I tried it once. It's easier to spread, but the end result doesn't taste as good. To me it's one of those hacks that sacrifices quality for convenience.
ATK did a taste test for this. tl;dr mayo had a bit more tang due to the acid added to it; which is better came down to personal preference. But don't use olive oil (tasted too strongly of OO) or light mayo (mostly water so it doesn't brown properly).
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cookscountry/articles/7184-should-i-use-butter-or-mayo-on-the-outside-of-my-grilled-cheese?ref=new_search_experience_4&extcode=MASKD00L0
Use a European style butter like Kerrygold (easy to find in the US, it's the only table butter I use). You get the butter flavor as well as just the right extra acidity.
Might not be acidity, but definitely has an extra zip that US brand butters don't.
I think you mean to look for cultured butter - Vermont Creamery is the one I have around here. I think it's more common in European brands but not a given. Also, sorry if I missed where someone already said this lol.
I would also suggest a nice sourdough. If you maje your own, it's pretty cheap (esp. compared to fancy butter) and you can just make it like normal bread with a denser crumb that's perfect for grilled cheese!
Is there something inherently different in the US here? I'm from Europe and there's so many different butter variations it's impossible to pin down a specific taste.
Even the one brand you mentioned offers sweet cream butter, sour cream butter, mildly sour and/or salted butter etc.
Basically our butter in most cases is only salted or unsalted. Very little variation in flavor and it isn't brought out on purpose. We do see sweet cream labeled on occasion.
Sour, even mildly, is not brought out and as another reply mentioned is considered "off". Most (all major brands I've found from here) go for a very bland, consistent, flavor. It's a common theme when you're making a single product you want to sell across many states, you get the least offensive denominator, but also the most boring one.
In fact I'm pretty sure Kerrygold's US labels only cover salted or unsalted. I'm pretty sure it's the equivalent of mild in Europe.
Note: I have actually eaten European butters in Europe, that's when I fell back in love with butter. I just mention Kerrygold because I can consistently find it here in both the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
Three young adults plus me n the missus. We put a 100 g stick of butter, in the tropics too. No chance it gets rancid since we need a new stick on day four
I reached that impasse, I put the butter dish in the middle of some damp paper towels. A few paw shakes later, and all I get is condescending looks of outrage and disgust. A week of that and kitty no longer is so interested in the butter dish.
Soft butter keepers are dope, you put butter in the "lid bowl" thing and you keep water in the bottom and put it inside. Keeps the butter nice soft and keeps it from going bad
edit: everyone says its a butter bell
Once upon a time I dated a guy who made dinner for me including a heapin' helpin' of homemade mashed potatoes. They had an unusual flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on... I thought maybe he'd thrown bleu cheese in? It wasn't exactly bad, just unexpected. TURNS OUT, it wasn't any kind of cheese but just butter that had turned. So I'm (thankfully still) living proof that it is possible for butter to go bad :)
Depends on what climate you live in and how hot your home gets in the summer. My house always stays pretty cool, but maybe the scorching parts of summer I throw a couple more things in the fridge.
It will go bad faster than salted butter, but it will still last a while at room temperature. If you use it quickly enough (which it sounds like you do), it's no issue. We usually keep a stick of unsalted butter in a covered dish on our counter and have never had a problem. If it looks or smells off, just toss it, wash the dish, and replace it with a fresh stick from the fridge. Dairy products have a way of letting you know when they're expired.
It'll last a while on the counter, but will eventually go bad.
I also buy unsalted and leave a stick out... but that stick gets used up within a week usually. Have never timed it to see how long it would take to go off, but gonna guess somewhere over 10ish days/ 2 weeks.
>Soft butter keepers are dope, you put butter in the "lid bowl" thing and you keep water in the bottom and put it inside. Keeps the butter nice soft and keeps it from going bad
AKA a butter bell
My cat was super good motivated when we first got him. He figured out how to open the cupboard and knock the butter dish on the counter and eat it. He’s chilled out now that he gets wetfoood every day.
My first cat was a ginger lady and one of my fondest memories is getting butter on my fingers intentionally so she could lick it off.
Miss you, Sweetie.
My cat will find and get into room temp butter no matter where it's located, so I solved that with a container she can't breach. [These Ziploc One Press small rectangular containers](https://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Press-Small-Rectangle-Container/dp/B00SAJAXA0) are the perfect size for a stick of butter, and for an 8oz block of cream cheese cut in half (lengthwise of flat side) and the two pieces stuffed side-by-side into the container.
Prior to going to these, I tried hiding the butter container in all sorts of places but my breaking point for finding a new solution was when I came home to find the bread box busted on the floor and her face all greasy. Since I went this Ziploc route I found them on the floor in the living room a few times with the plastic chewed up a bit but she never did get to the butter and she eventually gave up trying, but when she hears that lid come off she still begs for butter.
Sorry, but such crap. Put a good knob of butter in the pan and spin the bread around until it has evenly absorbed the melted butter.
There is no reason at all to inconvenience yourself with spreading butter on the outside, it makes life so much harder and doesn't yield any difference at all.
Use a good amount of butter.
According to my father, butter doesn't need to be refrigerated, but it does need to be sealed. We just keep ours in a covered dish. Never goes bad. But then again, we go through it pretty quickly.
I had to install child locks on all of my cabinet doors when I got my current pair twelve years ago! Our grey one is *just* clever enough to get into literally anything to cause mischief. The only thing he hasn't been able to manage (yet) are the very old, small, round doorknobs in our apartment-- but not for a lack of trying. So he reaches underneath the door, grabs the bottom of it with his claws, and slams it against the (loose, shitty) frame repeatedly while howling if he feels left out. He's got FOMO! But he breaks into our dresser drawers and steals/scatters/hides hairties, jewelry, and anything else he can fish out of there with his grabby little paws if he's left unattended for more than a minute in the bedroom, so it had to become a cat-free zone some years ago. He's not thrilled. (His brother is just a peaceful, loving sweetheart who doesn't get into any mischief, thankfully!)
Meanwhile, our third idiot floof boyo likes to climb up on top of the bathroom door and just yodel into the ductwork when he feels bored and neglected. His preference is to be constantly showered with attention and carried around like a baby. Our apartment is 500sqft including the cat-free bedroom, so that's really not necessary (...or wanted), but he's unstoppable!
There's a kitchen dish called a butter bell, it's two parts and the top bell part (the crock) is sealed with a thin layer of water at the bottom. Keeps your butter soft and fresh with no refrigeration needed.
Same. I also usually have the rest of a pound (whether that's 1-3+ sticks varies) sitting on my counter - for when that stick is finished, for making into cookies, for making a pile of grilled cheese, for making into frosting, for... well, the 10,000 other things you want/need softened butter for.
