the mayo. this is the best combo I've found.
it dont matter as long as it's cooked on CAST IRON
leave it to you hipsters to douche up the grilled cheese...ugh
What a wasted of a video clip on grill cheese. Every kid in America knows this formula to making grill cheese. She has taught us nothing we already know.
The BEST grilled cheese sandy is prepared using high quality bread, 2 slices of your favorite cheese (mine just so happens to be high quality American cheese- processed or not, American melts like a dream!), real butter and most importantly a cast iron pan! Forget smooshing it with a spatula- a cast iron pan will leave your sandy perfectly crisp, crunchy, and golden brown.
Sooo good :)
The real Kraft cheese that is NOT the individually plastic wrapped "cheese food product" is pretty good, imo. I always use rye bread, melt real butter in the pan, cover it and cook it slowly. Sometimes I'll add slices of tomato and oregano, or green olive slices...yum.
Put a couple of tomato slices on the sandwich and then grill on both sides. Talk about good!
I had always agreed with butter on both side of the bread on a grilled cheese until one day I found I had no butter and used Mayo instead. Now I only use Mayo for my grilled cheese.
Best topic I'v read on CNN in a while.. But you rookies have a lot to learn:
1) Gently take 2 slices of Pepridge Farm White Bread and butter both sides on all 4 slices while talking to it.
2) Cut up thin slices of tomotates and cut long strips of Kraft WISCONSIN AGED SHARP CHEDDAR cheese and place them over the slice of bread.. This cheese defines the sandwich so its a must.
3) Grind some black pepper on top (larger peices then normal) of the cheese and tomato
4) Add KETCHUP on all four corners and the middle or draw a smiley face on it
5) Sprinkle Chili Powder or add some Huy Fong Sriracha Chinese Hot Sauce to get kick
6) Cover bread over all this and cook/flip/turn and enjoyy
I think I will steal the garlic and corriander recipes from reading these comments.. Cant wait to try this .. Enjoyy
The key to the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich is to cook it slooooowwwwwlllllyyy so the cheese fully melts but the bread doesn't get burnt. I put the burner on a low setting and use a lid to cover the pan. What kind of cheese is used is a personal preference, but that Kraft "cheese product" is the ultimate sin. It's not even real food.
My husband makes wonderful grilled cheeses, and he learned a trick in the US Army. Just before the thing is finished, put a small ice cube in the pan and put a lid on it. Crisps it really nice! Sounds dumb, and that it shouldn't work, but it does! He also uses breads from the deli, a mixture of Gouda and Swiss cheeses, crumbled (as in the video), real butter, and an iron skillet. Sweetie, I love you! PLZ make me a grilled cheese sandwich, PLZ!
I still remember in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada", the boyfriend who is supposed to be an excellent chef, making a grilled cheese sandwich for Andy, that was BRUNT BLACK. Come on, a prefect grill cheese sandwich is supposed to be golden brown, NOT BLACK.
Just last night I tried a very different kind of grilled cheese. I put marinara sauce on each slice of italian bread. Then I used sliced mozarella for the cheese. This was a "pizza" grilled cheese. Maybe I'll put pepperoni in there next time. The cheese is stringy, like mozarell should be.
Worcestershire sauce!
Just a few drops between the slices before you grill, adds the perfect little punch...thanks, Grandmommie! ;)
Check this out.
I use my George Foreman Grill to cook mine.
Just butter both sides of the bread. (I use country crock lite).
I put real shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar.
Put them together and lay them in the George Foreman, close the lid and AWESOME grilled cheese samich.
Thinly sliced tomato and onion make a great GC..another offbeat idea is to use real mayo instead of butter..gives a french toast kind of taste..My fav is deli counter pepper jack with onion and tomato..all others are imitations.. :D
My absolute favorite and a must for myself with grilled cheese is tomato soup! Love it! Dunking it too! YUUUMMMMM!!
Whenever I feel like classing that up, I make the sandwich with olive oil and fresh mozzarella on a sliced baguette and the soup with roasted red peppers. It's grown-up comfort food.
I've never been tempted to dunk my grilled cheese into any soup, tomato or otherwise. Not interested in adding a "sog factor" into the mix, as it were.
For the best and one of the most unique grilled cheese sandwiches ever ... here's the way my dad used to make grilled cheese. For breakfast, we would have american style eggs and bacon... the trick was that he saved the bacon fat in a small container. then for lunch, serve a healthy vegetable soup, along with a decadent grilled cheese... cooked with the bacon fat soaked into the bread, instead of butter. add sharp cheddar, mozzarella or smoked gouda. delicious.
I love Kraft Singles.
Try fontina, mozzarela, and shredded asiago on sourdough bread, lightly buttered. You can add bacon and/or avacado slices, if you desire.
My favorite grilled cheese that I make has 3 types of cheese on it. Pepper Jack, Swiss, and American or Cheddar cheese all melted together on wheat bread thats buttered of course. The Pepper jack for the spice, Swiss for stretchy gooey goodness, and American for color mostly.
