Unlike Andy, eating the most amazing grilled cheese sandwich ever made does not happen to be on my bucket list…although, perhaps it should be. Regardless of its bucket list status, I do love a good grilled cheese. While Nate’s mom Pat was here, we had butternut squash soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner one night and of course we couldn’t help talking about what makes a grilled cheese amazing (thanks to Andy’s inspiration).
Here’s what we came up with:
- I think the bread is key. You have to go with white bread, and the higher the quality the bread, the better. We used the La Brea Bakery Pugliese bread from Costco and our sandwiches were amazing.
- Pat said her aunt Margaret taught her a trick that she still stands by…butter the outside AND the inside of the bread. That’s right, butter, butter everywhere. As I always say, oodles of butter makes anything amazing.
- Nate and Pat both agree, American cheese is the way to go. I’m not sure if I can stand by this 100%, but I must admit that American cheese is pretty amazing for some completely inexplicable reason (can you tell I’m an American cheese snob?).
So, what do you think makes the most amazing grilled cheese sandwich ever? Can’t wait to hear your thoughts because I have a feeling this is a topic that many of us will unexpectedly have passion for! Share your tips, tricks, recipes, opinions, whatever…it’s time to discover the most amazing grilled cheese sandwich ever made!!!
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
Butter, butter, butter – sharp cheddar cheese and white bread all the way!
this gets me hungry…love it with oreganos and tomatoes!
a thin slice of onion plus I use cheddar cheese and sourdough gread
oops sour dough bread
I don’t eat grilled cheese since going vegan but I think the bread (a crusty italian or french kind) and good deli cheese make a good one, you also got to add tomato slice.
Now I do hummus and tomato grilled sandwiches they are super yummy and close enough. 🙂
My oldest loves grilled provolone and colby jack sandwiches
My youngest is plain old white bread and kraft cheese only
Instead of butter on the outside, try mayo. It gives it a nice tang and zing that’s so yummy. I also like a combo of cheeses, like queso asadero and goat cheese. The goat cheese melts really well and binds the other cheese to the bread.
Grilled cheese, peanut butter, and mayonnaise. Sounds awful but just a light coat on one slice of the bread kicks up the whole sandwich.
One of the other blogs I read had a post about grilled cheese perfection, too! http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/10/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich.html
We use American but also Swiss and cheddar. Thick white bread. And yes, butter on both sides. Goes great with tomato basil bisque, which instantly convinced my son that tomatoes are yummy after all.
Since moving to The South, I’ve grown to liking grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. But, I’m also a fan of pesto on my grilled cheese.
Good white bread or sourdough, pesto, fresh mozzarella and tomato. Deeeeeelish! (of course just American cheese and butter is good too!)
I recently tried adding really thin slices of apples into a grilled cheese sandwich- it. was. delish. I also like using panera’s country white bread and big hunks of cheddar cheese
I like mustard on the inside of the bread with the cheese. It doesn’t take much, and it adds an extra zip to the deliciousness.
I second the pesto comment! A light spread of good pesto (homemade or trader joes has a great one). Or my other fav tip is after grilling the sandwich, brush the sandwich w/ a split clove of garlic.
Ok…here it is. Crusty white bread, like the one you posted. Brie, thin sliced ham (preferably not lunchmeat, but real from the bone ham) and thin sliced Granny smith apple. Maybe a slight smear of Gulden’s. Maybe not. OOOOORRRRRR…..ditch the apple and substitute apple butter. Mmmmmmm:)
I’ve never liked grilled cheese…until my husband starting making them for me. Oh. My. Gosh. He also uses butter on the outside AND inside, but he uses different cheese and ‘experiments’ with different flavors. I’m not allowed to share them since he just told me they’re *his* secret. 🙂
{mommy chic} design. style. kids. life.
Sourdough bread is my kids’ favorite with American cheese and butter. And to make it even yummier, add some smoky flavor to it by grilling it outside on the grill – instead of inside on a skillet or griddle. I like to try all kinds of cheeses – swiss cheese with cranberry relish and some thin apple slices is very yummy.
Butter keeps the bread crispier and doesn’t get soggy (like margarine) if they aren’t eaten immediately. We use either wheat or white with mostly American but I do like to make grilled turkey/swiss or ham/cheddar. Grilled sandwiches and soup are one of our favorite fall/winter dinner items on busy evenings.
The best grilled cheese is made with chive and onion cream cheese on the inside and a BBQ chicken lunch meat. Deeelicious!
I do the same as you with the bread and butter, but as far as the cheese goes; I grate a mixture of half sharp cheddar and half monteray jack and spread that evenly over the sandwich. It’s great! I have to say I really can’t stand American which is what I grew up with — to slimy! 🙂
Always butter, the best white bread, and the best truly American cheese,,,,,,,,,,Tillamook extra sharp cheddar. Anything less and it’s not really grilled cheese.
I love your blog, Jane. Keep us the good work!
Jona
I wouldn’t expect an Oregonian like you to use anything but Tillamook cheese!
Sourdough and provolone! With butter inside and out.