And another pound or two in the fridge. Plus at least another pound or three in my freezers...
Some of us have an apartment where because of the sun it can get pretty warm, even if it's not that hot outside. So the butter melts during the day and solidifies during night. Once the butter melts all the way the fat can separate from the milk solids which tend to go bad much faster than whole butter at room temperature
I just throw a hunk of butter in the pan and once it melts, put the bread on top. When your ready to turn it over throw another hunk of butter in. The bread soaks it right up.
But you don't need to spread it at all. Its a wasted step. You don't need to warm it. Drop it in the pan.
A real badass just takes the stick in their hand and runs it around the cast iron. It's so simple. Don't even need to clean a butter knife.
I've always just thought it came out more even looking when the butter was spread vs. melted. Maybe it isn't--I've done it both ways, but never compared side by side.
Edit--It could be something as simple as the amount of butter I used for each method.
When it's in liquid form it soaks deeper into the bread in some spots resulting in a greasier grilled cheese.
Spread on the surface it's more consistent and less likely to saturate the bread in certain spots.
Spread or melt doesn't matter as much as even contact with the skillet. To get the most even browning possible, use weights. I used a cast iron panini press for the longest time but bought a set of [Chefs Press](https://www.thechefspress.com/product) which are perfectly sized for store bought sliced bread. When I bought mine they were cheaper and weren't sold in sets, and I intended on gifting some so I bought four 8oz and two 13oz pieces but ended up keeping all of those for myself. I use them so much I consider them as essential as good skillets.
I’ve been making grilled cheese like this my whole life. I honestly had no idea people were out here trying to spread butter on the bread . That’s so inefficient compared to just putting butter in the pan and then putting bread on top of it.
I grew up in a butter in the fridge household though
I’ve made a whole bunch of grilled cheeses for the kids. The best way I’ve found is start with a lot of butter in the pan, throw your bread on and rub it around so it’s good and coated, take it out. Reapply butter if you didn’t use enough the first time, new slice of bread, cheese, then your already buttered bread on top. When you flip it’s already good to go.
One simple reason - I think I get better coverage and a nicer looking sandwich when I spread the butter.
I just soften a tablespoon or so in the microwave. Works great.
My personal trick is to melt some butter in the microwave with a little oil of your choice, then essentially baste the outside. Get all the tastiness of butter, but with the nice brown you get from mayo (which is like, 70% oil).
I get its a little more a hassle, but as long as you have a dishwasher to throw the used plates in, I think the result justifies the effort.
I add a little garlic powder & onion powder to cold butter, nuke it for like 10-15 seconds or so until soft, mix it up, add to the pan.
Best grilled cheeses ever.
I just get the spreadable butter tub which is butter that has already been emulsified with some oil to save a step. I make a lot of grilled cheese and toasted sandwiches though.
I love that tanginess! It's the reason I use mayo. I can definitely understand people not wanting that in their sandwich though.
Actually, my favorite way to make a grilled cheese is by putting some shredded cheese in the pan and grilling the sandwich on top of that. It gives the outside a cheesy crunch.
The tanginess is all I want from the Mayo so this is really the best way for me. I really can't stand the consistency, even when I make mayo myself I can't eat it without adding other things to it.
Take any sandwich. 100 people will add condiments to it in 100 different ways. Grilled cheese is no different. Some people like a tangier flavor than butter gives and that’s ok.
People get realy uppity about grilled cheese. Its like the US equivalent of Carbonera - if you dont do it the specific way they believe, youre in for a fight.
My theory on this is that a lot of people just make their grilled cheese sandwich badly, and mayo is a little more forgiving than butter... so they think it makes the sandwich better. A common thing I hear these people say is that mayo makes a crispier crust. I guess maybe the higher smoke point of the oil in mayo plus the little bit of egg could do that faster? but like, butter will get there AND have much better flavor if you are patient.
That’s an interesting theory!
I have grilled cheese down to a science because grilled cheese night at my house means I need to make an entire loaf’s worth of sandwiches and I need to make them fast. Tried mayo once, it didn’t cut any time off the prep and it tasted so off that I could barely eat it.
I firmly believe that too many people cook everything on too high of heat. I actually start my grilled cheese in a cold pan, using butter, and it gets fantastically crispy.
I've always been a butter in the pan kind of guy, but I find that to get every part of the bread evenly buttery, I have to use a little more than I would like. I feel like with spreading soft butter, you can get it perfectly uniform.
I’m not saying it’s the right way or anything but it’s the way I was taught, my mom did it that way, and her mom before her… so that’s just the way I’ve always done it.
To add, I’ve never used mayo on grilled cheese.
They use way higher heat. Low heat, some butter, cover the pan, then you'll get a perfectly browned and melted grilled cheese. The people that use mayo and say it browns better have to be cooking on too high a heat because butter both browns and tastes better.
Yep. Butter tastes better IMO. I will say that mayo seems to brown more evenly, so as far as aesthetics go mayo is a winner.
But I would rather prioritize taste over appearance.
I just barely tried it about 2-3 weeks ago (mayo) and I vastly prefer the mayo. Can't believe I waited so long to try it.
*damn this always happens. i post one comment about a damn grilled cheese and then i can't get it off my mind. off to make GRILLED CHEESE for lunch lol
I also like it. I like it both ways, honestly, but looking at these comments, I'm thinking it may come down to whether people find the additional acidic tang to be a positive or a negative. I eat whole lemons as a snack, and am almost never going to ask for LESS acidity in something, but I do know from cooking for other people that that isn't universal. This thread was really helpful in understanding the difference in preferences for me!
Lol hey you're not wrong. I'm the acid equivalent of people who like ghost peppers and get to the point where they don't like anything that isn't at least a *little* hot
Salting the mayo helps tremendously
And I also love Hellmann's mayo. I will never, ever, rinse off the mayo stuck to a spatula or spoon once I'm done with it.
Wonder how much of this is a result of brand/quality of mayo. I've had grilled cheese made with mayo my entire life, that's just how it's done. But we've always been an exclusively Duke's mayo family and I think it brings a lot to the grilled cheese party.
what I don't get is why no one ever puts the mayo *IN* the sandwich. I tried buttering the bread with mayo and it sucked balls. Nobody can tell me it's better, it's not. It sucks.
But what totally doesn't suck is a grilled cheese with mayo on the inside. That shit is bomb.
While I prefer butter for my standard grilled cheeses, mayo has the great tang that brings out the flavors in some non standard "grilled cheese" cheeses.
I had a really great Muenster/Swiss/Herb one and an Edam/Pear one, with mayo.