Cheater version: toast bread, butter inside, add sharp cheddar, microwave about 20, butter outside. real butter, real cheese.
I use philadelphia cream cheese, a tiny bit of sour cream spread thinly over that, and then some shredded cheese that has a mozzarella/cheddar blend. On texas toast-sliced bread. Turns out ROCKIN! Dip in HOT SAUCE for some flare... Adding tuna makes a nice tuna melt!
I encountered this Grilled Cheese recipe and it was off the hook. It went something like this. Use slice of sourdough bread. Crush garlic into some butter and mix until blended. Use that mixture on both pieces of bread. Shred a mixture of cheeses like Cheddar, Provolone, and Swiss. Cook on a low heat so it melts the cheese but the bread doesn't burn. YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM.
wheat bread, swiss and cheddar cheese, and bacon. yum!
The best grilled cheese sandwich is made with rye bread (with caraway seeds) Swiss cheese, crispy bacon and tomato.
It should be cooked with butter. Nothing is better!
Use Pepperidge Farm garlic Texas toast as the bread.
CLEVELAND OHIO CheeseLovers! Try this technique and these great ingredients: Non-stick pan with lid (I use a GreenPan), 1 slice Yoder's Deluxe American (Marc's), 2 slices Orlando's Italian Twist, 1 1/2 Tbsp Land-O-Lake's butter.....1. heat pan to medium 2. add 1/2 the butter and swirl to melt 3. add both bread slices, soaking up all the butter onto one side, and saute til golden/toasted 4. remove from pan and place cheese between the toasted sides 5. melt remaining butter in pan and quickly soak up half on one side of sandwich (side one) 6. flip sandwich and soak up remaining butter; saute til golden 7. flip back again to saute already-buttered side one 8. place lid on pan and remove from heat (wait about 1 minute to toast) ......Quality ingredients are a must, but it's this technique that makes it "gourmet" for about one dollar. (I'll be trying the mayo--sounds great.)
Here's my recipe:
- REAL BREAD (no preservatives, no commercial yeast [sourdough]), sliced thick. I like country style breads. My favorite is roasted garlic with asiago cheese.
- Lots of thin slices of REAL CHEESE (a good, old sharp cheddar; edam; or havarti, depending on your mood).
- Softened REAL BUTTER. Just leave it sit out of the 'fridge for 10 or 15 minutes. Next to a warming burner helps (not TOO close!) NO OIL SUBSTITUES OF ANY KIND!
- A good simple cream of tomato soup (I like it chunky). Wonderful to dip your sandwich in. You could even mix some in with the cheese before cooking.
- Last but not least, COOK ON LOW HEAT. No need to grate your cheese, like the cheese lady in the video says, if you're patient and let your sandwich heat slowly.
Oh, and NO COVERING. Just stick to the low heat. It won't do your wrong. Covering your sandwich can make it soggy.
Up here in Halifax, Nova Scotia we have a sandwich called Ghetto Socks which is really old cheddar and avocado on home made bread and grill cheesed with butter. It is delicious. I like mine with alfafa sprouts!
I have a simple grilled cheese that my kids always request. It requires a cast iron pancake griddle, butter (NOT margarine) cheese (while I prefer sharp cheddar, virtually any cheese will work), white bread (wheat bread can be used, as can French or Italian or sourdough), and a spicy mustard (spicy brown or dijon workes best). Simply heat the griddle over medium heat, place the butter on the griddle and, as it is melting, place the bread on the grill and move it so that the butter is spread around. When brown and crispy, repeat on the second side. Place one slice of cheese on each piece of bread and VERY LIGHTLY place some mustard on it. Put the one slice on the other and cook until both sides are well browned.
We also experiment with adding meat (bologna, pastrami, corned beef, old fashioned loaf, or whatever other type of meat is available) or mixing cheeses (try using Brie for a unique sandwich). Once we even used some leftover pizza sauce, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and Mozarrela cheese. The imagination is your limit ! !
My personal favorite sandwich involves a freshly cooked deep fried fritter (ALWAYS the last item on the sandwich), a hard-cooked fried egg, lettuce, mayonaise, bacon, swiss cheese, and sliced tomato on toasted wheat bread.
1 slice of Monterey Jack and 1 slice of Old Cheddar... it strikes a nice balance of creamy and tangy. Freshly slice French or Italian white bread with real butter.
real butter, seeded hearty rye, good baby swiss, thinkly sliced red onion, and a touch of garlic powder right before you take it out of the cast iron skillet. That's my favorite.
real butter, italian bread, cheddar, and thinly sliced roma tomato and ham is my wife's. The key to not letting it get soggy is to brown the deli thin ham in a hot skillet first and make sure to pat down the tomato too.
Regardless of what others say, always use the cheese you like. If that is Kraft singles, so be it. I do think that the butter is really crucial. Keep in mind that while cheese is great, you should try to strike a balance between cheese and bread. You want just enough cheese to enjoy it but not too much that you can't taste the buttery toasted bread. Use a real butter. Salted or not depends on your tastes as well but real butter just does wonders to a good white bread slice. But make sure it's softened. If it's not, it messes with the bread when you spread it on. Make sure you get it very evenly spread. Getting just the right amount of butter is another key factor. Too much and it's too greasy, too little and its just toast. The last obstacle is toasting it to perfection. If the butter is right, you will get a great speckled pattern of medium to light brown.
