About This Recipe
Most everyone has their favorite way to make a grilled cheese sandwich. This recipe for the Best Ever Grilled Cheese Sandwich has been perfected after years of experimenting. There is only one caveat: I now use white American cheese, because yellow #5 gives me asthma symptoms. Not pleasant. But I”m happy to say that that uncolored cheese melts just as well as the virulent yellow stuff.
And yes, you have to use American cheese. It has all kinds of things in it like emulsifiers (and artificial color) but nothing melts as smoothly or provides the perfect mouthfeel. Just eat a salad later if you feel guilty about it. By the way, this is a recipe for one person: you.
I used to use just butter on this sandwich, but I have since learned that a combination of butter and mayonnaise is so much better. The mayo adds tang and really facilitates the browning.
The only other trick is to cover the sandwich while it cooks. Use a pot lid that is just a bit bigger than the sandwich. That’s the only way to get the cheese to melt smoothly and evenly as the bread browns and crisps.
And I’m also going to insist that you use whole wheat bread. Brownberry Natural is my bread of choice. It’s whole wheat, but not heavy or dense. It has the perfect texture and it’s the perfect complement to the delicious melty cheese.
Okay, enough nagging. Go make your sandwich.
P.S. While this recipe serves one, you can of course multiple it to feed as many people as you’d like!
Why this recipe for the Best Ever Grilled Cheese Sandwich works:
- American cheese is made with emulsifiers that keep the fat in the cheese so it doesn’t make the cheese separate and get oily. They also keep the protein and fat in suspension.
- The mayonnaise adds a tang to the bread that butter alone can’t replicate.
- Turn the sandwich over just once. Turning it over and pressing it with a spatula will just make the cheese ooze out so the sandwich is dry.
- Eat this sandwich immediately. It really can’t sit for any period of time.
Steps
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1
Done
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Make the sandwich with the bread and the cheese slices. |
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2
Done
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In a small bowl combine the butter and mayonnaise and mix until blended. Coat the outside of the sandwich with this mixture. |
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3
Done
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Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium low heat for 2 minutes. Then add the sandwich and cover it with a pot lid. |
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4
Done
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Cook for 1 minute, then use a spatula to carefully lift up the sandwich to check the underside. If it looks like the picture, flip it. If not, cook for another minute or two. |
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5
Done
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Cover the sandwich with the pot lid again and cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is melted and starting to spill out the sides. Serve. |
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6
Done
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Air fryer instructionsAssemble the sandwich as directed. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Air fry the sandwich for three minutes, then flip and air fry for another three to four minutes or until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. |
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7
Done
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You can air fry more than one sandwich if you'd like, but only if there's enough room in your air fryer so the sammies can be in a single layer with a bit of space around them. |
