These Are the Best Cheeses for Grilled Cheese

Being a meals author in a serious meals metropolis like Atlanta means entry to a few of the fanciest dishes, substances and preparations on a reasonably common foundation. It’s a privilege that I’m grateful for on daily basis, and part of my life that brings me limitless pleasure. However, removed from spoiling me, it’s given me a profound appreciation for the only, most nostalgic of pleasures: nice renditions of consolation meals and unfussy classics. Like grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese is a type of timeless dishes which can be incredible while you’re a child and solely get higher as your palate matures. But they change into their greatest while you get a chef’s enter on the best way to glow up a childhood favourite, so we requested seven cooks throughout the U.S. for his or her greatest recs on turning the standard grilled cheese into the very best factor you’ll eat right this moment. We acquired their enter on their cheeses for the right soften, similar to Cheddar, American and extra, in addition to bread and additional substances.

Choosing A Cheese

“When thinking about a grilled cheese to serve in a restaurant, I want to think about a cheese that melts smoothly and evenly, to create the perfect gooey and stretchy texture of a great grilled cheese we all had when being a kid,” says The World Equestrian Center’s government pastry chef, Yohann Le Bescond.

John Martinez, award-winning chef-owner of Tito & Pep in Tucson, Arizona, says, “If it’s too soft, it all might just ooze out. If it’s too hard, you won’t get that great melt and the cheese can just end up an oily mess. When it comes to choosing cheese, we look for a great melting point—a cheese that’ll give us a great pull and, of course, the right flavor for the dish we are creating.” 

That taste typically means utilizing principally gentle cheeses to ascertain the style basis. The government chef of Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork, Montana, Rob Clagett explains, “It allows the opportunity to introduce flavors elsewhere, such as in the bread, butter or even a complementary component such as bisque or jelly.” Martinez makes use of, for example, artisanal bread with nuts or dried fruit. “Lean into something a little more tangy, like a goat cheese, but still pair it with something mild and even-melting so you still get that great cheese pull without overwhelming the delicate nuances of the goat cheese.” 

Christian Farrar, government chef of Table 20 in Cartersville, Georgia, makes the identical level, utilizing blue cheese for example. “It has a great flavor but is much too strong to be the main cheese. Paired with havarti, though, and you just might have something!” And for his restaurant’s summer time grilled cheese, served with contemporary tomato basil soup, the molasses sourdough bread he makes use of shines when full of gentle cheese.

Finally, by beginning with gentle cheese, you possibly can season the sandwich so as to add curiosity. Le Bescond makes use of rosemary butter as a substitute of daring cheese to amplify his grilled cheese, noting, “Combining too many strong cheeses will result in a salty grilled cheese. Proper seasoning goes a long way.” Because finally, a grilled cheese is a type of basic examples the place the entire turns into far larger than the sum of its components.  

American Cheese

Laypeople and cheese snobs could argue that American cheese doesn’t depend as cheese, however with regards to grilled cheese, cooks know higher. 

“American will always and forever be the only cheese for us traditionalists,” says John Masterson, culinary director for Charlotte, North Carolina-based chain Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, and jokingly provides that grilled cheese made with this cheese “has been boosting immune systems for hundreds of years!” 

“I have no shame in my game here—American is the quintessential melting cheese and it’s pure comfort,” agrees Farrar. “Commercial bread, American cheese and margarine is what my baby girl wants when she gets sick.” He recommends shopping for less-processed American from the deli counter, as “There are better American cheeses out there than packaged singles!,” whereas Masterson exclaims, “Heavens, don’t ever use the packaged stuff!”

But as iconic and excellent as it’s as your base cheese, the consensus stays that for a restaurant-quality grilled cheese, good outdated American wants a supporting cheese or two … one thing else “with an easy melting point, standout flavor and low to medium saltiness,” provides Donnie Weston, government chef of Marietta Melt Yard Bar & Kitchen in Marietta, Georgia.

