The Toast Hack For A Premium Sandwich-Eating Experience
Consider this unspoken culinary truth: No one likes a soggy sandwich. Whether a towering masterpiece from a gourmet deli or a humble PB&J packed for a picnic, a saturated sandwich can quickly turn a delicious meal into a disappointing experience. It's a textural nightmare in which once-crisp bread succumbs to sogginess, fillings lose their appeal, and flavors meld into an indistinct mush.
But there's a little-known hack that pros employ to keep their sandwiches fresh and moisture-free: Toast one side of the bread. "I like to toast my bread on one side and then build my sandwich with the toasted side on the inside," Thai Dang, chef-owner of HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen in Chicago, tells Time Out. "This prevents the sandwich from getting soggy, but it also prevents the roof and bottom of your mouth from getting scratched up due to the crusty toasted side."
Martha Stewart also endorses the lopsided toasting method. Crisping the inside of the sandwich helps maintain the bread's foundational integrity, a post on her website explains, in an effort to support moist ingredients such as tomato, sauces, or condiments.
How exactly do you toast bread on only one side?
For those scratching their heads wondering about the logistics, there are actually a few ways you can go about toasting only one side of the bread. As demonstrated on Reddit, one is to stack two slices of bread on top of one another in a toaster oven so only the outsides of each slice crisp up. Be sure to set your preference for the level of toastiness and keep an eye on your bread, so it doesn't burn.
A similar approach can be taken with a traditional countertop toaster. Depending on the thickness of the bread, you may be able to insert two slices of bread back-to-back in one toaster slot.
If all else fails, you can always rely on the trusty stovetop. This method might work better for thicker breads like ciabatta or sourdough. Start by heating some olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add your bread of choice and toast until golden brown on one side.
Soggy sandwiches beware
The toast hack is just one way to prevent a soggy sandwich. You can also use a paper towel to dry off moist ingredients before assembling. By patting down ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, or pickles with a paper towel, you can remove the surface moisture that would otherwise seep into the bread.
Another sandwich hack strategy for avoiding sogginess is to layer ingredients correctly. Placing dry ingredients between the moist components and the bread forms a protective shield that helps prevent the whole thing from becoming drenched. This clever approach allows you to enjoy the crispness of your bread while savoring the juicy and flavorful fillings without any unwanted textural compromise.
Finally, beware of sandwich cooler transport. Although it's convenient to store and move food and drinks in a cooler, it's one of the biggest culprits of soggy sandwiches, thanks to the melting ice. Next time you're packing one for an outing, try using a metal cooling rack to keep your sandwiches from getting waterlogged.