Easily Elevate Your Grilled Cheese By ... Grilling It
When it comes to food, certain dishes are obvious misnomers. For example, white chocolate isn't chocolate, technically speaking; an egg cream contains neither of the ingredients that comprise its name. But perhaps one of the most well-known and rarely discussed comes in sandwich form. The classic, wildly famous composition known as the grilled cheese sandwich isn't made on a BBQ grill at all — gas or charcoal. Not usually, anyway. It's typically made on the stovetop in a frying pan or on a griddle. And while a skillet-toasted sandwich is delicious, making your grilled cheese in the way that its name indicates will take your sandwich to a whole new stratosphere.
This is about more than just authenticity or living up to its name. When grilled on an actual grill, bread develops a satisfying crustiness, and exhibits those beautiful grill marks which — be it on beef or bread — indicate the coveted Maillard reaction. This brings so much to the table in terms of our sensory experience. Another plus side of the char-grilled version? Smoke. The taste (and smell) can make your bread and cheese sing together. All of these benefits come from the very simple step of grilling on a real grill — just as the name implies.
Grilling your grilled cheese
If you're making your grilled cheese on a real grill, you'll want sturdy bread, as the grate is less friendly to the thinly sliced grocery store stuff. A sourdough loaf, or crusty type like rye, pumpernickel, or wheat will lend itself well. Slices should be thicker than the packaged stuff, but not so thick that the cheese won't melt – it's a tricky balance, but aim for about ½ inch. For the centerpiece of your stack, melty is the main objective. This means you can keep it classic with cheddar or American, but also try brie, mozzarella, raclette, or gouda, to name a few.
There are several ways to approach the process. You can start by smearing your bread with butter or mayonnaise, then grill the slices individually, greased side down, with the cheese divided between the top and the bottom slice. When all components are ready, simply smoosh them together. Another strategy is to grill the cheese itself, apart from the bread slices, and then combine it to serve for an ultimate melt factor.
One of the most important elements beyond ingredients is heat. Too high, and you'll have scorched bread with unmelted cheese. Too low, and you won't get that crusty, toasty, smokiness that makes this sandwich special. Like so many barbecued dishes, the name of the game here is low and slow. Closing the lid will help the steam melt your cheese, too. And if you're after those pretty hash marks on your sandwich, simply rotate 90 degrees about halfway through on each side.
Go beyond the grill
While you've got the grill going, make good use of it by firing up some additional ingredients to further elevate your grilled cheese. Char up some vegetables before including them in your sandwich for even more smoky goodness. Onions, red peppers, and umami-rich mushrooms all work well and bring tons of flavor and texture to a sandwich. You can even grill summer fruits like peach slices, and pair them with white cheddar or brie. Or, go with a creamier green fruit, in the case of the avocado grilled cheese.
Bacon, prosciutto, or a smoky speck would be an ideal protein addition, or you can grill a fried egg in aluminum before setting it on top of your sandwich. And since steak is already at home on the grill, you can stuff a little right inside, or opt for a brisket grilled cheese. Serve with a classic dip like tomato soup or a drizzle of chili oil for a kick. Just about any mouthwatering spin you can come up with works here. No matter which flavor direction you choose, at the end of the day, you get to say you had a true-to-its-name grilled cheese.