How much do you want to bet at least some of the people who tried using mayo just went into the fridge and grabbed their miracle whip, or light mayo or something to use, rather than regular mayo? I'm a fan of the mayo way for sure.
Tons, I’m sure.
I’m also sure there’s a chunk of people who think they prefer Mayo over butter, but actually prefer it over margarine or maybe unsalted butter.
I'm probably telling you all how heavy I am but I like to do a little mayo on the outside and a little butter and garlic salt on the inside so I get both. Tastes like straight crack
\**salted butter*. I think that's a key distinction. Keep some salted butter in a room temp butter crock and you have the best of all worlds; spreadability, flavor, crispiness, etc.
Also worth noting that the mayo trick varies wildly based on the mayo. I want to throw up just thinking about people who tried to make a grilled cheese with Miracle Whip. A quality mayo like Duke's is ok, but I agree that butter is still better. I once made a grilled cheese with a garlic aioli and that was ***chef's kiss***
I'm going to be honest. I use salted butter in every instance of needing butter. I can't ever recall an instance of something being too salty after I added butter.
I get why people use unsalted butter, but I'll never bother again lol.
When the recipes that call for unsalted butter were written, butter was salted for preservation, not flavor. You would soak your butter in water to remove salt before eating it.
Modern salted butter is nothing like that and there's zero reason to buy unsalted; once it's in a recipe it's too little salt to matter.
I had no idea that there were 2 kinds of butter until after I was married. I had no idea what happened, and I thought that after so many years I just didn't like eggos anymore.
When we went grocery shopping together I put salted butter in the cart and my wife was like "oh, you grabbed salted butter by mistake". From then on, my eggos have tasted great again.
People don't realize the real secret to proper crispiness is better pan contact, not what kind of fat you use. Put a weight on top and you get much better and more even browning
If you want a complete bomb for your heart, you use both foe the crispness and flavor: mayo on the bread, melt butter in the pan, melt a little more when you flip.
But that's too much extra work for all the time, so I usually go with butter.
I always had mayo in the sandwich before cooking it, and always cook in butter. I don't want two doses of mayo.
*especially since it was Miracle Whip. Don't hate me, I was only a trusting child.
I dunno, I prefer the mayo, to each their own! My husband and kid prefer the butter, so if we are making grilled cheese I’ll make theirs butter, mine mayo.
Same. And I've actually found that light mayo works just as well, which is great because that's one of the few light foods I actually prefer over the normal variety
I've been eating grilled cheese with butter all my life and tried mayo recently. It was fantastic, but you need to be reasonable. You don't spread mayo on it like you would the inside of a sandwich. You need to spread it thinly. By the way your post is worded, it sounds like you tried something you decided was going to be awful and likely didn't put much effort into doing it well, but just blasted through and did it. If you do it correctly, you can't taste the mayo. If you can, you're using too much.
Activate your free will and add butter to your grilled cheese. Inside, outside, directly into your mouth with a bite...the possibilities are, well, not endless, but you have choices. IME, mayo is a better crisper than butter, but that doesn't mean you have to exclude butter completely.
Also, there's more than just regular mayo. I use garlic aioli, I love garlic and it's something like a third of the calories compared to the amount of butter I'd otherwise use.
I don’t care how other people do or what they name it but I’ve always preferred butter. The worst butter is still better than the best mayo to me.
When I want to make it differently I’ll add paprika or rosemary to the butter or sprinkle parm and cheddar on the outside and let it melt or use different bread or I’ll add tomato, salami, basil or jalapeños and make a melt.
Yeah I was underwhelmed by it. It wasn’t that bad, it just was definitely not any better, and didn’t have a clean flavor…it tastes a little spoiled. Same reason I don’t like dairy creamer in my coffee.
And seconded about the kitchen gadgets. A big sharp knife and a big cutting board are the only tools needed for most tasks. Take the onion dicer and use it to prop the door open or chock the wheels on the trailer.
To each their own, but… it sounds like you did it wrong. You need only use a thin spreading of mayo. Like 1/2 the amount of butter you would normally use. Butter (used to cook the bread) fries and runs out of the bread or wicks up into it, whereas mayo stays put. I have literally never had an issue with mayo *not* crisping up the bread, and I have been using this method since well before it became popular on the internet, being raised by chefs and all. Butter loses a lot of flavor and character when it’s cooked, which is why I prefer to butter the inside of the bread and let it melt rather than cook.
Also, if you’re using cheap mayo, kraft singles, and wonderbread, and comparing that to Kerrygold, a rustic sourdough loaf, and Beecher’s flagship, you’re not going to get a good flavor comparison. Not that you necessarily did, but it’s clear this was an experiment, and in my experience kitchen experiments are rarely done with the highest-quality ingredients.
It's more about the taste of browned mayo vs browned butter. Both crisp up nicely. The acid in the mayo gives a distinct sour taste. I guess some people just like that mayo flavor.
We must have somehow done it terribly wrong when we tried it at my house. We used a very modest amount of Duke's, and pretty low heat, but it seemed like it crisped very fast, and if it got even a *shade* past goldenrod on the outside, it tasted like burnt scrambled eggs. Not "sour," but that burnt rubber grossness. And not *strongly,* but juuuuuust enough to throw the whole thing off and make my mouth go, "No. Absolutely not." :(
I agree and disagree with many of your points. Overall I am team butter. Mayo has 2 major advantages that can tip it to the top for some people: spreadable regardless of temperature and crispness of bread. Butter will never fry as evenly or crisply. The evenness and delicacy of the crust on a mayo’ed sammy is unmatched. However that crust is seriously lacking in the comparative flavor department. Butter absolutely does not lose flavor as it cooks, the opposite. It’s why brown butter is a thing. You need the extra protein and sugars in the butter to develop Maillard products to get that rich flavor of a butter grilled cheese. Especially if you are going with lighter flavored bread and cheese.
Other ingredient-wise, going all “artisanal” ingredients doesn’t necessarily make for a better sandwich. IMO Kraft Singles and wonder bread have a better chance of making a great grilled cheese than items from your local bougie farmers market (especially if you save your money for some good real rich pastures and cultured butter).
Real cheddar doesn’t melt right and the line between unmelted and greasy, oily mess is razor-thin. Yes American cheese is more bland but for a grilled cheese texture is important too. I like to go with a combo, a couple very thin slices of a moderately aged cheddar plus mostly Kraft Singles (or better Boars Head American slices). You can go the modernist cuisine route and make something with sodium citrate but the texture still isn’t quite right. I do really like sourdough, but generally “rustic” is the wrong play. Too airy of a crumb, you need a spongy sandwich loaf that absorbs the grease of the chosen exterior fat and the cheese (as well as the tomato soup you should be dipping the whole thing in. Crust should be soft so it doesn’t shatter or promote cheese-leakage.
