I'm having trouble making grilled cheese, what am I doing wrong?

Question

When I cook grilled cheese, I put a tablespoon of butter on the pan, and the pan is hot enough that it quickly melts and sizzles.

However, when I put the bread on, it just soaks in the liquid butter on the pan and the bread doesn't make any sizzling noises. I also use mozzarella cheese as my cheese for grilled cheese. Why won't my bread cook?

Do you also butter the bread? In fact I just butter the bread with none in the pan. And the pan doesn't have to be screaming hot. And it takes a while, just like your toaster. — Steve Chambers, Apr 01 '21 at 20:13

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 01 '21 at 20:27

3

Preheat your pan on low to low-medium. Build your sandwich. Butter the bread or the pan. It doesn't matter. Place the sandwich in the pan. Keep the heat low, to low-medium. Wait. Check the underside, looking for a golden brown. You want the heat low, because you want the cheese to begin melting without burning the bread. Be patient. When you see evidence of the cheese softening and a golden toasting, flip your sandwich. Again, be patient. You may have to adjust heat until you find the sweet spot for your stove, but keep it low, and complete the task by looking for melted cheese and golden toast.

answered Apr 01 '21 at 20:27

moscafj

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Do you add more butter to the pan or untoasted side of the bread when flipping? – Rob Apr 04 '21 at 16:08
@Rob either...but you don't want a lot or it will get soggy...unless you like it that way. – moscafj Apr 04 '21 at 16:32

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 04 '21 at 14:54

About 5-10 minutes before you want your grilled cheese, remove the cheeses and fillings from the fridge to allow the ingredients to warm up to room temperature which assists in the heating and melting of the cheese.

Butter the pan facing side of the bread with butter, just enough to cover the surface for an evenly browned crust without being overly greasy. Too much butter will make your bread soggy and overly greasy. Applying butter to the pan is OK, but it is much easier to control how much fat you are using if you directly spread the butter on the bread. Afterwards, proceed to build your sandwich with the ingredients you have taken out of the fridge previously.

Start by placing the sandwich in a cold pan, gas on low. Cover the top of the pan with a pot lid or something similar. The cold pan allows the heat to be gradually introduced into the bread and cheese without the pan facing side scorching and burning. The lid is to assist in the melting of the cheese.

Periodically check the underside of your sandwich once every 2-3 minutes until your desired brown-ness of the bread and your cheese has melted. Lifting the lid once in a while allows trapped steam to escape, allowing the crust to form and prevent your bread becoming soggy.If your cheese has melted but the bread has yet to become as golden brown as you wish, turn the gas up to medium to hasten the browning process.

I'm having trouble making grilled cheese, what am I doing wrong?

2 Answers2