Do You Really Need To Press Down On A Grilled Cheese?

The ultimate grilled cheese is simple and it's perfect. At its most basic, a grilled cheese sandwich is comprised of bread, cheese, and a little butter for toasting the bread in that sizzling hot cast iron skillet. But not everyone likes simple – some prefer unconventional ingredients that change up the grilled cheese. 

Per POPSUGAR., every celebrity chef has their own riff on this classic sandwich that may have you feeling like a kid just thinking about it. Ina Garten uses mayo on her grilled cheese while Chrissy Teigen opts for "sweet Thai chili sauce, red onions, and fresh peaches." Iron Chef Bobby Flay likes his made with brie and goat cheese, along with a little bacon and grapes. 

Of course, when it comes to a grilled cheese sandwich, sites like the Spruce Eats note the most important aspect of this food is the cheese. Cheddar, American, and Gruyere rank among some of the most favorite cheeses to use. Blue Apron suggests the type of bread doesn't matter, but if you are a sourdough or pumpernickel fan, you may beg to differ. But there is one piece of advice they offer that we can get behind — pressing down on the grilled cheese while it fries in the skillet. Here's why.

When you are making grilled cheese, your spatula is for more than flipping, according to Blue Apron. In fact, the next time you make your grilled cheese, you may want to start humming Queen's iconic hit song "Under Pressure" because that's exactly what you want to apply to your spatula as you press down. This simple technique will help you achieve an even golden brown from corner to corner of your bread.  

Our friends at Golf concur, noting that the pressure will also help the cheese melt. They go on to suggest using a nice low heat when cooking up your grilled cheese if you want to avoid burning your prized sandwich. This will also allow the cheese to slowly warm and melt until it is all oozy and stringy. However, if you don't have a spatula handy, Chef Ken Stelmack from the Montclair Golf Club, in West Orange, N.J. cautioned that you don't want to use a pot or pan lid for sanitary reasons. While another chef told the Cheese Professor that while pressure is important, you also need to use a tool that will allow moisture to be released. So, the next time you make yourself a grilled cheese, don't forget the pressure.