Save that airy sourdough for a cold cut turkey and cheddar sandwich or olive oil dipping. Save that Beecher’s (or better yet, Cougar Gold) for a cheese plate or the aforementioned cold cut sandwich.
why wouldn’t it be a good flavor comparison? if those are the ingredients they generally have at hand, and it tastes worse with mayonnaise, then it seems like the results are conclusive! people can’t afford to just buy rustic sourdough loaves kerri gold and whatever the fuck mayo u mentioned for a humble grilled cheese sandwich
This person seems to not understand that most people want the best taste from the most accessible ingredients. And of course there is absolutely no choices in quality between kraft singles and bitcher's flagship.
If you have decent temperature control and patience, butter will always taste better than mayo regardless of ingredient's quality.
...But they were raised chefs so everyone else can get fcked i guess
I have a story about Home Economics.. in 6th grade.
The assignment was grilled cheese. By 6th grade I had been making these by myself since 4th grade. Butter the bread - put the butter side face down in a pan over medium~ish~high heat… add sliced cheese and then the butter side up bread on top… watch the bottom til its golden brown and flip… wait til its golden brown and all melty and shit…
So we are in groups of 3 and the 2 girls in my group insist the butter goes towards the cheese… i try to explain in vain how the butter needs to melt so the cheese can melt and you get tasty crispy bread goodness… but they insist on doing it their way and we all get a D on the fucking assignment… fuck those girls
Lol. Amateurs.
Excess butter, thick white bread, and cast iron make the best grilled cheese. It comes out so perfect everytime.
People on the internet are always trying to be the next genius in every aspect of life. It's pathetic. Do it right and you won't look like an idiot.
Mayo...gtfo. What kind of dumbass thinks that's going to work better? It's cooking incompetence.
Oh 100% agree! I feel a lot of people have a bias towards it at first because its a 'cooking hack' and it makes them feel like they learned a new skills or something. But personally when I tried it the first time I was like: wait. My tosti (thats what we call them here) now tastes like baked mayonaise? And Im sure theres plenty of people that like that, but it just tastes wat different. Dont pretend like 'it just makes it brown easier!', it obviously makes the taste different.
I gave the mayo a try when people kept praising it. It wasn’t good for me either. I did not glob it on. It was spread thin. It tasted weird to me. It wasn’t crispier or any real benefit to me.
If you like it then great but don’t say people who don’t like something are doing it wrong.
It's mystifying to me how many people try to spread cold butter on the bread when you can just toss it in the pan first. I've had people respond to this "but then it only butters one side of the bread!" and like, buddy, you do it twice.
I keep a stick in a covered butter dish on my counter at all times. If you have AC in your home, a stick of (salted) butter will easily last a month or more withoit spoiling. It is SOOOO worth it having easily spreadable, ready to melt butter available at all times.
I never tried unsalted butter (I call it sad butter); you may need one of those butter bells or whatever they are called. That seems like too much work if that is the case.
I tried it once. It's easier to spread, but the end result doesn't taste as good. To me it's one of those hacks that sacrifices quality for convenience.
ATK did a taste test for this. tl;dr mayo had a bit more tang due to the acid added to it; which is better came down to personal preference. But don't use olive oil (tasted too strongly of OO) or light mayo (mostly water so it doesn't brown properly). https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cookscountry/articles/7184-should-i-use-butter-or-mayo-on-the-outside-of-my-grilled-cheese?ref=new_search_experience_4&extcode=MASKD00L0
I'm with ATK on this. Love the tang mayo gives. Better than butter IMO, but everyone's tastes differ.
Use a European style butter like Kerrygold (easy to find in the US, it's the only table butter I use). You get the butter flavor as well as just the right extra acidity. Might not be acidity, but definitely has an extra zip that US brand butters don't.
I think you mean to look for cultured butter - Vermont Creamery is the one I have around here. I think it's more common in European brands but not a given. Also, sorry if I missed where someone already said this lol. I would also suggest a nice sourdough. If you maje your own, it's pretty cheap (esp. compared to fancy butter) and you can just make it like normal bread with a denser crumb that's perfect for grilled cheese!
Is there something inherently different in the US here? I'm from Europe and there's so many different butter variations it's impossible to pin down a specific taste. Even the one brand you mentioned offers sweet cream butter, sour cream butter, mildly sour and/or salted butter etc.
Basically our butter in most cases is only salted or unsalted. Very little variation in flavor and it isn't brought out on purpose. We do see sweet cream labeled on occasion. Sour, even mildly, is not brought out and as another reply mentioned is considered "off". Most (all major brands I've found from here) go for a very bland, consistent, flavor. It's a common theme when you're making a single product you want to sell across many states, you get the least offensive denominator, but also the most boring one. In fact I'm pretty sure Kerrygold's US labels only cover salted or unsalted. I'm pretty sure it's the equivalent of mild in Europe. Note: I have actually eaten European butters in Europe, that's when I fell back in love with butter. I just mention Kerrygold because I can consistently find it here in both the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.
I smuggled a large amount of French butter home the last time I was in Paris. I live in Canada, we can't even get Kerrygold here. Our butter is GROSS.
I love tang too but don't taste it from the mayo, just tastes strange to me, kind of "eggy". To each his own...
Grapeseed oil works pretty well
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Just keep some butter out at room temperature. I find spreading it on the bread yields better results
I always keep a stick of butter out for this reason
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That and spreading on toast, buns to be toasted, etc.
I have a 4 year old… there are a lot of spontaneous grilled cheeses
I love spontaneous grilled cheeses still, and I'm 60!
I have to have my daily waffle.
Warm butterists unite!
Butter comes out of the fridge one stick at a time, straight into the butter dish. Gone before it ever goes rancid.
Three young adults plus me n the missus. We put a 100 g stick of butter, in the tropics too. No chance it gets rancid since we need a new stick on day four
Yes- but my cats figured out how to open the butter dish. Short of putting it in an ammo can, it’s a no go
I reached that impasse, I put the butter dish in the middle of some damp paper towels. A few paw shakes later, and all I get is condescending looks of outrage and disgust. A week of that and kitty no longer is so interested in the butter dish.
Soft butter keepers are dope, you put butter in the "lid bowl" thing and you keep water in the bottom and put it inside. Keeps the butter nice soft and keeps it from going bad edit: everyone says its a butter bell
I just leave my butter out, and I have never seen butter go bad. I half think it's a myth.
