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 Has there ever been a more important culinary innovation than the marriage of cheese and bread? Surely not, according to the millions of poor university students who need a quick, delicious meal after a night of attempting to replace their blood with pure ethanol. So, I bring to you a short guide to crafting the perfect grilled cheese sandwiches, so that you may relive those bygone eras when you couldn’t afford actual food. The Cheese The single most important factor in determining which cheese to use is the quality of the melt. The cheese needs to melt quickly and easily, to provide the ideal gooey texture. Good choices include the reliable cheddar, mozzarella, and swiss varieties. Stay far, far away from those lovely plastic orange processed cheese slices. Using cream cheese is considered cheating however, as no grilling is required. Generally, anything softer than Brie is not recommended. Cheez-wiz isn’t cheating, it’s just depressing. Hard cheeses such as Parmesan do not melt well, so avoid. The Bread Completing the other last half of the equation is the bread. The bread must be either sliced or flatbread of course, for maximum grilling efficiency. Most people just use white bread, which is acceptable but criminally boring. At least use a nice bakery loaf of white, if you must. Multigrain bread is a good alternative, as are darker types like Rye. The grilled cheese does not look down upon any type of bread, so go hog wild. Seasoning While not strictly a part of the bread and cheese power duo, a good seasoning or paste can greatly enhance the overall experience. Runny sauces should not be used as they will interfere with the texture of the melted cheese, but things like tomato paste are fine. Herbs and spices are always a good choice. Avoid salt though. Other Ingredients If one starts to add too many additional ingredients, the line between elegant grilled cheese and mere toastie becomes distressingly blurred. The general rule of thumb is if the ingredient could be considered the ‘main’ part of the sandwich, then it is no longer a grilled cheese. Thus, any meat product cannot be considered (And why Casu Marzu can't be used). One or two vegetables are acceptable, although too many and you risk getting a grilled salad sandwich and an overwhelming sense of shame instead. Fresh tomatoes are the standby favourite, but they pale in comparison to their thinner, sexier alternative, the sun-dried tomato. Mushrooms are a good choice as well, as is practically any vegetable that can be found atop a pizza. Summary The perfect grilled cheese sandwich is: Multigrain bread from a proper bakery Sliced Cheddar cheese Sun-dried tomatoes Tuscan seasoning. Butter on the outsides before grilling for that golden brown goodness. A simple yet delicious grilled cheese sandwich. If your grilled cheese takes longer to prepare than to eat, then you have missed the point entirely. So goons (with spoons), tell me what you think of the classic grilled cheese, I would like to see your favourite variations.
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Oct 20, 2014 15:39
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Mustard. A smear of good, sharp mustard before grilling  And onions raw or caramelized are always welcome.
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Oct 20, 2014 16:17
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Get some chicken in the mix and this thread might go places.
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Oct 20, 2014 17:45
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It is Octoberfest season, so where is the chickencheese crusader?
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Oct 20, 2014 17:47
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Parmesan is awesome on the outside of the bread, adds more crunch and cheesy goodness. Stick it to the buttered bread or smeared mustard like Butch recommended.
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Oct 20, 2014 18:29
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I use mayo on the outside instead of butter
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Oct 20, 2014 20:23
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Try it with some Red Leicester. Also my life changed when I started browning the butter first.
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Oct 20, 2014 20:28
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I love mine with regular salted butter on the outside, and cheddar on the inside. However, I do occasionally do muenster or brie instead of cheddar, and add bacon or apple slices inside. Every so often I will do mayo instead of the butter on the outside, but regardless...it must ALWAYS be with a good tomato soup OR a bisque of some sort. At least at our house that is the rule. ** Seriously though, try thin apple slices inside the grilled cheese. Its REALLY good!! I like fuji's 
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Oct 20, 2014 21:14
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Disco Salmon posted:it must ALWAYS be with a good tomato soup This is pretty standard in our house, too. Although, we prefer a nice sourdough with a chipotle mayo interior. Really kicks things up a notch.
