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Take Your Grilled-Cheese Love to the Next Level

Posted Tue, Apr 14, 2009, 12:44 pm PDT

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April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and as obvious supportors of the holiday, we at Serious Eats want to know how far you'd go to prove your grilled cheese love. How many of these fanatic activities would you be willing to add to the ways in which you love grilled cheese? Read through, let us know, and we've rewarded you in advance with the Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich recipe at the end...

Would you write a 50-word testimonial on why Kraft Singles make you smile? The classic grilled cheese innard starts as a plastic-looking square that may or may not ever spoil. Entries will be randomly selected to win coupons for Singles.
Would you attend the Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles on April 25, where categories include: the Missionary Position (standard bread, cheese, and butter with nothing fancy); the Kama Sutra (any kind of bread, butter, and cheese; just go crazy); and the Honey Pot (dessert versions)? The event is $5 for admission, $10 to compete.
Would you study your cheese? This pocket-sized cheese notebook ($11.99) is from Murray's. Since it can be tough remembering what all those goudas and chevres tasted like, this allows you to save the labels and check off adjectives describing each.
Would you send away for incredible cheese to use in your grilled cheese? Seattle's favorite Beecher's Handmade Cheese, a stall in Pike Place Market? Their America's Best Cheddar is solid, though we love the Flagship Reserve. It's so great, we pick at it while waiting for our sandwiches to melt.
Thank you for playing, and here's your reward from James Peterson's What's a Cook to Do? His book explains almost everything, from how to deglaze a pan to how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich....

THE PERFECT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
The trick is to use the best cheese you can find, such as aged Gouda or real English cheddar.
For a Closed-Face Sandwich:
1. Melt butter in a nonstick pan over low heat.
2. Butter one of two slices of bread, then add a slice of your favorite cheese. Assemble.
3. Put the sandwich in the bottom of the pan and cover the pan.
4. Cook over very low heat for about 15 minutes. Check every few minutes to make sure the heat isn't too high and causing the underside of the sandwich to burn.
5. When the underside of the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melting out the sides, turn over the sandwich and brown the other side over medium heat.

For an Open-Face Sandwich:
1. Toast crusty bread slices on one side under the broiler.
2. Turn over the slice and put cheese slices on the untoasted side; slide the bread and cheese under the broiler.
3. Watch closely until the cheese melts, bubbles up, and lightly browns.

And check out these ideas on how to improve your mac 'n' cheese.

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31 Comments

1. Posted by Sunshine on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 11:25 am PDT

These two "recipes" have been done for years. I remember eating both kinds as a child. Personally, I preferred the "closed faced sandwich" myself.
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2. Posted by lenachimplover on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 2:22 pm PDT

i think the people who attend the conventions are overreacting and a cheese notebook,weird
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3. Posted by frogkickfrolic on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 2:31 pm PDT

Yum! I haven't had grilled cheese in years. It's hard to find the right kind of cheese to use.
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4. Posted by badkitty1116 on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 6:33 pm PDT

Kraft Singles or Velveeta slices make the best grilled cheese, anything else is too fussy! 15 minutes to cook a grilled cheese? That's crazy. Peole will try to complicate anything!
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5. Posted by badkitty1116 on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 6:34 pm PDT

Oh, no one I know has ever covered the pan when making a grilled cheese!
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6. Posted by kndmarston on Thu, Apr 16, 2009, 7:24 pm PDT

i love grilled cheese sanwiches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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7. Posted by vitamin_d_mind on Mon, Apr 20, 2009, 11:58 am PDT

I enjoy all kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches, cheddar, swiss, provolone, gouda, muenster, and many more, but good old american singles on white bread will always be my fave!
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8. Posted by caranoi1 on Tue, Apr 21, 2009, 9:16 am PDT

I love taking ordinary and twising it up a bit...I just started experimenting with cooking and my gf bought me this hilarious beginners cookbook called "Get in the Kitchen, BIT@HES!" (b-tchcooks.com- put an "i" instead of the dash).. besides being hilarious.. really has some great recipes that kick the ordinary up a notch.... check out the free recipes on the site... you’ll see.. plus.. i get the added bonus of my gf telling me to "get in the kitchen, Bit@H!".. have to say that's pretty hot...lol
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9. Posted by Nikki J on Wed, Apr 22, 2009, 9:37 am PDT

i love grilled cheese sandwiches but to step mine's up a little i add ham or turkey..
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10. Posted by kaeisenach on Mon, Apr 27, 2009, 11:12 am PDT

bacon and avocado...that is the way to go with grilled cheese....
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11. Posted by nanasixboys on Mon, Apr 27, 2009, 10:12 pm PDT

I use medium cheddar cheese and flat sourdough bread. Butter both outsides of bread, insert thick pieces of cheese, and grill on lower heat until cheese melts and bread is evenly crispy on both sides. For a little interest, add some very thin slices of roast beef in the middle.
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12. Posted by firemanswifel125 on Wed, Apr 29, 2009, 1:23 pm PDT

