Making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich isn’t rocket science, but sourcing the right ingredients and following a few pro tips will go a long way to elevate your grilled cheese game!
- Pick the right cheese, or blend of cheeses. Did you know that some cheeses melt better than others? Cheeses like Raclette, Fontina, Gruyere, and Comte are naturally bet
- ter suited to melting than other higher acid cheeses like Cheddar. For more information on why some cheeses are meltier than others, watch Saxelby Cheesemongers founder Anne Saxelby’s IGTV video on melty cheese!If you do use Cheddar cheese (our fave is Cabot Clothbound Cheddar) try combining it with another, meltier cheese like Reading Raclette to maximize meltability!
- Use good butter. This cannot be overstated! Good butter is just as important as cheese when it comes to the overall flavor of your grilled cheese sandwich. We like Ploughgate Creamery cultured butter best. The slightly tangy flavor of the added cultures make for a more nuanced and pleasurable buttery blast of flavor!
- Use good bread. This goes without saying, but a loaf of well-made bread will elevate your grilled cheese sandwich to new heights! We like to use thick slices of sourdough miche, pullman-style loaves, and rye for that caraway je-ne-sais quois… If you don’t live near a great bakery, you CAN make your own delicious bread at home! Try Jim Lahey’s easy, change-your-life-forever recipe for no-knead bread.
- Be patient! Toast your sandwich over a medium-low flame for as long as it takes (2-3 minutes per side) in order for the butter to brown to toasty perfection and for the cheese to fully melt. If your flame is too high the bread will cook (or worse, burn!) before the cheese melts.
- Add some additional elements to round out your grilled cheese sandwich meal – we love snappy tangy cornichons, sliced apples, or a classic side of tomato soup.
- Experiment with other ingredients to soup up (pun intended) your grilled cheese sandwich. Heritage ham, caramelized onions, fig jam, and dried fruit and nut relish are a few of our favorite grilled cheese sandwich enhancers!
