ISO advice using a sandwich maker

[mumu]

i received a sandwich maker and also a George forman grill. when the lid is closed on both of these there is a lot of steam coming from the unit and also when i open the lid ( you can notice it i should say)......is this normal?

 

[Andy M.]

Yes. There is moisture in foods that is cooked off in the form of steam when it gets hotter than 212ºF.

 

[mumu]

that is what i thought. wanted to be sure. Is there any way on the sandwich maker you can avoid having a kind of soggy sandwich? Probably not,but thought i would ask. thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

The steam you see will not make the sandwich soggy. It will be browned and crispy.

 

[mumu]

i have wells in the unit and i thought ....the steam generated was caught in there and that is why my sandwiches came out soggy or steamed like. How is it the steam makes it crispy and brown?

 

[Andy M.]

Is the sandwich maker similar in design to the GF grill? Not sure what it looks like. Can you post a link or photo.

 

[mumu]

i have two sandwich makers....one has 4 triangle type shapes....sort like pockets and the other unit is just like the George foreman grill. I will look for some pictures.

 

[mumu]

i cant seem to get the pictures to load. but like i said one is very similar to the GF and the other has pockets or wells where the bread sits and it actually cuts the bread into 4 triangle peices. thanks ...how does the steam make it crispy and brown? thanks

 

[Andy M.]

I have no experience with a sandwich maker.

The GF grill should not produce soggy sandwiches if it's working properly and you're following directions.

 

[jabbur]

While I don't have personal experience with the sandwich maker you describe, I wonder if you are letting it cook long enough? I know when grilling sandwiches if I turn them too soon, the bread is soggy but leave them longer and it toasts up nice. It might be you're opening the maker too soon.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Got one of these for Christmas one year. Jr got one for his college dorm. His mom must have been a) nuts and b) buy one get one free.

Is it the inside of the sandwich that is soggy/ steamy??. Mayo, pickles, pickle relish/ will cause some condensation inside. Change to a different filling. Cheese works. The sandwich maker seals them quite tight. I always butter or use a little bit olive oil on the outside and it gets brown and crisp like a toasted cheese sandwich. I actually don't use the sandwich maker. A cast iron pan that is already sitting on the stove works just fine.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

forgot the picture -is yours somewhat like this one?

 

[mumu]

yes ....thats it. it seems that the sandwiches no matter what i make comes out like its steamed. I thought bec. of the pocket or wells the steam gets stuck in there and that might be why it is the way it is. (but not sure). with the G. F. grill it doesnt seem to be like that. Back to a question how does steam create crispy brown crust ?

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Steam does not cause a crisply brown crust. You want the steam to not form or escape before browning can occur. Are you cooking at the lake or in a boat? There should be no water / steam forming. Tip that thing upside down and shake it.

My Waffle Iron sends steam out the sides as it cooks waffles. Is that what you are seeing in your sandwich maker. A little steam is good, it aids in the cooking and it escapes. When my waffle maker is done steaming, the waffle is cooked and is brown and crispy. That is what your sandwich maker should do too. Also, a little light goes out, but I don't trust that, as my waffle maker is really old.

 

[mumu]

just tried it again ....grill cheese sandwiches. I left them in longer and it still seems like part of the sandwich thats in the pocket, the bottom of it just doesnt taste like a grilled sandwich more along the lines of what i call steamed. (soft) Really all of the sandwich really seems soft with a little brownness. But on the G F grill its much better. I closed the lid on both and like i said the G F grill is much better . I really dont understand the difference.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd guess the sandwich maker traps the steam so it stays in there and softens the sandwich. With the GF grill, the steam easily escapes and the sandwich crisps.

I'd put the sandwich maker away and just use the GF grill.

 

[Snip 13]

I have a sandwich maker just like the picture and it doesn't create steam at all. Maybe it's the sandwich maker. I only butter the inside of my sandwich and leave them in till the outside is golden brown and my sandwiches come out crisp every time. Also heating the unit for a few minutes before use helps.

 

[mumu]

i used the G F last night to make hamburgers and notice they didnt brown any, when i did the sandwiches on here they did,is this the way its suppose to work? some things brown some dont? Meat just seem to be just a gray color.
why sandwiches brown but not meat?

 

[Andy M.]

Does the GF have different settings?

 

[mumu]

no . it just has a lid u put down on the food . no settings. could it be that the unit is more steaming which would not let the meat brown.( just a thought)