The perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich is always a work in progress. We know that They should be cheesy, creamy, gooey, a little stringy, crunchy and buttery.

The Bread
My choice of bread is non-seeded Italian bread, cut just slightly thicker than usual. I like this bread because it’s neutral in flavor, has a tight crumb (not too many big holes), and both crisps up and browns well.

The Spread
There are a lot of choices here, from mayonnaise (yep, mayonnaise) to the aforementioned Crisco® shortening to margarine or even oil. I prefer NOT to add the fat to the pan but to spread it directly on both sides of the outer bread slices instead. I butter my perfect grilled cheese sandwich with softened Pelugra or Irish Kerrygold salted butter so that the butter is spreadable and right where I want it.

The Cheese
Here is where it all happens. You want a cheese that has both great flavor and great melting characteristics. So, we highly recommend Tillamook® Medium Cheddar. Slice it 1/8” thick and put on two layers edge to edge. Having said that, the perfect G.C.S. uses three cheeses. In order, top to bottom, they are: Tillamook Cheddar + Colby Jack +Aged Gouda. The star here, believe it or not, is the Colby Jack, which in any sandwich is 50% of the middle, with thin slices of the other two on both sides. All totaled, the amount of cheese in a sandwich is about the thickness of a pencil (about ¼”), no more. The reason we use Colby Jack in this sandwich is that while it lacks just a bit in chest flavor, it gives us the perfect stringy chewiness that you love. One last tip: if you allow your cheese to warm to room temperature before putting it in your sandwich, when you griddle your sandwich, it will melt perfectly.

The Pan
It’s preferable to use a heavy-bottomed skillet, one that’s set on medium-low heat (about 300 F). This will allow the bread to brown and crisp up slowly and evenly while allowing the cheese to melt just right. Too hot a temperature and the bread is burnt before the cheese is melted. Too low and the cheese is melted before the bread is browned and crispy. 300 F is the grilled cheese’s Goldilocks Zone.

Griddling
Griddling is basically pan-frying, and for a grilled cheese sandwich, this takes a bit longer than you might think (about 4 to 5 minutes on each side). Use a lower temperature, chill out, go slow, and do it right. Don’t press down as it’s cooking, but if you like a thinner sandwich, one where the cheese is oozing out of the sides and then crisps up on the pan, then you just go for it and enjoy your thing…

Add-ins
While our perfect grilled cheese is just that, every once in a while, it’s ok to add in some extras. Some favorites are shaved honey ham, crisp bacon or thinly sliced Campari tomatoes, with freshly torn basil leaves.

Finding YOUR perfect grilled cheese sandwich is a project well worth the journey, and as every journey begins with a first step, we recommend your first step be through the front door of Nino’s. Our cheese experts will point you toward favorites or help you find a new favorite of your own. We might also suggest you pair it with Nino’s own homemade Tomato Basil Soup.

Dunking is optional.