Grilled cheese - just can't get it right

[JoeV]

Everyone always tells me I make the best grilled cheese sandwiches, and I always thought there was nothing to it.
Butter bread on one side and lay buttered side down in a SKILLET. Lay on cheese. Turn skillet on med/high. Butter other piece of bread on one side and lay on top of cheese, buttered side up.
When bottom is toasted, flip sandwich and reduce heat to medium.
When that side is toasted, remove from skillet and serve.

That's it.

...and all God's people in Cleveland, Ohio said....AMEN! I'm at least the third generation in my family doing it this way. Never knew it to be made any other way, but it's not one of those things you get served when invited to a dinner (or supper) party. Of course, I don't think I've ever made one for me or the kids without a dill pickle and a bowl of Campbell's tomato soup, and I order it that way when in a Mom & Pop restaurant on a cold Winter day. It's always interesting to see how others do it.

Joe

 

[jabbur]

and all God's people in Cleveland, Ohio said....AMEN!

Joe, I grew up in Chesterland and that's the way we always made ours but my MIL does hers different. She heats up the pan, rubs a stick of butter around on the pan just bug enough for a bread slice and the puts the sandwich down. It's just like spraying the pan lightly with oil then toasting the bread on it. Very dry. Hubby likes my way better!

 

[love2"Q"]

we make ours like constance ...
but we really like wheat bread for grilled cheese ..

 

[virgo152]

I put the sandwich in my oven on the silpat. It cooks everything evenly. I rarely use my toaster.

 

[Katie H]

Last week I made N.Y. Times bread and added a whole head of roasted garlic and a boatload of chopped fresh rosemary to the dough. Delish.

Now, try this on for size. I sliced a bunch of it to make grilled cheese. Used "real" butter to butter the outsides, then drizzled a little honey on the inside surfaces, added sliced Havarti, shredded fresh basil and thinly sliced tomato. Omigosh! Soooo good.

 

[ribs and steak]

Grilled cheese a la good eats: Heat butter in pan, spread spicy mustard on one slice bread, place in pan mustard side up. Add cheddar cheese and another slice of bread w/ mustard side down.

Turn over when golden brown & grill to your liking.

Apologies to Alton Brown

 

[babetoo]

Grilled Cheese My Way...

Two pieces of bread, Cheese in the middle, Butter the outside of both pieces of bread. Cook on a medium hot griddle, turning several times until brown as you like. A slight mash with a spaula here and there is permissible.

Enjoy! (With a dill pickle)

that sounds like my recipe. lol for a different take, put some lunch meat on before u cook.

babe

 

[Caine]

Or, you could go out and buy a panini press.

 

[VaporTrail]

That's not a panini press.

That's a sandwich maker. I use one for my grilled cheese (grilled ham and cheese, among others) sandwiches.

This is a panini press, which is sorta like a 2 sided grill that squashes (gently in most cases) your sandwich.

 

[ribs and steak]

I'd like to get a panini press but I really dont have the room in my kitchen for one-its really not a matter of price

I watched a Good Eats show where Alton Macguyvered himself a panini press with a skillet and a firebrick wrapped in foil & pre heated, just place on top of desired sandwhich

 

[babetoo]

i use my mini george forman grill for this. only can make one at a time, but then there is only one of me.

babe

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Does anybody use Texas Toast for their grilled cheese sammies? (Texas Toast is very thickly sliced white bread.) It's really common here, but I wondered if it is elsewhere.

 

[jet]

Try it once and you will know. It changes the texture of the bread. I bet if you try it once you will be doing it more often.

I did it and I still do not understand why you would want to mash your grilled cheese.

 

[ribs and steak]

The kitchen I work in used to use texas toast but only for french toast, never seen them use it for samies.

 

[CheeseisGood]

Also something to consider is that certain types of cheeses melt better than others. I love a good grilled cheese sandwich with cheddar, jarlsberg, or brie (depending on my mood), all of which melt really easily. Perhaps you could try a different type or brand of cheese.

 

[GB]

I love a good grilled cheese sandwich with cheddar, jarlsberg, or brie (depending on my mood).

Oh I love Jarlsberg in a grilled cheese sandwich. I need to put some good quality deli mustard on it though. That flavor combo just works so well!

 

[Sedagive]

I take 2 slices of bread, put them together and set them in a wide slot toaster so that only one side of the bread gets toasted. I take them out of the toaster and put the cheese on the toasted side and put them back together so the untoasted sides are on the outside. I spread a very thin coating of mayo on the outside slices (instead of butter) and put the sandwich into either a hot frying pan or a panini maker. Gruyere or Fontina or sharp Cheddar or a combination.

 

[Maverick2272]

Does anybody use Texas Toast for their grilled cheese sammies? (Texas Toast is very thickly sliced white bread.) It's really common here, but I wondered if it is elsewhere.

Not common here, but I have done it that way and seen it done that way. My preferred method matches UB's, butter the bread and smooshing is acceptable and encouraged.

We mainly use Texas Toast for some great garlic bread on the grill or for french toast.

 

[pacanis]

I haven't made a toasted cheese sandwich since this thread got started
It has become too technical for me.

 

[Jeff G.]

Just revisiting this thread.

Seems to me it is cheese toast we are talking about, not grilled cheese.

If you want fully melted grilled toast without browning the cheese you need to bake it, not broil it.

Personally, I want the cheese browned off on top for cheese toast.

For grilled cheese sandwich... stove top is the way to go.