Sandwiches
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[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Chief Creative Officer of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab on Twitter, or at The Food Lab on Facebook.

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 2 (1/2-inch thick) slices pineapple, about 2- by 4-inches each
  • 2 slices ham
  • 2 slices hearty white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm or Arnold, or 2 slices hearty French or Italian bread
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • Kosher salt

Procedures

  1. Heat 1 tablepsoon butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add pineapple slices and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes total. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add ham and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.

  2. Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in the skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides. Add both bread slices and cook, swirling occasionally, until pale golden brown on bottom side, about 2 minutes.

  3. Transfer to a cutting board toasted-side-up. Place one cheese slice on top of one slice of bread. Top with pinapple, ham, and second cheese slice. Close sandwich, with both toasted sides facing inwards.

  4. Melt 2 more teaspoons of butter in the skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Add sandwich and cook, swirling occasionally, until deep, even golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove sandwich using a flexible metal spatula. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons butter. Return sandwich to skillet cooked-side up. Season with salt. Cook, swirling occasionally, until second side is deep, even golden brown and cheese is thoroughly melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.