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Oct 20, 2014 23:32
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Butch Cassidy posted:Mustard. A smear of good, sharp mustard before grilling I never though to try mustard. But caramelized onions are a+, especially with mushrooms. Can't go wrong with plain ol' cheese and tomato though.
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Oct 21, 2014 01:19
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I like it on a really nutty multigrain, only a bit of butter on the outside, and when I can be fancy, I use smoked Gouda. But it's usually Supermarket Brand individually wrapped Cheese Food Product.
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Oct 21, 2014 01:26
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Layered like so: Bread Cream cheese Cheese Any Filling Cheese Cream cheese Bread.
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Oct 21, 2014 03:34
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Everybody knows the secret to good grilled cheese is to butter both sides of both slices of bread.
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Oct 21, 2014 04:54
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The best Grilled Cheese that I've ever had is at the Union Grill in Pittsburgh: Brie, bacon, and caramelized onions on sourdough. Actually, just use brie no matter what you're doing. Brie is delicious and melts awesomely.
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Oct 21, 2014 05:00
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My ideal grilled cheese: Thick-sliced pumpernickel with caraway seeds Havarti and muenster Bacon Paper-thin slice of red onion Red pepper flakes I'll spread a thin layer of butter on both sides of each piece of bread, or a very thin layer of mayo if I don't have any room-temp butter. I was going to have a grilled cheese with soup for dinner last night until I got nagged at that we had too many leftovers to go through. gently caress it, I am Grilling A Cheese tonight.
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Oct 21, 2014 15:50
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DankTamagachi posted:Everybody knows the secret to good grilled cheese is to butter both sides of both slices of bread.
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Oct 21, 2014 16:45
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Homemade white bread and fresh cheddar sliced from a block, fried in cast iron with 2 tablespoons of butter is the only acceptable way
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Oct 21, 2014 18:53
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Deli rye and sliced sharp cheddar, emmentaler, or Camembert is best. Again, with mustard and maybe onion while cast iron is obligatory.  Or skip cooking, don't slice the bread, add some Branston pickle, big pat of cultured butter in a dish, a bottle of beer, and just call it good at a ploughman's.
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Oct 21, 2014 19:21
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Peri-peri is incredible to use inside the bread; throw in a nice Gouda and an Emmental, with some sunflower sprouts and some thickly sliced, lightly fried disks of potato, and it just makes me want to cry with how good it is.
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Oct 21, 2014 19:31
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DankTamagachi posted:Everybody knows the secret to good grilled cheese is to butter both sides of both slices of bread. I have to agree with this statement, by far the most crucial step of the perfect grilled cheese is to butter both slices. It should also be made with a nice aged sharp cheddar and no filler ingredients -- just cheese, butter and bread!
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Oct 21, 2014 20:52
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I really like to make cheese slices that melt better ala modernist cuisine's fancy cheese sauce, especially for cheddar. It melts so well and doesn't break and get all oily I also occasionally like a slice of tomato on there but only if it's a good tomato
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Oct 22, 2014 00:14
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I feel very strongly that the single most important factor in a good grilled cheese sandwich is to use as thin a layer of butter on the bread as humanly possible. It can't be dry, but too much butter on the outside is what makes grilled cheese soggy and gross. There is nothing sadder than a soggy, gross grilled cheese sandwich.
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Oct 22, 2014 13:12
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guppy posted:I feel very strongly that the single most important factor in a good grilled cheese sandwich is to use as thin a layer of butter on the bread as humanly possible. It can't be dry, but too much butter on the outside is what makes grilled cheese soggy and gross. There is nothing sadder than a soggy, gross grilled cheese sandwich. It helps to have a good thick sturdy bread. Especially if you're grilling both sides. You want it to still be bread and not a buttery paste. Also I have to disagree with the op on processed cheese. American cheese from the deli is totally different from the "singles" you get pre packaged from the dairy section. Deli american cheese is loving amazing on grilled cheese sandwiches.