The only other thing I can suggest is partial to my tastes. I've put a sprinkle of garlic powder on the buttered side of the breads and it was perfect for me.
I make mine with mustard and thin slices of green apple. And I don't care what anyone say's, I use cheap Kraft American cheese.
I also make a fancier sandwich with nicer cheeses and add pesto and thin slices tomato. But I still prefer the mustard and fake cheese one above all. I think it is just a good childhood memory.
It's the grilling that interests me, since I already use a non-stick griddle/grill for grilled cheese sandwiches. I suppose I should experiment with grating the cheese, and also try other types of cheeses. I do butter the bread as shown in the video.
My Scottish husband's family laughed at me for making grilled cheese sandwiches in such a way; they insisted a grilled cheese was what I would call an "open-face" sandwich i.e. a single slice of bread with cheese on the top...no second slice of bread on top of the cheese. AND they also insisted that "grilled" cheese sandwiches should be "grilled" in the over, under the broiler at the top of the oven cavity.......We all dance to the tune of a different drummer...have our cheese and "grill" it, too.
This lady needs to learn how to really make a grilled cheese sandwich. She has her fire to hot for one thing.
i
A nice sweet mustard will bring your grilled cheese to a new level. It changes everything.
Yay! I agree! Mmmm, mustard makes everything better!
NO. No no no no no.
You don't have to grate the cheese. You have to use the proper amount of HEAT. Low-med low heat depending on the bread. You let that bread slowwwwwly, deeply brown and get fantastically crispy without being burnt. If you do this correctly, there is plenty of time/heat for the cheese to melt. And you get a crispy/gooey contrast that is nothing like the limp excuse for a grilled cheese shown in the video.
I so agree with you about the heat thing
Sliced sourdough, extra sharp cheddar and sliced jalapenos. Skip the butter. Grill in an oven on broil. Doesn't stick to anything. Side of tomato soup. I had it for dinner last night....
NOT IMPRESSED. dip it in mustard.
has anyone tried alfalfa sprouts, tomato and avacado on a grilled cheese? i am starving now!!
haha. I just wrote the same. Tomato would be a great addition!
We love our bread
We love our butter
But most of all
We love each other
love you
why, why, why can't cnn have this article available to read? some of us want to take 5 seconds to read our news, no matter how frivolous, rather than watch some crap 2 minute video. or at the very least, provide the option to read or watch.
THANK YOU! I HATE videos – just give me text!! Videos take so much time and you can't easily get to what you want!!
Come-on! 4 books on grilled cheese sandwich and the video is about broiled cheese?
Here's what you need. A panini machine or a toaster oven. Thinly sliced tomatoes. Swiss cheese, asiago, and/or provolone. The more aged the cheese the better. Use sourdough bread. Toast the bread for a while without butter or anything. If you want use slight mayo or mustard after you're done. Put the slices of cheese after the bread has started stiffening a bid. Toast until cheese starts melting. Remove from toaster, put sliced tomatoes and a very thing slice of red cabbage. Again, mayo or mustard are optional, but I prefer avocado. I do agree with the pickle on the side. You don't want butter or oil on your bread because it overpowers the cheese flavor. Also avoid broilers because they make your toast soggy. Enjoy!
The best grilled cheese sandwiches are made in cast iron pie irons cooked in the coals of a camp fire.
Add scrambled eggs and ham. Mmm. And use real butter, none of this margarine cr*p.
A completely worthless and WEAK interview...
Dude, seriously, did someone pee on your panini press? Did you lose to her in The Food Network's Next Famous Grilled Cheese Star? It's GRILLED CHEESE for Pete's sake. Lighten up.
I agree. No real content or "secrets". I wanted her to tell me something I don't know...
Sorry to contradict the "experts" but I've tried at dozen different cheeses and combinations and I've found that the best grilled cheese is by using one slice of Tillamook and one slice of Velveeta together on butter grilled sourdough.
She's right, grated cheese is perfect, but add a tomato and avocado slices for a new twist. For dippers, tomato bisque is a must!
Open it up and put jelly on.
Country white bread, a cast iron skillet, butter, and a bowl of tomato soup are my secrets.
Use Gruyere cheese, cracked pepper, and good crusty, grainy bread. Pair with brothy soup for dipping. Delicious!
The best is Velveeta on the inside and use Real Mayo on the outside to cook. Adds just the right taste yummy. All 3 of my kids and me love them. To spice it up every now and then add cooked bacon to it.
Good quality bread, real butter, and good quality cheese are essential. I don't grate the cheese but I do butter the bread.
