Braden Felts

A search for the perfect grilled cheese. A quest that has long eluded me since my days as a youth. Is it even possible to acquire such perfection? Or is it a thoughtless journey that has perpetuated false promises to many over the years?

Grilled cheese is a childhood staple. It is beloved by all (except those who are lactose intolerant) and unforgettable for everyone who takes a bite. The crunch of toasted bread, the creamy richness of the butter (or mayo, if that floats your boat), and the sharp or mild cheesy, gooey wonderfulness all come together to make quite possibly the perfect sandwich.

Nevertheless, what is the perfect grilled cheese sandwich? You only need three ingredients, yet many different best-grilled cheese recipes exist. So, out of the kindness of my heart, I did the work for you. The question burning a hole in your heart, nay your soul, shall now be answered…

The Competitors: 

First, we visit RecipeTinEats, which has a more traditional grilled cheese style. Created by Nagi Maehashi, an Australian chef who believes people “can make great food with everyday ingredients,” this sandwich has not one but TWO types of cheese! Mozzarella and gruyere combine to create the most deliciously stringy cheese pull and pack a flavorful punch. Sourdough bread, of course, and lightly salted butter are imperative, according to Maehashi. That’s it! Some of the best things require little complexity, but we shall see what the judges say. 

Next, we come around to a slightly less conventional grilled cheese creation. Food blog Love and Lemons’ concoction consists of sourdough (this will be a common theme), mayonnaise (very questionable choice), dijon mustard, and the sharpest cheddar cheese available, as well as some gruyere, to create the classic “gooey nostalgia” with some “extra complexity.” Although I am opposed to the idea of using mayonnaise, the chef says that the mayonnaise helps the bread brown “insanely well.” A crisp golden brown exterior accompanied by dijon’s tangy flavor should help create an unforgettable sandwich.

Parmesan cheese being added to sandwich #3. 

Our final destination on the way to, in Guy Fieri’s words, “Flavortown,” is a slightly controversial grilled cheese, as some may be opposed to giving it the moniker. This grilled cheese by AllRecipes has several twists on the time-honored classic sandwich. A fan favorite for any breakfast fiend, this sandwich combines sharp cheddar and bacon. In addition to the sharp cheddar and bacon duo, the bread is, obviously, sourdough, the king of grilled cheese sandwich bread. In addition to the unconventional ingredient, the bread of this delectable masterpiece is parmesan-crusted. This sandwich stands alone in the competition and easily seems to be pushing the bounds of what a grilled cheese sandwich is, but in the name of science, it must be considered.

Further down the array, the grilled cheese selections become more exploratory and less traditional.

The Judges: 

These judges have no background as food critics, and their rankings are entirely subjective.

Gracie Gordon (’24) considers herself a “fairly adventurous eater,” but she does have a sort of kryptonite: mustard and mayonnaise. A fault that may prove fatal to the ranking for sandwich two, but we shall see.

George Simonton (‘24) will eat just about anything. A self-proclaimed “garbage truck” for food, he is game for anything and everything on the menu.

Ruby Goff (’24) dabbles in the world of grilled cheese, and she cooks the concoction “approximately bi-monthly.” She is a stickler for the sandwich. Anything short of perfection is a waste of time.

After each sandwich, the judges will rank the creation on a scale from 1 to 10, and an average score will be tabulated.

The Results:

Sandwich #3 looking scrumptious. 

Sandwich One, from RecipeTinEats: The most basic of the bunch still packed a flavorful punch. With the addition of butter on the bread, Goff said the “crust is supreme,” helping to create a crunchy and delicious bite. Gordon felt the gruyere added a “smoky” essence to the sandwich, but the creation was “difficult to melt.” Although, at first, the cheese was heavenly, Simonton said that after a few seconds, the cheese felt “like a tire in your mouth” because it congealed and got rubbery. The sandwich was pretty satisfactory, with an average ranking of 7.5/10.

Sandwich Two, from Love and Lemons: Straying away from the mainstream and incorporating two condiments proved to be this sandwich’s undoing. Although Goff deemed it “more dynamic than the first” sandwich, the sandwich crust had “uneven browning” due to the mayonnaise. Gordon, an avid hater of mustard, said it was “overpowering.” However, she still appreciated the cheddar cheese, which she regarded as the “superior” cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches. Echoing the same sentiments as before, Simonton said that the mayonnaise “does butter’s job, but worse” because it misses out on all the richness that butter provides. Due to everyone’s reaction to the tanginess of the dijon, this sandwich earned an average ranking of 4.83/10.

Sandwich Three, from Allrecipes: Unlike sandwich two, this concoction’s bold flavor choices paid off. For Gordon, the “strong punch” from the parmesan added to the whole sandwich, but overall, she felt as though it “distracted from the bacon.” The sentiment among the judges was clear that, in Goff’s words, the “bacon was outshined.” Simonton offered a few thoughts about how the sandwich had “no contrasting flavor.” Despite these drawbacks, he still thought that the “concept was there,” despite the “very greasy” nature of the sandwich. Even with its several faults, it still ranked with the highest average, ranking at 7.6/10.

Sandwich #2 in the trash.

Final Thoughts:

Each sandwich had its own particular strengths and weaknesses. The first’s intricate smoky flavor elevated all of our preconceived notions of what makes up a good grilled cheese. The second sandwich taught us that sometimes doing too much can lead to one’s downfall. The last sandwich, with its classic cheddar and bacon twist, reminded us of our collective childhood. Playing out in the yard and coming inside and feasting on a delicious grilled cheese (maybe accompanied by a bowl of tomato soup). At the end of the day, take risks; try as many grilled cheeses as possible. And most importantly, never use mayonnaise.

All photos by Braden Felts.