All American Grilled Cheese Recipe

Sandwich

1. 1

   Prepare bacon and tomato

   Cook the Nueske’s bacon until crisp: heat a skillet over medium, add bacon in a single layer and cook 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While bacon cools, thinly slice the tomato and place slices on a paper towel; lightly salt with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper to draw out excess moisture. Pat tomato slices dry after 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Assemble cheese mixture

   In a bowl, combine the shredded sharp cheddar and shredded Colby. Mix lightly so the cheeses are evenly distributed. Keep American and Swiss slices separate for layering.

3. 3

   Butter or mayo the bread

   Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of softened butter on one face of each bread slice (total 4 tbs). Alternatively, for a slightly tangier, crisp exterior, use mayonnaise and spread 1/2 tablespoon per slice. The butter/mayonnaise side will be the outside of the sandwich.

4. 4

   Build the sandwiches

   Place four bread slices butter-side-down on a work surface. On each, layer in this order: 1 slice American cheese, a generous 1/4 cup of the cheddar-Colby shredded mix (press lightly for even coverage), 1 slice Swiss cheese, 2 slices crisp bacon, 2–3 tomato slices (pat dry), and a final small sprinkle of black pepper (about 1/8 tsp split between sandwiches). Top with the remaining bread slices butter-side-up. Press gently to compact.

5. 5

   Cook the sandwiches

   Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-low to medium heat (target pan temperature about 275–325°F / 135–160°C). Place sandwiches in the skillet seam-side down. Cook slowly 4–6 minutes per side: cover the pan with a lid for the first 3–4 minutes to help cheese melt. After flipping, press gently with a spatula or a weight and cook until the exterior is golden-brown and the interior cheese is fully melted. If the bread is browning too fast before cheese melts, lower the heat and cover for another minute or two.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute. Slice each sandwich in half on the diagonal. Serve immediately while the cheeses are gooey and the bacon is crisp.