I slice the cheese off a block of good longhorne cheddar and do it up on Orowheat buttermilk bread – OR- I slice cheese from a chunk of Green Briar pepper jack cheese and do it up on up on Orowheat Oatnut bread which has ground hazlenuts in it and is very rich. I toast it really well so the toast is crisp but not overly dark. Dill pickles on the side are yummy. Sorry, at the risk of sounding like a b*otch..... no tomato, no onions, no coriander, no elk testacles.... dangit....just bread and butter and cheese..... :-)
Wheat or white bread (I tend to avoid white bread, personally, but white bread does work fine), butter up both slices of bread, and use a slice of preferred cheese (yeah, I have to go with regular old Kraft American singles.. It may not be tremendously gourmet, but a grilled cheese is "comfort food" IMHO, and those processed "cheese food" singles just scream "put me on a grilled cheese sandwich!" to me).
My secret, however, is that I put the whole thing on my pre-heated barbeque grill grate (with the flame set on low). Close the lid, give it a couple minutes, then flip the sandwich. Be careful, I've "over toasted" (read as: "burnt") more than a couple getting the heat distribution landscape of my grill figured out. You'll generally get a beautiful, evenly toasted sandwich thats nice and melty in the middle and very crunchy tasty.
I couldn't tell you why doing a grilled cheese sandwich on a regular grill (versus, say, a Foreman grill or a pannini press-type grill) tastes better, but for some odd reason it does. I don't argue, I just make more of 'em.
Enjoy.
On a side note, when ever I went to A&W with my buddy, we would order a couple of hamburgers and they would be served in a tinfoil bag and after you ate the burger you would look into the bag to see if there was any melted cheese that didn't come out with the burger. We used to call that cheese the "treat" so now whenever I have a burger or a cheese sandwich, and there is cheese that is left over, I still call that the "treat" cause it's so good and you don't get it all the time. My preference, sourdough, medium cheese, a thin slice of firmer type tomato that is a little on the green side and a couple of strips of bacon, butter on the outside. Tomato soup with water not milk and a pinch of parlsey on the top.
The classic is white bread with butter and Velvetta, dipped in tomato soup. Can't go wrong there!
But a good Italian deli ham with provolone and mozarella between sourdough with brushed olive oil with garlic powder is pretty good too.
A good hearty version is whole wheat bread with sharp cheddar and smoked bacon.
But let's face it, nearly any melted cheese with a salty meat inside and a flavored oil on the outside is going to come out pretty good.
Try putting a little old-fashioned peach jam on that grilled cheese sandwich. fantastic!
one word pepperoni!
I have mine with roasted anaheim chili peppers.
Poor man's pizza, Steve ;)
So, all of this made me hungry, and I went and made a toasted cheese (hazards of working at home). Whole wheat bread, havarti cheese slice, thin spread of harissa (spicy chili paste), butter in pan. Superb.
Havarti melts as well as American cheese, but is a "real" dairy cheese. The other cheese I use for this is aged cheddar - usually Tillamook extra reserve sharp. It melts to a pleasant, buttery consistency. Very rich. I don't like it when the cheese gets stringy or gloppy (mozarella or jack). The texture of food matters a lot to me.
That's close to what I do... havarti and sharp cheddar in the middle (sometimes with ham) then butter mixed with parmesan on the outside... excellent on whole grain sourdough.
there are an infinite number of bread/cheeses of choice/seasonings. But when you want comfort food and the flavor of childhood, it's white bread, Am cheese, butter, hot pan.
My secret is sprinkling parmesan on the buttered side of thick sliced artisan bread. Tillamook cheddar on the inside and tomato soup for dipping. The parmesan toasts up and gives it a lovely crunch! I had it for dinner last night and lunch today! Yum!
1. Thick sliced rustic sourdough bread
2. Use a little mayonnaise on the outside of the bread rather than butter
3. Grated cheddar cheese
4. A little garlic powder sprinkled over cheese before cooking
5. Dip in tartar sauce – YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!
Sprinkle Basil & Garlic powder on both insides of the bread, then a little between 2 pieces of cheese.., Use ranch dressing to dip. Sooooo good!
The best grilled cheese meal:
White or wheat slices, 2 Kraft singles, dip your sandwiches in applesauce, and hot cocoa to drink. And definately butter the bread, not the pan. melted butter can be used, but at least soft butter or you'll tear up the bread.
Tomato soup as a side is good.
Really good quality whole wheat bread spread with chevre, drizzled with honey and maybe a few walnuts with thinly sliced crisp apples or pears. Butter in the pan, new butter for side 2. So, so yummy.
clueless. Does not know what "grated cheese" is
The best gourmet grill cheese sandwich can be found at the little deli adjoining Montecello, Jefferson's Home. Start with a fresh bauget and then a layer of guryere, havarti, and bree! Delicious!
Aw c'mon you guys, I'm on a fricken diet over here, this is worse than waterboarding.
7 year old cheddar makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches. You could use cardboard instead of the bread and it would still be delicious.
7 year old cheddar doesn't melt!
