You may already know about this and think I'm insanely behind the curve.
But it's okay, I'll own up to that, but I still think there are more people out there who need to know.
It took me what, 35 years to find out? I'm not usually one to spread any kind of gospel, I'm more into spreading gossip.
It's mayonnaise. On bread, mayo down on the griddle to make the best grilled cheese of your life.
So if you haven't heard of it, let's take a journey together into this amazing world of strange ingredients creating wonderful end results, no matter how straight up weird it seems.
Why Mayonnaise Instead of Butter?
Mayo is eggs and oil whipped together, in its purest form, making it essentially just fat. You get a good sear or crust on things when you put them in hot fat. According to Southern Kitchen, the ingredients in store bought mayo have a higher smoke point, which means you can cook the sandwich over a higher heat. That means a crispier exterior, fluffier interior, and meltier cheese.
Mis En Place For a Better Grilled Cheese
Grilled cheeses may seem way too simple to make to bother with mis en place — the fancy way of saying gathering all of your necessary items before getting started. But it will result in a calmer grilled cheese making process, and therefore a better sandwich for you! So just humor me and try it once.
Gather a plate and put on or around it: a flipping spatula, two pieces of bread, a jar of mayo, a butter knife, two thin slivers of butter, two slices of cheese, and any other grilled cheese fillings you may be using. There, now you've achieved mis en place! Set this place of ingredients within easy reach of your stove and you can get ready to turn up the heat.
Wasn't that so much easier than opening the fridge five times, spinning around to grab utensils, and oh yeah, that other thing too. Let's get on to the grilled cheese, which today is a pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich, but the mayo trick will work on any kind of grilled cheese you want!
Grilled Cheese with Mayo
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- 2 slices cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons filling of choice if desired: pulled pork, tomato slices, onion jam, etc.
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
- butter, two small slivers from a stick, or equivalent
Instructions
- Spread half of the mayonnaise in a thin layer on one side of each piece of bread. Set aside, mayo side up.
- Melt one of the slivers of butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Place one slice of mayo'd bread, mayo side down, into the hot, buttery pan.
- Immediately top the plain side of the bread with a slice of cheese, any fillings, and then the second slice of cheese. Put the last slice of bread mayo side up, on top of the cheese slice.
- Let the sandwich cook for about 2 minutes, using a spatula to lift the sandwich and check the bottom. Once it's a golden brown, gently lift the sandwich with a wide spatula.
- Put the last sliver of butter into the hot pan and move the pan until the butter coats the surface of the pan. Flip the sandwich gently and place the other mayonnaise'd side of the bread down onto the heat. Cook for 2 more minutes or until golden brown and the cheesy is melty.
- Remove from heat and slice into triangles, and serve immediately.
Patrick made a lot of pulled pork over Memorial Day weekend, as he is wont to do over long weekends that usually involve grilling activities. I made this for him as a slightly lower-carb alternative to the pulled pork macaroni and cheese laden grilled cheese sandwiches the New Brookland Tavern has been making on weekends for to-go orders.
So did you know about mayo on grilled cheeses, or is it true that I am behind the times? What other cooking secrets are you willing to share in the comments?