You can tell whether a grilled cheese sandwich will be exceptional or not even before taking a bite. A quality grilled cheese will see the cheese slowly oozing from the edges when cut. The exterior of the bread will have a perfect golden brown color, lightly infused with butter but not excessively greasy. When you lift the sandwich, you can feel the crispness of the crust supporting the generous portion of melted cheese inside, yet it will flex slightly. The overall experience is one of saltiness, gooeyness, butteriness, and comfort, all in perfect harmony. However, what truly sets a great grilled cheese apart is its ability to retain that ideal crispness – nothing ruins a grilled sandwich faster than sogginess.
I take my grilled cheese, pressed panini, tuna melts, and all griddled sandwiches seriously. Following Kenji’s advice in his grilled cheese recipe, I take my time to griddle both sides of the bread, cooking the sandwich slowly to ensure that the cheese and bread reach their desired states together. Good things, after all, are worth waiting for. However, all this effort would be in vain if the sandwich were to turn into a soggy disaster with the first bite.
Placing a hot grilled cheese, or any griddled sandwich, directly onto a plate after cooking can lead to condensation building up underneath, undoing all the careful crisping and resulting in a limp and unsatisfactory sandwich. To avoid this unfortunate outcome, it is essential to let the sandwich rest in an elevated position for a few minutes before slicing into it. By placing the just-cooked grilled cheese on a wire rack or another setup that allows air to circulate around the entire sandwich, any steam can escape without making the bottom side soggy. Some even go as far as using chopsticks to elevate their grilled cheese for this purpose.
Despite concerns about the sandwich cooling too much during this resting period, allowing the grilled cheese to sit elevated not only prevents a soggy underside but also gives the cheese a chance to cool slightly, firming up just enough to prevent excessive oozing once you take a bite. While it may seem like a small extra step, it is crucial for a grilled cheese to achieve its full potential.
Taking the time to prepare and cook a grilled cheese sandwich with care and attention to detail is one thing, but ensuring that it is enjoyed in its optimal state is equally important. This extra step of allowing the sandwich to rest in an elevated position may seem minor, but it can make a world of difference in preserving the crispness and overall quality of the grilled cheese experience.