First of all – Paul D. I am Soooo trying your cheese on the skillet, bread on top method next time I make a grilled cheese using real cheese....but although I am a cheese maniac, going to the French Market each Saturday to purchase 4 yr old cheddar and grat slabs of Parmesano Reggiano at a dear cost to my pocketbook, I must confess, I am a Velveeta grilled cheese girl with Creamy Tomato soup! It's the childhood memories!
One thing I do in order to melt the cheese (whichever kind I'm using) I picked up from watching a short order cook once upon a time somewhere. At some point between wnen I have turned the bread and it is starting to nicely brown on both sides, I take a bit of water and sprinkle (not a lot mind you, a bit in your hand tossed on the griddle or pan) and then cover the sandwich with a lid for a few minutes. The water creates steam and melts the cheese and the bread doesn't burn!
My toasted cheese secret is ajvar, that eastern European red pepper spread (sometimes has eggplant or carrot in it, too). it comes in hot and mild versions. Spread a generous amount on whole wheat bread, and top with a slice of Havarti cheese. Grill in a non-stick pan of griddle with a weight on top (improvised panini press). Contrary to the Big Cheese's advice, I put butter in the pan and swirl it around and move the bread around to absorb it evenly. I feel that I use less butter that way.
Toasty goodness!
Did anyone notice the dead fly or mosquito on the plate at 1:10? Hillarious....
Eek! Whatever that is, the sammie went right on top of it.
Yeah, saw that, too. Hope that skeeter added some extra crunch to the lunch!
Fresh sliced jalapeno's on grill cheese is awesome.
Butter the bread? Use a non-stick pan? Serve it with a pickle? I'm sorry, did CNN consider these to be groundbreaking grilled cheese sandwich tips? What a joke. And if this is the best this woman can do, how does she even make a living?
Ah, but that's the best most Americans can do anyway!
Make grilled cheese sandwiches on cheese bread – THEY ROCK!!!
I recently (while vacationing on the Washington coast) made myself a grilled cheese sandwich with a whole buch of fresh Dungeness crab meat put on the cheese before grilling – it was wonderful!! Possibly the best grilled cheese i have ever had...
Pimento Cheese and Bacon are the bomb as well
No matter how you like your grilled cheese, try dunking it in a good ranch dressing. That is how my family eats them.
Or dunked in cream of tomato soup!
Or try dipping in good raspberry jam. The savory and sweet together is out of this world!
EVERYTHING is better dipped in ranch dressing... were my mom's last words when she died from a heart attack
Extra Sourdough bread, butter, slice of sharp cheddar, slice of really good brand swiss cheese! Great!! Perhaps a bit of Best foods, thinist onion and tomato slices in the middle ... yummy ...
Make a nice compound butter, parsley, tarragon and green onion is nice. Smoked cheese Edam, Gouda and.or Gruyer. Use sliced hard crusted Italian Bread.
A friend makes another uebersammy. White bread, buttered on the inside, American Cheese, Bacon and Tomato. Bacon grease is used on the outside.
thin sliced sourdough-smoked gouda grated-crisp bacon-garlic salt-butter--grill--
I love making grilled cheese. Some tips I've picked up and learned to making a good or interesting one:
1. The biggest reason I put butter on the bread is to give the cheese time to melt before the bread burns. The rich taste is a nice side benefit.
2. As gross as it is, I love American cheese for grilled cheese. Nothing quite melts as nicely or evenly as American cheese. Maybe that's because plastic isn't often used as food! :P
3. For a more interesting one with real cheeses, I use cheddar and bit of feta. The feta adds a nice bite and soaks up a good portion of the grease from the cheddar.
4. I put a tiny, tiny sprinkle of garlic powder on the outside of the bread. Not enough to be garlic bread, but enough to barely taste it. Really nice flavor.
I make mine with miracle whip on each sides of the bread and then two slices of cheese and of course butter the bread on each side of the outside. Tastes great and the miracle whip kind of gives it a little moisture and extra flavor, but don't put too much just litely coat the bread with it. Anyone ever done that?
it kinda doesnt matter how it gets done, given it going to be in my tummy in less than 9 seconds
RIIIIIGHT....That's the way to enjoy what you're eating... LOL but that's how my dog would do it.
I make fantastic grilled cheese using good crusty bread, various quality cheese– and here's the important part– a Foreman grill. The Foreman puts a nice crust on it and cooks both sides at the same time. Any cheese that leaks out it grilled and solidified (so none runs out of the Foreman). In fact, I love the cheese that leaks out and gets grilled on its own.
Peanut butter with sharp cheddar on sourdough is the bestest grilled cheese sammie hands down!
dang this is making me hungry!!!
personally i don't think all these fancy grilled cheese sandwiches are really what it is all about it is supposed to be a simple quick 5 minute meal that taste banging so to give mine a splash of flavor i use white american cheese 2 slices white bread with butter on just the side that touches the skillet and when i butter it i put just a dash of garlic salt and a dash of italian seasonings quick simple and yet taste wonderful
For about two years now, I've been making my grilled cheese on a forman grill. Far and away the best grilled cheeses I've ever had, and it's fun to experiment with different breads and cheeses (though I've long ago outgrown American cheese).
