Why You Should Be Using Ghee For Your Grilled Cheese

There's nothing like a grilled cheese sandwich fried to golden perfection and dripping with melted yellow or white cheese. But if the cheese is not adequately melted and the bread is burned or unevenly toasted, taste buds will be easily disappointed. What's the key to getting both right?

While some people swear by a slathering of mayo to achieve that crispy brown perfection on the bread's exterior, others prefer butter, margarine, or even olive oil in their skillet. However, if you really want to create the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, you should consider using ghee as your fat of choice. 

Per GQ, even famed chef Ludo Lefebvre is partial to using ghee when he makes this simple sandwich. Lefebvre stated, "Clarified butter is a must. Baste your bread in the clarified butter before adding it to the heat." The French chef even recommends making it on the barbecue if you want a smoky flavor. But what does ghee do that butter or mayo can't?

Ghee has a rich, nutty taste and when something is cooked in this clarified butter, that flavor is transferred to it. Such is the case with a grilled cheese sandwich. But if that added pop of flavor isn't enough to entice you to use ghee, there is another advantage this ingredient has over the likes of butter and oil. 

Ghee's minimal amount of milk solids give this fat a higher smoke point. It is higher than butter which makes it ideal to fry up a sandwich. How will this benefit your beloved sandwich? If you use ghee to cook your grilled cheese, it's less likely this precious culinary cargo will burn or that you will be spending copious amounts of time cleaning up sputtering grease after the fact.

Additionally, if you are wondering what drink to serve up alongside your perfectly cooked grilled cheese sandwich, chefs told GQ you might want to reach for the Champagne or bubbly water like Topo Chico.