How to Make the Perfect Grilled Cheese, Every Time
Summer House Chef Ben Goodnick serves up 5 pro tips
Grilled cheese is already one of the world’s most perfect comfort foods…but is it possible to make it even better? Summer House Santa Monica Chef and Partner Ben Goodnick says, YES! With just a few small tweaks, you can make your next melt truly marvelous. Here are Chef Ben’s five simple steps for getting a perfect grilled cheese, every time.
Prefer for Chef Ben to do the cooking? Make a reservation at the Summer House location nearest you or order carryout and delivery from the Summer House location nearest you.
1. Butter It Up
As someone who knows his way around a sandwich, having created such Summer House favorites as the Crispy Chicken and Turkey Stack, Chef Ben’s first tip is: “Butter the bread, not the pan.” (Ack, we’ve been doing it wrong!)
For the Buttery Toasted Cheese at Coastal Soups, Summer House’s seasonal carryout and delivery-only concept, he goes big on butter: “The bread must be buttered entirely! Really go coast to coast.” The result is a perfectly toasted exterior that’s sturdy enough for dipping into a hearty of bowl of Herbed Tomato Cream.
Click here to try out Chef Ben’s recipe for Herbed Tomato Bisque.
2. Remix Your Melt
While Chef Ben says that “American cheese is 100-percent acceptable and delicious” as a go-to for grilled cheese, experimenting with different combinations of cheeses might create the sandwich you never knew you needed!
“Use a mix of flavorful and melty cheeses—aged cheddar, Swiss, gruyere or gouda for the flavor, and young cheddar, Havarti or mozzarella for melt,” Chef recommends. “Aged cheeses pack more flavor and intensity but often don’t give the classic cheese pull that’s so fun. Melty cheeses give a great texture and prevent the fancier cheese from overwhelming the buttery toasted flavors, so when you combine them, you get the best of both worlds.”
Explore more delicious grilled cheese creations across Lettuce.
3. Get Bread-y
Equally important as the cheese? Bread! “A nice sturdy and crusty loaf is good, especially if you are dipping,” advises Chef Ben. As a rule, however, he says to refrain from cutting slices more than 3/4-inch thick, like the Texas toast he uses for the Turkey Melt from Coastal Soups. But, Chef says, never shy away from using a time-honored standby: “For a quick snack, a soft sandwich loaf is great—so nostalgic!”
4. Go for Gooey
To ensure the cheese melts just right, Chef Ben says: “Cook it ‘open face’ with a lid on for the first few minutes. This cuts the cook time in half essentially and makes sure the cheese is gooey.”
Use this pro tip the next time you need to get dinner on the table fast—especially when the littles are melting down! Or, just bring them to the nearest Summer House for brunch, lunch or dinner, where they can dig into the extensive kids’ menu, with options like Crispy Chicken Fingers, Breakfast for Dinner and Gluten-Free Mac ‘n Cheese.
5. Slow & Steady
Last but not least, to achieve a uniformly grilled sandwich inside and out, Chef Ben says, “Cook slowly over medium heat to make sure the bread absorbs the butter and toasts gently so it gets really crispy and toasty, not just browned.”
Looking for more comfort food? Check out these tasty Lettuce signatures.
Make a reservation at the Summer House location nearest you.
Order carryout and delivery from the Summer House nearest you.