The taste is great, the sandwiches come out perfect every time, and the clean up is a lot easier.
I do this too! In my house, we call this a ghetto-fabulous pannini. It is a great way to cook the sandwich.
The best grilled cheese sandwich is made from HOMEMADE pimento cheese. Made with homemade roasted peppers using a very sharp cheese. Always use butter! ! ! !
I think white bread, butter and good old american cheese makes the best toasted cheese. As soon as the toasted cheese comes out of the skillet-I open it up and add sliced dill pickle!! I never eat a toasted cheese any other way!
Use a light layer of mayo on both sides of the bread instead of butter. It will soften the cheese and browns better than butter.
I disagree with the "Cheese Whiz" on one thing: Using shredded cheese is NOT better than sliced cheese for the simple fact that it's WAY MORE MESSY!
If the problem is making sure the cheese melts before the bread burns, then maybe the temperature on the burner is set too high? I've always found that starting out at a hotter temp (to get the bread toasted) and then lowering the temp (to melt the cheese) works best. Sure, it takes a little longer this way, but the end result is just as good and you don't have to worry about potentially spilling shredded cheese everywhere!
I think keeping it on a medium-low temp is best. I let one side grill up to golden brown and then flip, cover the pan and let the other side brown. Covering it helps keep the heat in which helps melt the cheese. Shredded cheese is semi-messy, if you're 5. It's really not that hard to do, plus, it really does melt faster.
When the sandwich comes off the grill, open it up, add a slice of tomato, and a dab of Miracle Whip on the tomato, then put it back together. Amazing!
Ok, here is my recipe for the BEST ever!
2 slices of Challah bread, buttered with a melted butter mixed with garlix powder and paprika
6 T. grated of gruyere cheese
2 T. shredded american cheese
2 T. shredded cheddar cheese
1 T. Dijon mustard mixed with mayonnaise
2 T. caramelized onion
4 T. fresh bacon bits
2 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
Butter your bread (one side only) with the butter/garlic/paprika mixture. Mix together ALL of your cheeses and bacon. On the non-buttered side of the bread, spread your mustard/mayo mix. Heap on your cheese mixture and saute in a NON STICK pan. As the bread is ALMOST done, sprinkle half of your parmesan cheese on one side and flip over. Immediately sprinkle the other half on the other side. Flip over and cook until each side is CRISPY but not burned. This is AMAZING!
I am now overcome with desire.....where is that pan?
Sourdough bread, Kraft Deluxe singles, mild chedar (thin sliced), real butter, and grated parmegean...
Butter the bread, then sprinkle on the parmegean generously and get it in the butter on the bread. put the bread in the pan and lay out the cheese slices, topping with another slice of identically prepared bread. Parmesean should be crispy/toasted but not burned. This is AMAZING. For an added kick you can add thin dill slices between the layers of cheese.
How boring....
You got it right man you are the winner hands down, except for me leave off the bacon.
oh gosh, how fattening ! Cheese lover delight though !
The BEST grilled cheese I've ever had was in Paris – they call it the croque monsieur I think. It's a grilled ham and cheese but it is absolutely out of this world! And every street food-vendor had them. Its made with gruyère cheese, but also as an earlier poster suggested, there is shredded cheese on the top of the sandwich as well as on the inside. I guarantee you will say that is the best you've ever had!
Croque Monsieur isn't a grilled sandwich – it is covered with thick, creamy, yummy white sauce and cheese and BAKED to bubbly goodness. It doesn't really count as a grilled cheese though. But it is WONDERFUL.
I spread the bread with Miracle Whip (or even mayo) instead of butter...use Velveeta...yummy...
You need to put chili powder on the cheese before grilling for best results. A smidge of peanut butter adds some nice flavor too.
My favorite is a grilled cheese and mushroom panini. I have a panini maker. I use sourdough or whole grain bread. I slice and sautee mushrooms in olive oil, brush the outsides (the sides against the panini maker plates) of the bread with olive oil, place one slice of bread on the hot panini maker, pile on some sliced sauteed mushrooms, cover that with some sliced swiss cheese, place the other bread on top, and close the panini maker lid. Five minutes later – delicious! A grilled mushroom and swiss panini – so good.
Oh YUM! That sounds delicious!!
A definite YUM factor here!
To me, the most important part of making a grilled cheese is the butter you grill the bread in. I put butter on all 4 sides of 2 pieces of wheat bread. With a hot skillet waiting, grill all 4 sides to golden brown(applying more butter as it's toasting). Put 2 Velvetta Slices on one piece of bread, then put Miracle Whip on the side you're placing against the cheese. Flip it over and over a couple more times to be sure the cheese is drippy. That's it. I can taste the butter in the toasted part, along with the yummy Velveeta, and the sweetness from the Miracle Whip. I don't put anything else on it. Oh YUM!
Kinda ghetto though.....:-)
Miracle Whip makes me gag, how do people eat that stuff??
Never had a peanut-butter-and-Miracle-Whip sandwich? Oh, freakin' yum!
velveeta? really? that stuff is plastic, not cheese.