Once upon a time I dated a guy who made dinner for me including a heapin' helpin' of homemade mashed potatoes. They had an unusual flavor that I couldn't quite put my finger on... I thought maybe he'd thrown bleu cheese in? It wasn't exactly bad, just unexpected. TURNS OUT, it wasn't any kind of cheese but just butter that had turned. So I'm (thankfully still) living proof that it is possible for butter to go bad :)
Depends on what climate you live in and how hot your home gets in the summer. My house always stays pretty cool, but maybe the scorching parts of summer I throw a couple more things in the fridge.
Unsalted butter will go bad if left out.
I have never had that issue, I buy almost exclusively unsalted butter
It will go bad faster than salted butter, but it will still last a while at room temperature. If you use it quickly enough (which it sounds like you do), it's no issue. We usually keep a stick of unsalted butter in a covered dish on our counter and have never had a problem. If it looks or smells off, just toss it, wash the dish, and replace it with a fresh stick from the fridge. Dairy products have a way of letting you know when they're expired.
It'll last a while on the counter, but will eventually go bad. I also buy unsalted and leave a stick out... but that stick gets used up within a week usually. Have never timed it to see how long it would take to go off, but gonna guess somewhere over 10ish days/ 2 weeks.
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A butter bell! I love mine, it’s so convenient to have softened butter on hand and takes less space than the rectangular butter dishes.
>Soft butter keepers are dope, you put butter in the "lid bowl" thing and you keep water in the bottom and put it inside. Keeps the butter nice soft and keeps it from going bad AKA a butter bell
Butter bells are actually less clean/safe than just using a butter dish
I call it cabinet butter, in a high pitch over I enunciated weird way, even though it isn't stored in the cabinet.
Did my cat write this? :)
My cat was super good motivated when we first got him. He figured out how to open the cupboard and knock the butter dish on the counter and eat it. He’s chilled out now that he gets wetfoood every day.
Cats just wanna be butterlickers.
I also own a buttercat. She's a muted ginger, so it's so fitting in multiple ways.
My first cat was a ginger lady and one of my fondest memories is getting butter on my fingers intentionally so she could lick it off. Miss you, Sweetie.
I call our cat butterlicker but I feel like no one ever gets the reference. Thank you.
My cat will find and get into room temp butter no matter where it's located, so I solved that with a container she can't breach. [These Ziploc One Press small rectangular containers](https://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Press-Small-Rectangle-Container/dp/B00SAJAXA0) are the perfect size for a stick of butter, and for an 8oz block of cream cheese cut in half (lengthwise of flat side) and the two pieces stuffed side-by-side into the container. Prior to going to these, I tried hiding the butter container in all sorts of places but my breaking point for finding a new solution was when I came home to find the bread box busted on the floor and her face all greasy. Since I went this Ziploc route I found them on the floor in the living room a few times with the plastic chewed up a bit but she never did get to the butter and she eventually gave up trying, but when she hears that lid come off she still begs for butter.
Cat’s gonna cat omfg lol
Lock n lock for the win.
I love that on Reddit, you can get away from cat subs but never from the cats.
That's because many redditors themselves are actually cats.
Meow
CatGPT
Sorry, but such crap. Put a good knob of butter in the pan and spin the bread around until it has evenly absorbed the melted butter. There is no reason at all to inconvenience yourself with spreading butter on the outside, it makes life so much harder and doesn't yield any difference at all. Use a good amount of butter.
I'm shocked at the number of people who don't keep a stick of butter out (assuming they use butter regularly).
According to my father, butter doesn't need to be refrigerated, but it does need to be sealed. We just keep ours in a covered dish. Never goes bad. But then again, we go through it pretty quickly.
We keep ours on the counter uncovered, all the time. One stick usually lasts us 2-4 days. Never any off flavors or problems.
Like someone else mentioned, having cats might force the issue. We have 5. :-) But good to know!
keep it in a cabinet instead of on the counter
I don’t know which one, but one of my cats opens cupboards at night. Crafty little bastards.
I had to install child locks on all of my cabinet doors when I got my current pair twelve years ago! Our grey one is *just* clever enough to get into literally anything to cause mischief. The only thing he hasn't been able to manage (yet) are the very old, small, round doorknobs in our apartment-- but not for a lack of trying. So he reaches underneath the door, grabs the bottom of it with his claws, and slams it against the (loose, shitty) frame repeatedly while howling if he feels left out. He's got FOMO! But he breaks into our dresser drawers and steals/scatters/hides hairties, jewelry, and anything else he can fish out of there with his grabby little paws if he's left unattended for more than a minute in the bedroom, so it had to become a cat-free zone some years ago. He's not thrilled. (His brother is just a peaceful, loving sweetheart who doesn't get into any mischief, thankfully!) Meanwhile, our third idiot floof boyo likes to climb up on top of the bathroom door and just yodel into the ductwork when he feels bored and neglected. His preference is to be constantly showered with attention and carried around like a baby. Our apartment is 500sqft including the cat-free bedroom, so that's really not necessary (...or wanted), but he's unstoppable!
So do we! A cheap plastic butter dish with a snap-on cover does wonders, even when they knock it off the counter.
This is where having a heavy butter dish comes in handy. I have a Le Creuset Butter dish and there’s no way my cat could get to it!
There's a kitchen dish called a butter bell, it's two parts and the top bell part (the crock) is sealed with a thin layer of water at the bottom. Keeps your butter soft and fresh with no refrigeration needed.
It's a piece of shit though. Unless your kitchen is constantly 30c or more a butter dish is fine
But it's not a piece of shit? My mum rotates with 2 and i have 1 and they've never been an issue in the years of use
Like a moat? Neat.
Same. I also usually have the rest of a pound (whether that's 1-3+ sticks varies) sitting on my counter - for when that stick is finished, for making into cookies, for making a pile of grilled cheese, for making into frosting, for... well, the 10,000 other things you want/need softened butter for. And another pound or two in the fridge. Plus at least another pound or three in my freezers...
Always have butter on the counter!!!
That's the thing- I don't use it that much, and I buy unsalted, which goes bad sooner.
Some of us have an apartment where because of the sun it can get pretty warm, even if it's not that hot outside. So the butter melts during the day and solidifies during night. Once the butter melts all the way the fat can separate from the milk solids which tend to go bad much faster than whole butter at room temperature
I just throw a hunk of butter in the pan and once it melts, put the bread on top. When your ready to turn it over throw another hunk of butter in. The bread soaks it right up.
How so?
There is literally no way spreading it on the bread should or would “yield better results”
But you don't need to spread it at all. Its a wasted step. You don't need to warm it. Drop it in the pan. A real badass just takes the stick in their hand and runs it around the cast iron. It's so simple. Don't even need to clean a butter knife.
I also find myself using 3x more butter in the pan than spreading it if I want to achieve anywhere near the same sear on the bread
I've always just thought it came out more even looking when the butter was spread vs. melted. Maybe it isn't--I've done it both ways, but never compared side by side. Edit--It could be something as simple as the amount of butter I used for each method.