American is only good on a Philly Cheesesteak, and even then it’s a distant second to runny cheez whiz like they have at Jimmie’s in Philly.
I really like swiss and parmesan on marbled rye, sometimes with a swipe of grainy mustard, sometimes plain. Yum.
I like all kinds of grilled cheese, for the standard, I like country bread and american or sharp cheddar. A tiny schmear of mustard on the inside of the bread. I also like the addition of apples, bacon, or grilled/roasted veggies for a more substantial sandwich.
My secret (since plenty Midwestern cooks keep bacon grease in their fridges), is to butter one outside of bread, melt bacon grease in the pan, and put the unbuttered side in the pan so half your sandwich is cooked in bacon grease, the flip side in butter. Give it a shot, it might just change your life! 🙂
Homemade potato bread is the best bread.
Grate some parmesan cheese and after you butter the outside of the bread, press the parmesan to the butter so as the bread browns so does the parmesan. The cheese on the inside should start with sharp cheddar and then whatever you want after that. Sometimes we add a thin slice of swiss. And don’t even get me started on what to dunk them in…
Now I’m hungry. =)
Buttering the outside AND inside? I’ll have to try that! I’m also a cheese snob, but I will shamefully admit an American cheese grilled cheese sandwich is quite delicious. I also love Coastal Cheddar (Costco) with caramelized tomatoes!
Grilled cheese: my favorite comfort food. Most certainly butter and not margarine! Any cheese, and the better the bread, the tastier the sandwich. My brother (who lives many states away from me)and I recently discovered that when we cut our grilled cheese sandwiches in half, we balance them on the cut side so that no part of the outside gets soggy. Nothing worse than going to all that trouble to make a great sandwich than to ruin it by letting it get mushy!
a lot of times when I’m making a grilled cheese I’ll mix in a little garlic and oregano into my butter (not margarine!) before I spread it on the bread. It changes the flavors of the sandwich just enough and is so good!
Muenster cheese is great on grilled cheese too!
I can’t do American cheese- I just can’t.
In our house we love using scali bread with either muenster or sharp cheddar.
I was always a butter person, but I have recently switched to extra virgin olive oil and I don’ think I’ll go back. Heat up a good 1/4 c in a omlet pan, place 2 slices of potato bread in with some freshly sliced mozzarella cheese in between. The bread is crispy and the cheese gooey. Optional – tomatoes & basil.
put honey on the inside of the bread….you will not regret it!
love the reference to Parks and Rec…one of our favorite shows. love grilled cheese sandwiches too!
I like grilled cheese made by someone else. I always burn it. So I put it on my “things I don’t cook” list along with cut out cookies, pie and turkey is on the list but I know I might have to give that a go someday.
PS I like my grilled cheese with tomato, white bread and american cheese. 🙂
Don’t you just love how some of the simplest things are often the best. I could have a grillde cheese sandwich every day of the week 🙂
I love grilled cheese and this recipe looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it out!
My favorite grilled cheese is good bread, Pugliese or sourdough, with brie cheese and apricot preserves. Mmmm.
I agree with the American cheese comments, which is hard given I am Canadian. I will actually cross the border to get Trader Joe’s sliced smoked gouda and sliced muenster for my grilled cheese. Best on sourdough with some slices of crispy Canadian bacon. I’ve never tried buttering the inside of the bread…
Ok, I just totally misunderstood what “American cheese” is… We call that processed cheese.
I cannot agree with processed cheese being part of a great grilled cheese! But for some reason the Trader Joe’s smoked gouda and muenster do make the best grilled cheese. Here I thought “American cheese” meant just any cheese produced in the US.
This is a little late, but the most amazing grilled cheese is the product of boudin sourdough bread, shredded tillamook medium cheddar and mozzarella- and of course butter. Add a clausen pickle and some yummy tomato soup and it is heaven!
White bread, butter on the outside, Miracle Whip on the inside & pretty much any kind of cheddar or colby jack does it for me. The part that makes it the “best” for me is the Miracle Whip – sooo yummy!!! Fun post 🙂
My friend’s daughter sprinkles a little cinnamon on the bread once there has been melted butter on each slice of course. Butter, Good.
I haven’t tried this recipe, but I clicked on it and had to comment on your “Andy” reference….nice! I love that show!
ha ha! good catch! we love that show, too! 🙂
I always make mine with sourdough bread and sharp cheese, it is the perfect combo!!
I butter the pan, not the bread, for me it makes it crisper and less likely to end up soggy.
My mom used to make me a grilled cheese when I was young that was awesome. She called it a Cheese Dream. You shred some cheddar, mix it with some mayo and then spread it on some bread. The mayo elevates the the flavors, and it’s just a rich, delicious sandwich.
that is an interesting tip, just might have to try it! thanks, shane!!!
i think butter is the key
Recently I picked up a round loaf of garlic tuscan bread and made grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. American cheese + Virgina baked ham + buttered garlic bread. My picture looks a lot like yours… just with garlic infusion. 😉
that sounds DIVINE!