I don't even use butter anymore. I grease the pan with extra virgin olive oil and then drizzle some more on the other side of the sammie so it's ready to flip. Personally, I think Velveeta makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches.
Honestly...it's bread, cheese, and butter. That's pretty perfect no matter how you put it together.
Anyone know of a way to make grilled cheese for us with celiac's? No more grains for me but, I sure miss the grilled cheese. My grandmother use to make the very best with Longhorn Colby cheese, sliced thick between two thick slices of Italian bread. Ahhh, the gold old days, before my guts revolted!
Just a thought...could you pan fry corn tortillas with your choice of cheese? If you google 10 minute tuscan tomato soup from Woman's Day magazine and if you made sure you had a GF marinara sauce, you could make that soup. I believe the rest of the ingredients are naturally GF. I would think the corn tortilla would get nice and crispy. Have you ever purchased a GF loaf of rice bread or brown bread? I wonder what that would be like with grilled cheese...
Halloumi cheese is delicious when grilled all on its own. No bread necessary! It's a bit harder to find than other cheeses, though, so you might want to call around to see who carries it. Ethnic grocers are more likely to keep it in stock.
A lot of natural food stores have gluten free breads and cheeses... I'm not sure how good they are, but I see them all the time.
My secret to a great grilled cheese? Butter BOTH sides of the bread, the outside butter crisps the bread, the inside butter mixes with the cheese giving it a little more creaminess. I either use margarine or melted real butter, depending upon what I have. Any mix of cheeses is great, I happen to really like Gruyere and mild white Cheddar with a tiny sprinkle of garlic salt. I grate my cheese as well.
There are plenty of gluten-free breads for those of us with Celiac! Just get yourself a good gluten-free bread...most are not good for grilled cheese but some will work. Udi's is the best, I get the whole grain Udi's (they also have white bread). It makes a delicious grilled cheese. Are you newly diagnosed? You can definitely still have grains, just not wheat, rye, (regular) oats, or barley. There remain plenty of yummy grains we can eat!
At our gourmet grilled cheese sandwich restaurant in San Francisco, THE AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen (http://www.theamericansf.com), we offer any of our grilled cheese sandwiches on a housemade gluten-free bread. This is quite popular with people who have celiacs or are on a gluten-free diet. We use Bob's Red Mill gluten-free baking flour. We were recently featured on glutenfreeglutons.com!
Actually, I missed something critical. You need Rye bread, buttered on the outsides, and good old Deli sliced American Cheese plus smoked bacon.
And Creamy tomato soup for dipping.
First, never use American Cheese. I know American Cheese is the staple of the classic American Sandwich but it's a poor quality cheese.
Second, once you are almost done with your perfect Grilled Cheese, or "Squirrel Cheese" as I called it (I misheard my mother when I was a child and called it "Squirrel Cheeses" ever since), place some shredded cheese on the skillet and plop the sandwich on top. You will sear the cheese to the bread making a crispy crust to the soft goo'y sandwich. Do it on both sides! Not so healthy but pretty fan-freakin'-tastic.
That does sound pretty fan-freaking-tastic. I'm definitely trying this tonight!
That is so cute! When my daughter was in preschool she thought they were GIRL cheese sandwiches:)
What they should do as a follow up is ask which soup is best served with a classic grilled cheese sandwich.
And that of course is Creamy Tomato Soup.
(PS, Add some smoked bacon to those GC's!)
Iggy you just described the perfect meal. My kids were raised on grilled cheese and tomato soup made with milk
Sour dough bread, real butter (not margarine), and sliced sharp cheddar. Yummy!
This is exactly the way I make mine too......Yummy :)
I'm getting hungry. Sourdough bread...
The blurb in the article asks if we agree with the guru or not. The guru doesn't recommend one type of cheese over another nor one type of bread over another.
Who's to agree or disagree with saying to put cheese between bread and grill ?
totally agree! I was patiently waiting for the magic BLEND of cheeses for the perfect grilled cheese – but she's telling me to use a non-stick pan? pleeeeeez......I like to use fontina, mild cheddar, swiss, gouda.....any of those are good. but in a pinch I can do a quickie with just one cheese (that's usually all i have on hand actually! ha) disappointed the guru cheese whiz did not recommend cheese....my goodness
I think she was hoping everyone else would add some real content to the article through their replies. Lazy.
The secret....Melt the butter and then brush it onto the bread before putting it in the pan. Best grilled cheese come from that simple step!
This guy knows what hes talking about...
ONE MORE THING
add garlic powder to the butter before you melt it
GARLIC CHEESE BREAD FOR THE WIN
I thought adding garlic my my secret ingredient. I'm excited to have found another fellow garlic lover...lol
I thought adding garlic was my secret ingredient...it's always nice to find a fellow garlic lover. IDK if you know it but garlic is also very good for you health wise...
why did you have to tell everyone the secret to a great grilled cheese? Also low heat and use a cheap paint brush to brush the butter evenly on the bread.
