'garden & Gun' Grilled Cheese Recipe

Prep bread and ingredients

Bring softened butter to room temperature if not already soft. Lay out 8 slices of sourdough. Pat tomato slices dry on paper towel to remove excess moisture; season tomato slices lightly with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, distributing evenly.

Assemble sandwiches

On 4 slices of bread (inside side up), spread about 3 tablespoons total of bacon jam evenly across each slice (roughly 3/4 tbs jam per sandwich half). Top jam with 2 American cheese slices per sandwich (so 4 slices of cheese per assembled sandwich before closing). Arrange 3–4 thin tomato slices over the cheese. Top with remaining bread slices (inside side down). Spread about 1 tablespoon softened butter on the outside of each top and bottom slice of each sandwich, covering the entire surface to ensure even browning.

Griddle the sandwiches

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat (target surface temperature ~300–325°F if using an infrared thermometer). Place sandwiches buttered-side down and flatten slightly with a spatula or a press. Cook 4–5 minutes on the first side, monitoring that the bread is golden brown and cheese starts to melt; if bread browns too quickly, lower heat. Flip and cook the other side 3–4 minutes until golden brown and cheese is fully melted. Total cook time should be 8–10 minutes per sandwich. If cheese needs extra help melting, cover skillet with a lid for 1–2 minutes after flipping to trap heat.

Rest and slice

Remove sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute to avoid cheese running out. Slice each sandwich diagonally in half. Wipe any excess butter from skillet and keep warm or clean for soup.

If using store-bought soup: pour soup into a medium saucepan. If using homemade tomato soup: strain or blend to desired texture and transfer to saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming but not boiling (about 6–8 minutes).

Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for a richer soup, if desired. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; taste and adjust. Keep soup at a gentle simmer until ready to serve. If you want a silky finish, blitz with an immersion blender for 10–15 seconds.

Ladle about 1 cup of soup per serving into warmed bowls or mugs. Garnish each with a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil if desired.

Place a griddled sandwich half on each plate beside a cup or bowl of hot tomato soup. Optionally serve an extra spoonful of bacon jam on the side for dipping. Serve immediately while sandwiches are hot and cheese is melty.