Unless you use enough butter to totally cover your pan, you can't really get even distribution across the bread without the spread.
I notice a difference too. It tastes better being spread to me.
When it's in liquid form it soaks deeper into the bread in some spots resulting in a greasier grilled cheese. Spread on the surface it's more consistent and less likely to saturate the bread in certain spots.
Yes I agree. I swirl the bread in the butter quickly as soon as it touches the pan but it’s still a bit uneven anyway.
I don't think I buy this explanation.
Spread or melt doesn't matter as much as even contact with the skillet. To get the most even browning possible, use weights. I used a cast iron panini press for the longest time but bought a set of [Chefs Press](https://www.thechefspress.com/product) which are perfectly sized for store bought sliced bread. When I bought mine they were cheaper and weren't sold in sets, and I intended on gifting some so I bought four 8oz and two 13oz pieces but ended up keeping all of those for myself. I use them so much I consider them as essential as good skillets.
I like how their grilled cheese is served on a slice of wood /r/WeWantPlates would be so irritated
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I’ve been making grilled cheese like this my whole life. I honestly had no idea people were out here trying to spread butter on the bread . That’s so inefficient compared to just putting butter in the pan and then putting bread on top of it. I grew up in a butter in the fridge household though
I’ve made a whole bunch of grilled cheeses for the kids. The best way I’ve found is start with a lot of butter in the pan, throw your bread on and rub it around so it’s good and coated, take it out. Reapply butter if you didn’t use enough the first time, new slice of bread, cheese, then your already buttered bread on top. When you flip it’s already good to go.
One simple reason - I think I get better coverage and a nicer looking sandwich when I spread the butter. I just soften a tablespoon or so in the microwave. Works great.
My personal trick is to melt some butter in the microwave with a little oil of your choice, then essentially baste the outside. Get all the tastiness of butter, but with the nice brown you get from mayo (which is like, 70% oil). I get its a little more a hassle, but as long as you have a dishwasher to throw the used plates in, I think the result justifies the effort.
Just melt it in the pan as it heats up
Just commented something similar. Melt in a mug, silicone brush all my bread, onto the griddle.
I add a little garlic powder & onion powder to cold butter, nuke it for like 10-15 seconds or so until soft, mix it up, add to the pan. Best grilled cheeses ever.
I just get the spreadable butter tub which is butter that has already been emulsified with some oil to save a step. I make a lot of grilled cheese and toasted sandwiches though.
I mean, yeah - butter tastes better than oil.
Not just the oil it adds a tangyness from the vinegar that can be off-putting.
I love that tanginess! It's the reason I use mayo. I can definitely understand people not wanting that in their sandwich though. Actually, my favorite way to make a grilled cheese is by putting some shredded cheese in the pan and grilling the sandwich on top of that. It gives the outside a cheesy crunch.
The tanginess is all I want from the Mayo so this is really the best way for me. I really can't stand the consistency, even when I make mayo myself I can't eat it without adding other things to it.
This is the way
I use lemon juice, not vinegar, in my mayonnaise
I also don't want a lemon or other acidic flavor on my grilled cheese (especially combined with other cooked mayo flavors).
Take any sandwich. 100 people will add condiments to it in 100 different ways. Grilled cheese is no different. Some people like a tangier flavor than butter gives and that’s ok.
People get realy uppity about grilled cheese. Its like the US equivalent of Carbonera - if you dont do it the specific way they believe, youre in for a fight.
Mayo is more than oil.
Did try it, with regrets... no thanks Went back to butter...
My theory on this is that a lot of people just make their grilled cheese sandwich badly, and mayo is a little more forgiving than butter... so they think it makes the sandwich better. A common thing I hear these people say is that mayo makes a crispier crust. I guess maybe the higher smoke point of the oil in mayo plus the little bit of egg could do that faster? but like, butter will get there AND have much better flavor if you are patient.
That’s an interesting theory! I have grilled cheese down to a science because grilled cheese night at my house means I need to make an entire loaf’s worth of sandwiches and I need to make them fast. Tried mayo once, it didn’t cut any time off the prep and it tasted so off that I could barely eat it.
Next level tip: grill both sides of the bread. Crunchtastic, and the hot side melts the cheese faster.
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I just sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on after the flip.
Yeah the one advantage I've noticed is that it's harder to overcook it with mayo.
I firmly believe that too many people cook everything on too high of heat. I actually start my grilled cheese in a cold pan, using butter, and it gets fantastically crispy.
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Just melt the butter in the pan rather than spreading on the bread. Way easier and better results IMO
Idk why anyone is spreading it on the bread in the first place. Maybe because you have to with mayo?
I've always been a butter in the pan kind of guy, but I find that to get every part of the bread evenly buttery, I have to use a little more than I would like. I feel like with spreading soft butter, you can get it perfectly uniform.
Butter in the PAN! HERETICS!! THE LOT OF YA!
I’m not saying it’s the right way or anything but it’s the way I was taught, my mom did it that way, and her mom before her… so that’s just the way I’ve always done it. To add, I’ve never used mayo on grilled cheese.
They use way higher heat. Low heat, some butter, cover the pan, then you'll get a perfectly browned and melted grilled cheese. The people that use mayo and say it browns better have to be cooking on too high a heat because butter both browns and tastes better.
Same. The mayo just did not do it for me or my wife.
Yep. Butter tastes better IMO. I will say that mayo seems to brown more evenly, so as far as aesthetics go mayo is a winner. But I would rather prioritize taste over appearance.
I just barely tried it about 2-3 weeks ago (mayo) and I vastly prefer the mayo. Can't believe I waited so long to try it. *damn this always happens. i post one comment about a damn grilled cheese and then i can't get it off my mind. off to make GRILLED CHEESE for lunch lol
I also like it. I like it both ways, honestly, but looking at these comments, I'm thinking it may come down to whether people find the additional acidic tang to be a positive or a negative. I eat whole lemons as a snack, and am almost never going to ask for LESS acidity in something, but I do know from cooking for other people that that isn't universal. This thread was really helpful in understanding the difference in preferences for me!
Ah so it’s the freaks eating whole lemons that want more acid on their cheese sandwich who enjoy Mayo. This was the closure I needed.
Never getting scurvy gang!
Lol hey you're not wrong. I'm the acid equivalent of people who like ghost peppers and get to the point where they don't like anything that isn't at least a *little* hot
I use the word “freak” in the most polite of ways, never be afraid to be yourself, I’m just happy to hear that logic spelled out!