Cheddar

For practically each one of many cooks I consulted, for greatest supporting actor, it doesn’t get higher than Cheddar. Because, as Martinez explains, “Using flavorful soft or hard cheese to complement a semi-hard or semisoft cheese is a great way to incorporate multiple cheeses and flavors.”

Martinez goes for “a nice medium Cheddar … for flavor and pull,” and Farrar says that pairing American and any Cheddar provides “that perfect flavor-melt ratio.” Le Bescond at all times chooses Cheddar with sourdough, saying “the acidity of the sourdough with aged cheese like Cheddar brings a stronger flavor that will set it apart” when you can “still add younger cheeses like mozzarella or fontina to smooth those flavors down and add some of that creaminess.”

Gruyère

Cheddar and American are apparent, widespread and accessible cheeses. But this Swiss cheese is a chef’s secret weapon for an unforgettable grilled cheese. Clagett calls Gruyère his “clear favorite, with a creamy texture and a nutty aroma that’s unmatched,” and begins his grilled cheese with a béchamel to reinforce its creaminess.  

Martinez can be obsessed with this alternative, sharing, “I had the good fortune of traveling in Switzerland early on in my career and am a big fan of any of those semi-hard Alpine cheeses, like a true Gruyère or Appenzeller, when it comes to a grilled cheese. These two play especially nice with caramelized onions on a great rustic levain.” 

Le Bescond steers extra French with using Gruyère for an unforgettable grilled cheese, making it with a croissant together with his rosemary butter and mixing it with white American cheese. 

Havarti

“Gruyère, havarti and Gouda are my go-to cheeses for an elevated grilled cheese,” Masterson says. Similar in nature, he says, “These three mild cheeses promote slightly sweet similar flavor profiles, which allows the textures and flavors of the bread and butter to shine through. There is no need to try and confuse the palate when talking about grilled cheese!”

Havarti can be a common high decide for Weston, and Farrar suggests utilizing havarti “in place of American if you want to go a less-processed route, since it’s also a great melting cheese.” He provides, “There are also some amazing variations out there that will really step up your grilled cheese game. Try horseradish or jalapeño havarti … whatever you can find. I really haven’t had a bad one yet!” 

Experimenting

This spirit of journey brings us to the opposite profitable experiments these cooks have carried out within the title of grilled cheese. Clagett throws Muenster and fontina within the ring, sharing that “Muenster has great texture, and fontina has that plus a funkiness I enjoy.” Le Bescond makes use of the latter to counter sturdy aged Cheddars, whereas Carrig calls the previous one in every of his favorites. “It melts at about the same time the bread gets crispy brown,” he says, and he loves that it’s mushy sufficient to mould across the enhancements he likes to stuff his grilled cheeses with, like tomatoes. 

And whereas Le Bescond will use innocuous mozzarella as one other neutralizing cheese, Farrar’s a fan of the smoked model. “It’s been really rising in my ranks lately. It has a lot of flavor and more versatility than most other smoked cheeses!”

Finally, Weston suggests enjoying round with Brie and Gouda. “These and havarti are some of my favorites.”

What Makes a Grilled Cheese Great

As with all memory-tied meals, “perfect” is subjective. When you develop up consuming one thing for consolation, you need the “better” model to be acquainted sufficient to be nostalgic however clearly improved for a extra skilled perspective. That signifies that particulars matter. 

“A good grilled cheese should have a deeply developed crust … that is the quintessential difference in the experience,” says Farrar. Masterson agrees: “As long as you’re targeting a perfectly crispy, golden-brown crust that carefully transitions into a buttery, soft underlayment of bread and finally into a warm, gooey melted cheese, you can’t go wrong.”

And Martinez says, “I feel the most essential thing in a great grilled cheese is nailing the right ratio between your bread and cheese. Too much cheese and that thing is going to get out of control, and if there’s too little, what’s the point? Also, finding the flavor balance between the bread and cheese is essential.”