If you are in a hurry to eat a grilled cheese and can't wait for the butter to melt, use a thin coating of mayo on the pan side of the bread. You will not taste a difference.
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13. Posted by jennifer k on Wed, Apr 29, 2009, 3:30 pm PDT

feta cheese is amazing!....you have to cook it very slow...it takes awhile for it to melt down
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14. Posted by Smurph on Sat, May 02, 2009, 10:31 pm PDT

Add applewood smoked bacon and WOW!!!
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15. Posted by Duke on Sun, May 03, 2009, 1:46 am PDT

..... ummm, cover the pan ..... ummmm, cover the pan? 15 minutes ? I don't think so.
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16. Posted by mbutterflygirl67 on Sun, May 03, 2009, 3:16 am PDT

I Love grilled cheese sandwiches.. I love them really burnt! The bread really really done. By that time the cheese is melted. I like it with ham or tomatoes but the bacon and avocado sounds good. I like swiss on rye. I just love grilled cheese. But have not had one in ages!
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17. Posted by attica_art on Sun, May 03, 2009, 3:52 am PDT

To "BAM" your samich up a notch, try some of your fav. jam or jelly just on the top after cooking. It's the best and like so many before me have said in the past. Don't knock it till you try it.
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18. Posted by gena s on Sun, May 03, 2009, 5:27 am PDT

I made a grill cheese last night with sharp cheddar and vegi "bacon" slices on a whole grain pita It was awesome.
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19. Posted by petitefeet5 on Sun, May 03, 2009, 6:37 am PDT

I like my Grilled cheese with Monterey Jack! mmmmmmmmmm
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20. Posted by susanc305 on Sun, May 03, 2009, 6:51 am PDT

No cover, while cooking, and reduce the time to say 4 mins each side.... also how about adding bacon or a tomato in there! Yummy
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21. Posted by Samantha on Sun, May 03, 2009, 7:15 am PDT

I made up an Ultimate Grilled Cheese sandwich that puts a regular grilled cheese to shame. Make this sandwich with a fried egg (make sure the egg yolk isn't full cooked), 2 slices of bacon (cut in half), either fresh or fried green peppers and onions, and some pepper jack cheese! Cut the sandwich in half and allow the egg is spill onto the sandwich. The best damn sandwich you ever ate!! Guarnteed!!
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22. Posted by mysticdog21 on Sun, May 03, 2009, 9:54 am PDT

you all make me so hungry i making a grilled cheese w/ hot pepper jack and a slice of turkey
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23. Posted by luna_tique_fringe on Sun, May 03, 2009, 12:25 pm PDT

Grilled cheese!! One of my favorite guilty pleasures!! I have many versions but this is my current fav: Rye bread, spread with a thin coat of mayo Slabs of extra sharp New York Cheddar Thinly sliced tomato with cracked pepper Paper thin onion slice Thin spread butter on the rye Melted butter in a medium-low iron skillet, start cheese side down. Toast till golden brown, turn and toast the other side. OMG..heaven!! Now as far as covering with a lid...you may or may not need it..depends on the thickness of the cheese and the heat of the pan.
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24. Posted by animefreak090 on Sun, May 03, 2009, 12:38 pm PDT

Fifteen minutes is too long! Its a bit less fatning if you use just a lightly greesed pan and no butter on the bread and melt velveeta cheese and some jalipenios or velveeta cheese and chop up some sundried tomatoes onto it! With just regular grilled cheese its so good to dip it BBQ Sauce! Yummm!
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25. Posted by jenmora22 on Mon, May 04, 2009, 4:15 pm PDT

Wow! i'm getting hungry just reading this! I love cheese and I love grilled cheese sandwiches. There was this restaurant in jersey city, where all they would cook is grilled cheese with different cheese and meats. My favorite was with gruyere, brie with fig jam... OMG!! heaven!! They closed it down =( oh well, I'll just have to make my own... lol
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26. Posted by ssmdheumann on Thu, May 07, 2009, 2:17 pm PDT

i likte fumunda cheese the best it's got that wild taste to it.
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27. Posted by insana_hanna on Thu, May 07, 2009, 9:31 pm PDT

your supposed to cover it with a cover, one of those heavy grill kind of ones, I have one and it makes the sandwich taste really good! I'm not sure how. I like to put tomato, pepper jack cheese, turkey, and bell peppers. it's really good! the bell peppers give it a little of a crunch, make sure that you grill the peppers in a seperate pan first, so that they can get that smoky kind of taste.
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28. Posted by MiMi on Fri, May 08, 2009, 11:34 am PDT

add cooked BACON , tomato and lettuce to your grilled cheese, or just bacon..yummy..
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29. Posted by kjalocha on Fri, May 08, 2009, 12:09 pm PDT

My favorite way to eat grilled cheese is to pull the melted sandwich apart and spread in some sweet pickle relish. It's better than putting it in when you make the sandwich before grilling. Try it!
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30. Posted by DONNA P on Fri, May 08, 2009, 2:17 pm PDT

When mom was in nursing school she used an iron to make grilled cheese
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