Cast Iron Grilled Cheese
Chef Zakarian recommends using a cast iron skillet as your go-to tool for grilled cheese because it's such a great conductor of heat. Once you have your bread in the pan (with the bottom slice fully slathered with butter), top off your second slice with more butter — remember "crust to crust." But don't press down. "You just let it hang out and cook. It takes about five minutes a side, and then the cheese is going to slowly melt," he says. And, before serving, use a serrated knife to cut your sandwich. "Because if you don't, you push it [and] the cheese will come out the side. You want to saw," he says.
Equipment:
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients:
- 8 slices Wolferman's San Francisco sourdough English muffin bread
- 1 stick softened butter (divided, or more as needed)
- 4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (shredded, divided)
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese (shredded, divided)
Instructions:
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
- Evenly spread one side of the bread from crust to crust with a generous amount of butter.
- Place four slices of bread in the pan, butter-side down, and top each with a generous mound of shredded cheese. Top with the other slices of bread, and butter that them too, from crust to crust. (Work in batches if your pan only fits two pieces of bread.)
- Cook the sandwiches for a few minutes, until the bottom is golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook for a few more minutes, until the other side is also golden brown, and the cheese is melted. Cut in half with a serrated knife and serve.