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    5 Tips for the Ultimate Grilled Cheese

    By bon appétit magazine | Work + Money – Mon, Sep 27, 2010 11:15 PM EDT

    By Julia Bainbridge, Bon Appetit

    Our Grilled Cheese Slideshow features 15 ooey-gooey takes on the classic comfort food. Before you try your hand at the recipes, though, it's important to get familiar with the proper technique. Here are five of Bon Appetit Test Kitchen wunderkind Sarah Tenaglia's tried-and-true tips for making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

    1. Work with the right ingredients. "A toothsome, country-style bread works best, and it can support a range of cheeses," says Tenaglia. "Make sure to use cheeses that melt well, like cheddar, mozzarella, fontina, or jack. Goat cheese has a nice tang, and blue cheese adds sharpness, but neither does that gooey thing you want for a grilled cheese. If you want to use one, just combine it with a 'melty cheese.'"

    2. Use a non-stick skillet. "You won't have to use as much fat, so you won't run the risk of a soggy sandwich."

    Related: How to Create the Perfect Meatball

    3. Moderate heat is the key. "A good grilled cheese sandwich is brown on the outside and gooey on the inside. This is hard to achieve without burning the bread; make sure to use medium heat. Also, using a mixture of oil and butter prevents the butter from browning too quickly."

    4. Add greens later. "I don't like greens wilted ahead of time; there's something about the freshness of certain elements that are not heated through. Split open the sandwich and add the arugula or lettuce right at the end."

    5. Finish it off in the oven. "For me, the worst thing is not to have the cheese melted all the way through. If the bread is browning on the stovetop but the cheese isn't gooey yet, stick the sandwich in a 400-degree oven for a couple of minutes."

    See Also: Easy Fall Recipes

    Here are 4 of Tenaglia's Favorite, Delicious Grilled Cheese Flavor Combinations:

    The Classic: Country-style bread and aged cheddar cooked in a skillet with butter.
    The Southwestern: Country-style bread, jalapeno jack cheese, avocado, and cilantro cooked in a skillet with olive oil.
    The Frenchie: Country-style bread, blue cheese and brie cooked with sliced apples or pears in a skillet with butter.
    The Tuscan: Country-style bread, fontina, strips of prosciutto, and sprigs of fresh thyme cooked in olive oil with cracked pepper.

    In general, smoky meats are a good counterpart to cheese, and the sweetness in caramelized onions works well, too. And a tip for groups: Forgo the stovetop and try using the oven. "Spread butter on bread slices, place them on a baking sheet, and broil them until brown," says Tenaglia. "Then flip them, add cheese and whatever other ingredients, put another buttered slice of bread on top, and broil that side. You can do six sandwiches at one time this way."

    Pictured: Grilled Ham and Gouda Sandwich with Frisee and Caramelized Onions (get the recipe here)
    Photo Credit: Noel Barnhurst

    More from Bon Appétit:

    • The Best Chefs in America Reveal Their Secret Ingredients
    • 25 One-Bite Appetizers Recipes
    • 16 Secret Supermarket Ingredients Chefs Love
    • 3 Smart Uses for Aluminum Foil
    • 25 Things to Do with a Fresh Tomato

     

    437 comments

    • j
      j  •  1 year 2 months ago
      I don't mess trying to spread butter evenly on the bread, I brush olive oil on instead
    • MA
      MA  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Worked at a drive in, and I still use this method when making GC with cheese singles: place 3/4 of cheese on grill until slightly melted THEN place on bread. Do it quick or you'll lose it, don't burn your fingers, and don't leave it on too long or it will be too melted and you won't get it off the grill! Top with 2nd slice and flip.
    • alan
      alan  •  1 year 7 months ago
      with catsup
    • internalerroroccurred
      internalerroroccurred  •  1 year 7 months ago
      what are these fools talking about-- "greens" on a grilled cheese? please.
    • Charlie Tuna
      Charlie Tuna  •  1 year 7 months ago
      I will tell you my recipe. take a pan, I have a special GCS pan, and spray it with Pam and heat it over medium low. In the microwave, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a ramekin, and then brush the outsides of a bread, cheese, bread sandwich with the melted butter. I use regular bread and sliced pasteurized cheese, and these are things that everyone has. A note on the listed cheeses, Cheddar and Jack have a ton of grease and will be counter productive in the perfect sandwich.

      Toss your buttered outside sandwich on the pan, and cook for about 2 minutes. Cook each side only once and peek if your curious before you flip it. Place it on a plate and cut diagonally, add chips and enjoy! Nothin' fancy, but butter makes it good. YUM!
    • krazychemist78
      krazychemist78  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Grilled cheese is cheese and bread. Anything else is a sandwich with cheese. Who puts greens on a grilled cheese? That's just way too frou-frou.
    • C
      C  •  1 year 7 months ago
      damit....now I'm hungry
    • old guy
      old guy  •  1 year 7 months ago
      I always use more than one kind of cheese & steam onions in the microwave to add the the sandwich when I put them together.
    • Clarksburg Resident
      Clarksburg Resident  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Try using Miracle Whip instead of butter or margarine on the outside of the bread for toasting. You will be simply amazed how how sweet and delicious it is.
    • Neo
      Neo  •  1 year 7 months ago
      my ex's sister made the best dam grilled cheeses!ever
      dam i miss her
    • ARTMOM
      ARTMOM  •  1 year 7 months ago
      We add super thin slices of Tomato inside and have Catsup for dipping and bread and butter pickles as the side.
    • JT N
      JT N  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Coming soon: How to make the ultimate toast and how to microwave a quesadilla. FAIL
    • ChrisV
      ChrisV  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Cook it on lower heat, DON'T put it in the oven to dry it out..COME ON
    • patrick r
      patrick r  •  1 year 7 months ago
      I actualy lightly toast the bread ahead and it makes for the best grilled cheese!
    • Denise F
      Denise F  •  1 year 7 months ago
      I use Muenster cheese and "country bread" and sprinkle dill on the bread. Then add full-leaf basil (sweet basil, that is) and some sliced tomatoes along with some banana peppers.
    • Just Cirroc
      Just Cirroc  •  1 year 7 months ago
      What kind of socialist tard puts arugula or lettuce on a grilled cheese sammich? Good lord....
    • Man Man
      Man Man  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Yeah!!! AVATAR is a Great movie
    • Katt
      Katt  •  1 year 7 months ago
      Country Crock margarine one one side of each of the breads and 1 slice of cheese put in non-stick skillet med heat when the bread starts browning put the piece with out the cheese on top of the cheese and flip untill desired color and enjoy!!!
    • Laura
      Laura  •  1 year 7 months ago
      I love butter on the outside and a little mayo on the inside!!!!
    • William
      William  •  1 year 7 months ago
      These must be adult grilled cheese sandwiches. Aint what the kids like or I use to love as a kid.Guess im old fashioned but Ill just have it the way Granny made em.
     Post a comment

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