How To Cook: The Best Grilled Cheese

The Best Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is one of my favorite sandwiches. White bread and American cheese may have been the grilled cheese of choice as children, but we’re adults now, and it’s time to grow up the grilled cheese. Gouda is the best cheese for grilled cheese in my opinion, but a sharp cheddar also works well. I love to mix cheeses for a grilled cheese, especially cheeses of different consistency, and usually I just use whatever I have in my fridge at the time.

Equipment:

Cast Iron or Stainless Steel Pan

Spatula

Ingredients:

Gouda or Cheddar, or your preferred cheese

Apples

Pickles (optional)

Butter

Whole Grain Bread 

Process:

1. The structure of a grilled cheese is the most important part, otherwise it will fall apart while cooking. Make sure all ingredients are sliced as thin as possible to expedite cooking and to help the sandwich hold together.

2. Preheat your oven to 350, as a perfect grilled cheese gets cooked in the oven.

3. Layer your sandwich with your softest cheese, harder cheese, apples and/or pickles, hard cheese, then soft cheese. This way the soft cheese will melt first and hold everything to the bread.

4. Butter the top piece of bread, this will get cooked first.

5. Heat your pan to a medium high heat and place the sandwich top (butter) side down in the pan.

6. Then while it is cooking butter the other side.

7. Cook on a medium heat until the bread starts to slightly brown, maybe 2-3 minutes, then place the whole pan in the oven.

8. Check in 5 minutes, the cheese should start to melt.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and press down to glue the sandwich together, then flip it. I sometimes use two spatulas for this just to be safe and not explode my grilled cheese.

10. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the other side has sufficiently browned.

11. Allow the hot cheese to cool for a little, then slice and eat! I love this particular grilled cheese with butternut squash soup.