Grilled cheese has been one of my favorite comfort foods since I was a kid. Although it seems simple to make, I could never make a good grilled cheese sandwich. I could never get the outside to be that perfect, golden brown. Furthermore, the bread would over-cooked before the cheese even melted. Even if I got the bread and cheese perfect, the sandwich would be awfully plain. It was a disaster. After much trial and error, I found out what I was doing wrong and now I can make a perfect sandwich every single time.

First things first, you have to get a good sandwich bread. The bread very is important because it makes up the bulk of your sandwich. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but I would recommend getting sliced sourdough from the deli at your grocery store. If you want to go for fancy, go to your local bakery and pick up their version of sliced sandwich bread. My rule for picking out bread is if it makes good toast, it will make a good grilled cheese. I've even seen people you hamburger buns. If you have a favorite bread, use it. It's all about preferance. Just make sure its not too thick.

Now for the superstar: the cheese. I know the traditional route is to use american cheese but I find it quite bland and plastic tasting. I tend to use a nice yellow cheddar that is sliced a little bit thicker than your average cheese slice. It has a bit more varity in flavor, but you still get that nice, bright center that you think of when you think grilled cheese. You can always elevate your sandwich by picking out a fancier cheese. It's a nice change of pace and adds a lot of flavor. If you use something like goat cheese or a burrata, it will taste really good but it won't taste like a classic grilled cheese. Try different things and see what you like. I like cheddar.

It is very important to butter the outside of your sandwhich. This is how you get that golden, brown outside. It also goes miles in adding flavor because butter is delicious. I've tried mayo and spreads, but I always find myself going back to the classic butter. It is the best.

Make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature. This helps cook everything evenly and gets the cheese to melt faster.

Now for the tip of the century: seasoning. After you butter your bread, sprinkle on some fry seasoning to the outside of your sandwich. If you don't have a seasoning like that in your pantry, just salt and pepper the outside. It really adds magic to your sandwich.

Make sure to use a stove top with a frying pan and lid. The lid is what's goning to do the most for melting the cheese. Without it, the bread will be finished and the center will still be cold and hard. For me the heat doesn't really matter, just don't use anything too hot. I'd recommend medium heat but when I'm impatient I use high heat and it still comes out good. Just know, once the cheese begins drooping is when you flip and the second side finishes faster than the first.

Try with ketchup. I always thought this was normal, but a lot of people don't know about it, so I thought I'd include. It's really good on days where your too lazy to make tomato soup.

Hope these tips help. I am a big fan of grilled cheese and have worked hard to achieve perfection. Like anything, it takes time to figure out what works for you. Keep trying and you will achieve perfection. Hope this helps