Tips For An Upscale Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is a classic dish as it is incredibly simple to make. Although the process varies, you basically pick some cheese and bread and cook the sandwich in a pan. While the standard grilled cheese is typically made using standard store-bought bread and American (or other processed) cheese, you can actually turn the classic sandwich into an upscale version with just a few simple tips.

Selecting The Cheese

The first step to making an upscale grilled cheese is to select your ideal cheese. Although there are almost limitless cheeses to select from, you want one that will melt correctly. Avoid cheeses that don’t melt, such as queso fresco, feta, fresh goat cheese, Indian paneer, and cottage cheese. Traditionally, grilled cheese is made with a flowing and smooth melter, such as cheddar, blue cheese, gouda, muenster, monterey jack, brie, fontina, or asiago. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, however, you can try a cheese that melts into stretchy strings, like mozzarella, provolone, or even fresh cheddar cheese curds.

Throw In Extra Ingredients

The best way to take your grilled cheese to the next level is by adding additional items to it. After selecting your favorite cheese and bread, think about what additional items you would like to throw in, such as vegetables or meats. The most popular option is probably tomatoes, but you can also add avocado, tart apples, hot peppers, pears, sweet grapes, berries, and dried fruits. For meats, bacon is a popular choice, although almost any deli meat works, and you can even get creative and add a pre-made sauce like pesto or your favorite jam. Some people even put pretzels or potato chips in their grilled cheese and while that may not be upscale, it certainly is creative and adds some unique flavors and textures.

Shred The Cheese

Some grilled cheese experts recommend using sliced cheese and that is the traditional method. Many, however, find that shredding the cheese truly helps you get an even consistency. It also makes it easier to add in some of the extra ingredients mentioned above as you can fit shredded cheese in any nook or cranny left open. A bonus of using shredded cheese is that you can easily use more than one type of cheese and mix them together evenly.

The Cooking Process

Making an upscale grilled cheese sandwich follows the same exact directions as any other type of grilled cheese. For the best flavor and texture, grill both slices of bread in some butter, then flip them over and grill the other side after adding the cheese on top. Simply close the sandwich and flip it over part way through to make it into a grilled cheese.