Yummy-yuck, a cheap paintbrush?! So the bristles fall off and get melted into your sandwich?! There are non toxic, food grade brushes for that!
ms_kamini, that sounds wonderful, thanks for sharing! I will have to try it without the mayo, though (can't stand the stuff!).
hetty kids on Dead tour will tell ya
the secret is GARLIC POWDER
brah
HAHAHAH i just posted that on a different reply
are you on PT or something brah
headie grilled cheeeeeese
you biscuit kids are all the same. wookie grilled goo balls
yuumm biscuits and gravy with wookie grilled gooballs... sounds like a meal to me
Ha ha, that's hilarious. Add some crunchy guitar solo to some kind, vegan grilled cheese sandwiches and you have something beautiful.
1 dollar grilled cheese is the best thing ever.
Uncle John? GDRadio Uncle John?! ;-)
beasters, research chemicals
HEY KIDDDZZZZZ...this is the real brownie and you forgot the first important step before you munch down a lot garlic grilled cheese
SOUR D!!!!!
My friend makes thee worlds best toasted cheese sandwich, as we call them here in South Africa.
Ishtar, my darling friend, has become the person who makes loaves of toasted cheesers after a night out. She uses regular white bread, grated gouda, English mustard, a smattering of Mayo (because it makes the cheese beautifully stretchy) and slices of onion, tomato, chilli and coriander.
After watching her with a forced nonchalance, attempting to see her "trick", I've come to the realisation that it is just the touch of her well-practised hand that can judge just how much cheese to put the filling between and that it is only her that can flip the buttered exterior onto the skillet. I am forever in her debt for those life altering tasted cheese sandwiches.
Does the tomato make it soggy?
Amy – tomato is a must-have on a grilled cheese sandwich, IMO ... absolutely delicious! The tomato gets hot, but not cooked enough to get soggy. If you try it, I'm sure you'll like it.
At our gourmet grilled cheese sandwich restaurant in San Francisco, THE AMERICAN Grilled Cheese Kitchen (http://www.theamericansf.com), we find the best way to include tomato in a grilled cheese sandwich is to season it and roast it first. This extracts the water out of the tomato, enhances the flavor, and gives you the perfect sweet, but acidic addition to a grilled cheese sandwich. And you always want to stick to cheese that melt well; often fancy, wine-pairing cheese aren't the best...stick to the basics, cheddar, jack, havarti, provolone, jarlsberg, fontina, gruyere, young gouda...these will melt really well.
thanks for the "toasted cheese" reference. reminded me of my youth in the 50s upstate n.y. don't hear that very often but recalls real nice reminders of great sandwiches we called "toasted cheese", the variety in these articles just add to the great fun parents can have with their children. be creative and enjoy. great break from all the bad news. thanks, jg
Go to Pennsylvania. PA-ers don't know what a grilled cheese is, but bring up "toasted cheeses" and they've got you covered. :)
The best tip to a "classic" grilled cheese is to skip the Kraft singles and go to the deli counter and use the American Cheese there, its MUCH better. Try the different brands to find the one you like most, they all have different sharpness and crumbliness, all are guaranteed to blow the plastic wrapped wax strips out of the water.
Or you could use real cheese and skip the disgusting cheese slices altogether. Grilled cheese sandwiches are 1000 times better with real cheese.
I don't think he means you should use processed cheese, but rather that you should get real cheese in slices from the supermarket Deli. Either way, judging by her advice to "grate the cheese", she probably doesn't favor any kind of slices, real or not.
Flavor is but one reason to avoid Kraft "cheese product".
Rye – American cheese is processed cheese.
The best way is to avoid American cheese all togethernand go for Tillamook Mild.
Tillamook Sharp is where its at!
Tillamook sucks, its just another mass produced corner cutting cheese like Kraft, stick the the deli aisle for cheese. And sharp cheddar in a grilled cheese? That would be terribly oily and be pretty stringy. If youre going to use cheddar then use white cheddar, it melts much better and isnt nearly as oily.
Dont knock high quality American Cheese until youve tried it. People judge American Cheese based on Kraft and fastfood, the quality range can be just as diverse as Cheddar and Mozarella.
Amen. Kraft singles are quite possible one of the worst "cheeses" you can add to any sandwich.
My Recipe: Pre-heat the pan. Melt butter in Microwave. Use REAL Butter. Don't you dare use magarine. Use fresh Club Sandwich White Bread. Slather melted butter on one slice of bread. Place in hot pan. Place single or double slice of REAL cheese (Cheddar is my favorite). Prep top bread slice with butter. Flip over when bottom slice is nice and toasty. Then press down and flatten the sandwich in the pan with a spatula. You want the crunchy feel on the outside but the soft feel on the inside. You can add extra butter in the pan to give it that final sinful touch. Then voila – Enjoy....Anything else is not really grilled cheese.
Actually, I am partial to multigrain bread. Cheese: anything that melts well. American occasionally but I prefer a good Gouda or Edam.
Smoked Gouda is the best ever for grilled cheese sandwiches !!
Whatever way you like your grilled cheese make sure you use real Wisconsin cheese.