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Oct 22, 2014 15:29
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I made a grilled cheese last night with rosemary olive oil bread, muenster and provolone cheese, and a leftover pork chop. It was loving phenomenal.
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Oct 22, 2014 17:13
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I thought one of the two allowed uses for Kraft singles was grilled cheese on Wonder bread (the other being on a hamburger)?
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Oct 23, 2014 02:34
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Modernist Cusine's grilled cheese preps are obviously way too involved for any practical purpose, but I'd just like to take the chance to plug their insane genius food photography guys. (also, c'mon, a sandwich with ham and an egg inside isn't a grilled cheese anymore)
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Oct 23, 2014 04:38
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it's pushing it, but i'd eat the gently caress out of it that's for sure.
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Oct 23, 2014 04:41
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Am I the only one who likes gruyere grilled cheese? Sure, it's hard, but it melts fine if cut thin. And for bread, it must be sourdough.
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Oct 23, 2014 06:13
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Senrab posted:Am I the only one who likes gruyere grilled cheese? Sure, it's hard, but it melts fine if cut thin. And for bread, it must be sourdough. I have never had one with it.. as for sourdough -- drat right! e: I'm not actually sure if I can think of a bread I like better for most sandwich type applications. Phaxtor fucked around with this message at 06:32 on Oct 23, 2014 |
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Oct 23, 2014 06:30
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Call me weird, but I like putting mayo on the outside with a small sprinkle of italian seasoning and stuffing it with havarti and turkey. Bread doesn't matter so much, but it has to be something decently sturdy.
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Oct 23, 2014 15:02
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Bob Morales posted:I thought one of the two allowed uses for Kraft singles was grilled cheese on Wonder bread (the other being on a hamburger)? I'm with you except for the hamburger bit. Sometimes you just need a plain old grilled cheese.
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Oct 23, 2014 22:42
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The only true grilled cheese is made lovingly with <bread I grew up with>, topped with <cheese I grew up with>, paired with <soup I grew up with>, and served with a big glass of <drink I grew up with>.
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Oct 23, 2014 23:17
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the littlest prince posted:The only true grilled cheese is made lovingly with <bread I grew up with>, topped with <cheese I grew up with>, paired with <soup I grew up with>, and served with a big glass of <drink I grew up with>. There is only one soup that goes with grilled cheese perfectly -> 
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Oct 23, 2014 23:54
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There aren't many emotions that can rival waking up from a drunken stupor after drinking all day on a beach and finding out that your friend got bored and used an entire loaf of bread to make grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone. With good pickles on the side.
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Oct 24, 2014 01:43
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Senrab posted:Am I the only one who likes gruyere grilled cheese? Sure, it's hard, but it melts fine if cut thin. And for bread, it must be sourdough. Gruyere and havarti make the most amazing grilled cheese. Also, grate, don't slice. Easier to distribute easily, melts quicker, just better.
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Oct 24, 2014 03:10
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This thread motivated me to make the best kind of grilled cheese with my dinner tonight. A quesadilla.
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Oct 24, 2014 04:26
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the littlest prince posted:and served with a big glass of <drink I grew up with>.
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Oct 24, 2014 14:20
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Senrab posted:Am I the only one who likes gruyere grilled cheese? Sure, it's hard, but it melts fine if cut thin. And for bread, it must be sourdough. I made a grilled cheese last night with smoked gruyere, gala apple, and dijon on homemade whole wheat. Would eat again.
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Oct 24, 2014 15:58
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Bob Morales posted:Big glass of OJ. Nothing pairs with melted cheese quite like orange juice. That's disgusting. Some whole milk for me, please. For every meal, for all of eternity.
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Oct 24, 2014 16:53
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I think I have never tried an actual American style Grilled Cheese Sandwich. How do you do that actual grilling? For the most similar thing I make I just put some cheese and other stuff on some buns, baguette or toast and put those in the oven like a pizza. Senrab posted:Am I the only one who likes gruyere grilled cheese? Sure, it's hard, but it melts fine if cut thin. And for bread, it must be sourdough.
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Oct 24, 2014 16:58
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