Debate: Bread vs. Cheese  

Thomas Carrig, Hilton Head Health’s government chef, thinks it’s “primarily about the bread” and loves “sprouted whole-grain bread with seeds, which has a strong construction that stands as much as cooking and gives that nice crunchy texture I search for.” Masterson agrees, saying, “If you force my hand, I choose the bread. It meets the mouth first, brings texture, complexity and variety to each bite. I feel like the cheese is typically celebrated more, but I like how the bread has to carry the burden of both flavor addition and the drudgery of sandwich-build responsibility.” 

But as he identified, different cooks prioritize the cheese—even luxurious baking specialists like Le Bescond. He says, “The choice of cheese will make a huge difference between a good and great grilled cheese. Mixing your cheeses creates a rich and complex flavor profile. So although the bread is very important, its purpose is to keep the sandwich together, adding structure and texture. A good bread will take your sandwich to the next level, but even the best bread cannot save a mediocre cheese.” 

Martinez agrees: “Both are on equal standing ground in terms of importance, but the cheese is what holds it all together. Exceptional cheese can still be an amazing grilled cheese on white bread, while plain old American will be a disservice to an amazing loaf of bread.” 

Clagett, believes, “Different breads can be manipulated in their own way to make a nice grilled cheese,” and Farrar assures, “With a little TLC, you can really make even the most industrial bland breads work well,” particularly by grilling and buttering strategies, which Le Bescond mentions too. However, “the flavor and texture derived from the cheese can’t be [manipulated],” Clagett closes. 

And for that reason, the bulk guidelines that cheese choice is the pivotal aspect for an distinctive sandwich.  

Final Tips

Your alternative in cheese is the foremost issue for whether or not your grilled cheese is incredible or advantageous, however how you choose the opposite elements and cook dinner the combo has an enormous influence on the ultimate consequence. And, in these particulars, our cooks had a variety of opinions as sturdy as Gorgonzola and professional ideas they have been desperate to share.

When selecting bread, you need “something that sears nicely, doesn’t have a contrasting flavor to your desired cheese, and is sturdy enough to hold up to being saturated in butter from the exterior and sops up the gooey interior,” Clagett says. It can definitely be one thing as delicate as a croissant, however Le Bescond advises utilizing a day-old one. “This will not be as flaky as fresh, which will allow the croissant to keep its shape and form.” 

Martinez suggests utilizing older bread as a common rule. “If your bread is a day or two old, it just toasts up better!”

When cooking, “using a press is much preferred versus a frying pan,” Le Bescond says. Farrar advises to make use of medium warmth, and says, “Don’t be afraid to absolutely saturate that bread with good olive oil or clarified butter/ghee.” 

“Be generous,” echoes Martinez. “Having enough fat to really get your bread crispy and crunchy is key.” Farrar continues, “Salt the bread lightly and move it around the entire time with a little bit of pressure!” If you’re utilizing a grill, as Weston does, use a butter curler with unsalted butter when you have it, and warmth the grill to 325°F for greatest outcomes. 

Martinez provides an additional step of rubbing his grilled sandwiches with garlic so as to add a layer of taste, and he sprinkles a bit grated laborious cheese on one aspect of the bread, since “Everyone I know loves the little crispy bits of cheese that end up in the pan!” Then, he advises, “Let it rest a minute before diving in so you don’t force all that amazing cheese out of the back or sides of the sandwich.”

After that, something goes. For instance, Masterson likes to slather either side of every piece of bread in Duke’s model mayonnaise earlier than cooking it up in butter in a heat pan. (“Yes, it has to be Duke’s,” he laughs.) Le Bescond brushes melted butter on the bread, builds the sandwich, plastic-wraps it and chills the package deal to assist the items keep collectively when on the grill. Carrig, working at a well being resort, prefers Earth Balance for much less saturated fats and a decrease melting level, which permits higher seepage of butter taste into the bread, and he will even brush the within faces of the bread with a little bit of mayonnaise and pesto for richness. Finally, Carrig, Farrar and Martinez prefer to bulk up their grilled cheeses with “surprises” and fillings, they usually lean into the seasons for inspiration. 

At the top of the day, as Farrar says, “It really comes down to thinking about what you want the sandwich to achieve. Keep it simple, only add what is needed to get you where you want to go” … and have enjoyable!