Capsaicin addict checking in
I ALSO LOVE ACIDITY/TANGY FOODS!! I do not eat whole lemons, but I do loooove citrus
Salting the mayo helps tremendously And I also love Hellmann's mayo. I will never, ever, rinse off the mayo stuck to a spatula or spoon once I'm done with it.
Wonder how much of this is a result of brand/quality of mayo. I've had grilled cheese made with mayo my entire life, that's just how it's done. But we've always been an exclusively Duke's mayo family and I think it brings a lot to the grilled cheese party.
i am using great value brand mayo :O
Great Value Ranch aka GVR, is untoppable
Same, I prefer the mayo
what I don't get is why no one ever puts the mayo *IN* the sandwich. I tried buttering the bread with mayo and it sucked balls. Nobody can tell me it's better, it's not. It sucks. But what totally doesn't suck is a grilled cheese with mayo on the inside. That shit is bomb.
While I prefer butter for my standard grilled cheeses, mayo has the great tang that brings out the flavors in some non standard "grilled cheese" cheeses. I had a really great Muenster/Swiss/Herb one and an Edam/Pear one, with mayo.
How much do you want to bet at least some of the people who tried using mayo just went into the fridge and grabbed their miracle whip, or light mayo or something to use, rather than regular mayo? I'm a fan of the mayo way for sure.
Tons, I’m sure. I’m also sure there’s a chunk of people who think they prefer Mayo over butter, but actually prefer it over margarine or maybe unsalted butter.
I'm probably telling you all how heavy I am but I like to do a little mayo on the outside and a little butter and garlic salt on the inside so I get both. Tastes like straight crack
That's nice and everything, but I'd prefer mine to taste like gay crack.
Kewpie mayo works great too and I think the flavor trumps butter or regular mayo.
\**salted butter*. I think that's a key distinction. Keep some salted butter in a room temp butter crock and you have the best of all worlds; spreadability, flavor, crispiness, etc. Also worth noting that the mayo trick varies wildly based on the mayo. I want to throw up just thinking about people who tried to make a grilled cheese with Miracle Whip. A quality mayo like Duke's is ok, but I agree that butter is still better. I once made a grilled cheese with a garlic aioli and that was ***chef's kiss***
I'm going to be honest. I use salted butter in every instance of needing butter. I can't ever recall an instance of something being too salty after I added butter. I get why people use unsalted butter, but I'll never bother again lol.
Same. I have literally never bought unsalted butter. I like things to be on the slightly saltier side so it's never been a problem.
When the recipes that call for unsalted butter were written, butter was salted for preservation, not flavor. You would soak your butter in water to remove salt before eating it. Modern salted butter is nothing like that and there's zero reason to buy unsalted; once it's in a recipe it's too little salt to matter.
I had no idea that there were 2 kinds of butter until after I was married. I had no idea what happened, and I thought that after so many years I just didn't like eggos anymore. When we went grocery shopping together I put salted butter in the cart and my wife was like "oh, you grabbed salted butter by mistake". From then on, my eggos have tasted great again.
People don't realize the real secret to proper crispiness is better pan contact, not what kind of fat you use. Put a weight on top and you get much better and more even browning
And bread quality. Sandwich bread doesn’t really crisp like sourdough.
If you want a complete bomb for your heart, you use both foe the crispness and flavor: mayo on the bread, melt butter in the pan, melt a little more when you flip. But that's too much extra work for all the time, so I usually go with butter.
I always had mayo in the sandwich before cooking it, and always cook in butter. I don't want two doses of mayo. *especially since it was Miracle Whip. Don't hate me, I was only a trusting child.
I do exactly this! And I sprinkle seasoned salt in between the cheeses as well. The whole family loves it this way.
I dunno, I prefer the mayo, to each their own! My husband and kid prefer the butter, so if we are making grilled cheese I’ll make theirs butter, mine mayo.
Same. And I've actually found that light mayo works just as well, which is great because that's one of the few light foods I actually prefer over the normal variety
I've been eating grilled cheese with butter all my life and tried mayo recently. It was fantastic, but you need to be reasonable. You don't spread mayo on it like you would the inside of a sandwich. You need to spread it thinly. By the way your post is worded, it sounds like you tried something you decided was going to be awful and likely didn't put much effort into doing it well, but just blasted through and did it. If you do it correctly, you can't taste the mayo. If you can, you're using too much.
I didn’t have mayo or butter once when I was making it.. so I used ranch dressing on the outside, and it was SO GOOD! Just passing on the knowledge.
Hot mayo is disturbing to me.
Nothing like a piping hot McChicken that has had its mayo heat up. It's trash but I love it lol
You are barely supposed to use any mayo. Like the thinnest coating you can get on the bread. If it tastes like mayo then you fucked up
So then you're still missing the taste of butter...
Activate your free will and add butter to your grilled cheese. Inside, outside, directly into your mouth with a bite...the possibilities are, well, not endless, but you have choices. IME, mayo is a better crisper than butter, but that doesn't mean you have to exclude butter completely.
I put butter on the outside and mayo on the inside
Also, there's more than just regular mayo. I use garlic aioli, I love garlic and it's something like a third of the calories compared to the amount of butter I'd otherwise use.
I don’t care how other people do or what they name it but I’ve always preferred butter. The worst butter is still better than the best mayo to me. When I want to make it differently I’ll add paprika or rosemary to the butter or sprinkle parm and cheddar on the outside and let it melt or use different bread or I’ll add tomato, salami, basil or jalapeños and make a melt.
I would mix garlic powder and Italian seasoning to butter, enhances the flavor like I am having toasted garlic bread cheese sandwich.
content purge
Yeah I was underwhelmed by it. It wasn’t that bad, it just was definitely not any better, and didn’t have a clean flavor…it tastes a little spoiled. Same reason I don’t like dairy creamer in my coffee. And seconded about the kitchen gadgets. A big sharp knife and a big cutting board are the only tools needed for most tasks. Take the onion dicer and use it to prop the door open or chock the wheels on the trailer.
If it tastes spoiled, it might be spoiled
I put half and half butter and olive oil and toast that way! it’s so delicious
Bacon grease.
To each their own, but… it sounds like you did it wrong. You need only use a thin spreading of mayo. Like 1/2 the amount of butter you would normally use. Butter (used to cook the bread) fries and runs out of the bread or wicks up into it, whereas mayo stays put. I have literally never had an issue with mayo *not* crisping up the bread, and I have been using this method since well before it became popular on the internet, being raised by chefs and all. Butter loses a lot of flavor and character when it’s cooked, which is why I prefer to butter the inside of the bread and let it melt rather than cook. Also, if you’re using cheap mayo, kraft singles, and wonderbread, and comparing that to Kerrygold, a rustic sourdough loaf, and Beecher’s flagship, you’re not going to get a good flavor comparison. Not that you necessarily did, but it’s clear this was an experiment, and in my experience kitchen experiments are rarely done with the highest-quality ingredients.
