Tom Saaristo Grilled Cheese 101

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Grilled Cheese 101

Grilled Cheese may seem like an easy choice for lunch, but the techniques for making the perfect grilled cheese are many and specific … not unlike the perfect making meat loaf, but that’s another entry.

Too many people are resolved to eat a grilled cheese that is greasy or burnt or completely inedible. That needn’t be the case. Armed with the proper pan [and lid!] the perfect grilled cheese is within your reach … and within the reach of your favorite teenager … who you can surely woo into making these for you! Isn’t that what kids are for after all … free labor?

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature [see Cook’s note 1]
2 slices 1/4 inch best-quality sandwich bread, white, whole wheat, sourdough, rye … your choice [See Cook’s note 2]
2 ounces cheese, shredded [see Cook’s note 3]

Optional:
Sliced tomato [maybe in September]
Favorite mustard
Super-thin ham, Genoa, salami, or prosciutto

Special equipment
Non-stick skillet w lid

Method
Spread approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place butter-side down [if it’s too messy for you, put a piece of wax paper down on your work surface]. Sprinkle the cheese on one side. If you wish, grind some black or green or black and green peppercorns onto the cheese. Don’t go crazy. Put your accoutrement on the other side [tomato, mustard, ham]. Sandwich the two sides together.

Heat your pan to medium high for at least 2 minutes, time it if you need to [medium-high is between medium and high, yo]. Place your sandwich in the pan [if you have a tomato slice or piece of ham on one half, put the side with the cheese in the pan first] and clamp on the lid. If your non-stick pan doesn’t have a lid then cover thoroughly and carefully with aluminum foil. Leave it alone for 2 1/2 minutes, or even 3!

Remove the lid [or foil] and flip the sandwich over with a spatula. Uncovered, let the sandwich toast for another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.

Flip it over again and, using the spatula, press down firmly. Let it toast for 30 seconds and then remove it to your serving plate.

Let it set for a moment, less you burn your mouth on molten cheese. Serve with a candied-gherkin [my choice].

Cook’s note 1: Bring 1 stick, 8 tablespoons, of butter to room temperature before you begin. Schmering the butter on the sandwich before frying will ensure the use of less butter, eliminating the greasy sandwich guaranteed if you were to add butter to the pan “as needed”. Too, you will likely be making grilled cheese sandwiches for the whole family once you’ve perfected this technique and need at least a whole stick. Shoot, better make it 2!

Cook’s note 2: The thickness of the bread here is almost as important as the next point. Bread any thicker than 1/4 inch will not toast and likely burn before the cheese has melted, especially at the temperatures required to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Cook’s note 3: The fact is that shredded cheese melts much faster than a slice of cheese, no matter how thin the slice is [and who wants thinly sliced cheese in a grilled cheese?] Shred the cheese across the large holes of a box grater and keep it loose and cold.