Adventures in induction grilled cheese sandwiches...

[dcSaute]

so I fell off the wagon and bought an induction plate/hob -
given the digital temp control, I've learned some stuff - like how to painlessly&consistently 'caramelize' onions . . .

which led me to think induction temp control could be really neat for grilled cheese sandwiches . . .

I have a 'black iron' pan (Darto)
I typically use a smear of butter on the (outside) of the bread . . .
more butter in the pan . . .

any suggestions at to 'set temp' to produce nicely 'toasted' bread with nicely melted cheese inside?

my prior method . . . use (gas burner) heat to produce nicely toasted bread, - flip/etc. - then nuke them in the microwave to nicely melt/gooey the cheese.

 

[taxlady]

I wish I could help. I have used an electric skillet to make grilled cheese sandwiches for years. The only problem is that the numbers have worn off the temperature dial and I don't remember what temperature I originally used. I think it was about 350°F, but it might have been 250°F or something else.

 

[pictonguy]

Well I use induction mostly for off site catering but what your basically asking is what would be the ideal surface temp that allows for even and nicely colored but not burned bread with the cheese nicely melted. I haven't made grilled cheese specifically but I have made sandwiches with meat and cheese and I found that a surface temp in the frying pan of around 270-290 and yes a surface temp gauge for induction is almost mandatory with low medium to medium seem to work for me. Of course trial and error is going to happen but once you get good results make sure you record somewhere what that heat represented as a setting on the induction. I always lift periodically anyway but sometimes time gets away doing other things in the kitchen.

 

[dcSaute]

well, I started off pre-heating the pan with butter, at 350'F
the butter was browning, so I dialed in back to 335'F and plunked in the grilled cheese.

the bread was not browning, the heat was saturating thru to the cheese, so turned it up to 360'F and did the flip.
eventually the cheese went gooey-to-runny, and the bread toasted only to a 'blonde' state.

it's a time&temp thing. next round methinks I stick it at 355'F and see if I can get more toast color before the cheese goes 'too liquid'

 

[taxlady]

I imagine the type of bread is a factor too.

 

[pictonguy]

I imagine the type of bread is a factor too.

Yeah wonder bread, if you can call it bread has sugar in it where Ace Bakery or Premier has pretty much none. And of course the more sugar the more caramelization.

 

[taxlady]

Yeah wonder bread, if you can call it bread has sugar in it where Ace Bakery or Premier has pretty much none. And of course the more sugar the more caramelization.

Are Ace Bakery and Premier Ontario brands? Or is Premier short for Première Moisson?

 

[pictonguy]

Are Ace Bakery and Premier Ontario brands? Or is Premier short for Première Moisson?

Yeah, Ace is an Ontario brand and Premiere is from you neck of the woods which I find to be one of the best breads and sold in Metro here in Ontario. I just spelled it wrong.

 

[pictonguy]

I forgot to mention Stonemill Bakery a go to sourdough bread where a German immigrant and family opened a bakery in Unionvile in 1982 which now make in Toronto at the St.Lawrence Market and import their starter from Germany and make a half dozen different breads which most are organic, no preservatives, colorings etc and the bread I've bought for the last 20 years. Not so much anymore, I don't eat a lot of bread and when I do it's generally baguette which is the ACE I buy and the Premiere is mostly their round loaf for sandwiches.

 

[taxlady]

I think Première Moisson was bought by Métro. It's in their family of brands in any case. Yeah, they do make some good bread. I really like their "Organic Integral Sourdough Bread", one of their types of round loafs. I get deliveries from Metro, so I can get that bread. I don't buy it often. I keep it in the freezer and take out a slice or two when needed.

 

[dcSaute]

I imagine the type of bread is a factor too.

there's a long list of 'variables' - induction unit, pan, pan flatness, bread, bread thickness, cheese melting point, starting temp of bread, and cheese . . . . so an 'exact' temp for one kitchen may not be 'exact' for another kitchen . . . but, you gotta' start somewhere.

 

[pictonguy]

Do you butter the bread or just adding butter to the pan?