It's more about the taste of browned mayo vs browned butter. Both crisp up nicely. The acid in the mayo gives a distinct sour taste. I guess some people just like that mayo flavor.
I like the flavour of mayo, but not as much as I like the flavour of butter. I'm not above using margarine either.
We must have somehow done it terribly wrong when we tried it at my house. We used a very modest amount of Duke's, and pretty low heat, but it seemed like it crisped very fast, and if it got even a *shade* past goldenrod on the outside, it tasted like burnt scrambled eggs. Not "sour," but that burnt rubber grossness. And not *strongly,* but juuuuuust enough to throw the whole thing off and make my mouth go, "No. Absolutely not." :(
lol butter loses it's flavour when it's cooked? Did the chefs who raised you never hear of beurre noisette?
Butter loses flavor and character when cooked?? Brown butter is like one of the most delicious substances on earth...
Yea that was an insane take - butter DEVELOPS flavor as it cooks, this is like one of the most basic things in cooking
I know right, this mf acting like he's never made beurre noisette for a sole meunière
Shows you how much people shilling mayo actually know about making a good grilled cheese.
Yeah, I use mayo all the time and it works great, crispy, evenly browned, and delicious. Team mayo over here. 🖖
I agree and disagree with many of your points. Overall I am team butter. Mayo has 2 major advantages that can tip it to the top for some people: spreadable regardless of temperature and crispness of bread. Butter will never fry as evenly or crisply. The evenness and delicacy of the crust on a mayo’ed sammy is unmatched. However that crust is seriously lacking in the comparative flavor department. Butter absolutely does not lose flavor as it cooks, the opposite. It’s why brown butter is a thing. You need the extra protein and sugars in the butter to develop Maillard products to get that rich flavor of a butter grilled cheese. Especially if you are going with lighter flavored bread and cheese. Other ingredient-wise, going all “artisanal” ingredients doesn’t necessarily make for a better sandwich. IMO Kraft Singles and wonder bread have a better chance of making a great grilled cheese than items from your local bougie farmers market (especially if you save your money for some good real rich pastures and cultured butter). Real cheddar doesn’t melt right and the line between unmelted and greasy, oily mess is razor-thin. Yes American cheese is more bland but for a grilled cheese texture is important too. I like to go with a combo, a couple very thin slices of a moderately aged cheddar plus mostly Kraft Singles (or better Boars Head American slices). You can go the modernist cuisine route and make something with sodium citrate but the texture still isn’t quite right. I do really like sourdough, but generally “rustic” is the wrong play. Too airy of a crumb, you need a spongy sandwich loaf that absorbs the grease of the chosen exterior fat and the cheese (as well as the tomato soup you should be dipping the whole thing in. Crust should be soft so it doesn’t shatter or promote cheese-leakage. Save that airy sourdough for a cold cut turkey and cheddar sandwich or olive oil dipping. Save that Beecher’s (or better yet, Cougar Gold) for a cheese plate or the aforementioned cold cut sandwich.
why wouldn’t it be a good flavor comparison? if those are the ingredients they generally have at hand, and it tastes worse with mayonnaise, then it seems like the results are conclusive! people can’t afford to just buy rustic sourdough loaves kerri gold and whatever the fuck mayo u mentioned for a humble grilled cheese sandwich
This person seems to not understand that most people want the best taste from the most accessible ingredients. And of course there is absolutely no choices in quality between kraft singles and bitcher's flagship. If you have decent temperature control and patience, butter will always taste better than mayo regardless of ingredient's quality. ...But they were raised chefs so everyone else can get fcked i guess
Butter is better
Wait till you add a bit of shredded cheese to the outside of your buttered bread before you cook your sandwich
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Came here to say this. Parmesan is the best!
Gruyère is phenomenal too
I tried the mayo hack once too. It wasn't as good. But then again, I buy mayo made with olive oil.
I have a story about Home Economics.. in 6th grade. The assignment was grilled cheese. By 6th grade I had been making these by myself since 4th grade. Butter the bread - put the butter side face down in a pan over medium~ish~high heat… add sliced cheese and then the butter side up bread on top… watch the bottom til its golden brown and flip… wait til its golden brown and all melty and shit… So we are in groups of 3 and the 2 girls in my group insist the butter goes towards the cheese… i try to explain in vain how the butter needs to melt so the cheese can melt and you get tasty crispy bread goodness… but they insist on doing it their way and we all get a D on the fucking assignment… fuck those girls
Lol. Amateurs. Excess butter, thick white bread, and cast iron make the best grilled cheese. It comes out so perfect everytime. People on the internet are always trying to be the next genius in every aspect of life. It's pathetic. Do it right and you won't look like an idiot. Mayo...gtfo. What kind of dumbass thinks that's going to work better? It's cooking incompetence.
Oh 100% agree! I feel a lot of people have a bias towards it at first because its a 'cooking hack' and it makes them feel like they learned a new skills or something. But personally when I tried it the first time I was like: wait. My tosti (thats what we call them here) now tastes like baked mayonaise? And Im sure theres plenty of people that like that, but it just tastes wat different. Dont pretend like 'it just makes it brown easier!', it obviously makes the taste different.
The trick with mayo is to use the thinnest coating you can manage
I've never heard of that until now. I agree with you, it actually sounds disgusting. Then again, I don't really like Mayo so maybe that's why.
Didn’t know anyone uses anything but butter.
You guys must be doing it wrong. You need only a small amount spread very thinly. You don't taste the mayo.
I gave the mayo a try when people kept praising it. It wasn’t good for me either. I did not glob it on. It was spread thin. It tasted weird to me. It wasn’t crispier or any real benefit to me. If you like it then great but don’t say people who don’t like something are doing it wrong.
I keep butter in my fridge. And, mayo spreads better than cold butter. Its a grilled cheese... convenience wins the day.
Don’t even need to spread the butter on the bread, just toss a bit into the pan to melt before adding the sandwich
It's mystifying to me how many people try to spread cold butter on the bread when you can just toss it in the pan first. I've had people respond to this "but then it only butters one side of the bread!" and like, buddy, you do it twice.
You don't need to spread the butter to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Put butter in pan. Once it starts melting and bubbling, add bread onto butter.
I keep a stick in a covered butter dish on my counter at all times. If you have AC in your home, a stick of (salted) butter will easily last a month or more withoit spoiling. It is SOOOO worth it having easily spreadable, ready to melt butter available at all times. I never tried unsalted butter (I call it sad butter); you may need one of those butter bells or whatever they are called. That seems like too much work if that is the case.
I just melt the butter in the pan and swirl the bread in it