Diners and casual eateries everywhere have grilled cheese on their menus. This simple sandwich is childhood comfort food, but that doesn’t mean it’s just for kids. In fact, few things hit the spot like a good grilled cheese. They’re easy to make at home as well, but it’s not always easy to make them quite the way they make them at your favorite restaurant. At The English Muffin, we believe everyone deserves a good grilled cheese, even if you’re making it at home.
To help you make great grilled cheese at home, we’re sharing a few secrets that the cooks at your favorite diners use.
Bread and Cheese: Keep It Simple
Two ingredients are essential to grilled cheese: bread and cheese. Although we love artisan bread and fancy cheese as much as the next person, it’s best to keep things simple. Bread that you can easily slice into even pieces without large air bubbles that will leave holes in your slices is perfect. Basic white bread fits the bill, as do certain sourdough loaves. When it comes to cheese, you want a variety that will melt easily. Cheddar, American, and Swiss are all excellent choices. It only depends on your flavor preferences. The key is not to get too fancy.
Spreadable Butter Is Key
Aside from bread and cheese, you also need butter. An even layer of butter on the outside of the bread provides the crispy finish that defines a grilled cheese over toast with cheese on it. However, your butter must be spreadable. Cold butter will rip the bread, and you will struggle to get butter all the way to the edge of your sandwich.
Start with a Cold Pan
Finally, it’s time to talk cooking techniques. The way you cook at home will be different than how cooks at diners do it because you have different equipment. Professional cooks have stainless steel flat-top grills, while you likely have a gas or electric stove. The trick to making the perfect grilled cheese at home is to start with a cold pan. How many times have you made a grilled cheese only to find that the bread is perfectly toasted before the cheese melts? The mistake most people make is preheating the pan. If you start with a cold pan, the buttered bread takes longer to grill, giving the cheese time to melt. Skeptical? Try it for yourself!
