I keep sliced white bread in the freezer - primarily for preservation... I don't use it that often. But a nice side effect is that you can spread (cold) butter on the frozen slices very easily. The bread thaws very quickly in the hot pan and doesn't hamper the melting of the cheese. I get really nice result that way... evenly browned, buttery, crunchy bread and stringy cheese. Cheers.
@@vgiriande Short answer: No, not for me. Generally: Why would it? There is no extra moisture added to the bread. If you have large, visible ice crystals forming on the bread (that would melt into the bread as it thaws, thus making it soggy), you have a problem with your freezer.
When I make grilled cheese from frozen sliced bread, I ding it in the microwave for a short 30 sec or less, to get the bread soft, so that I don’t have to wait as long for the bread to crisp up
@@KnickKnackPatty If you have problems with not eating bread fast enough, this is all you need to do to keep a loaf really. Just make sure that you never forget to tie up the bag back closed.
Your new POV videos at home are amazing - especially where you tell stories or explain food science. But what I truly love about them is that they're real time. We see you chopping, prepping, etc. as the food cooks; and for me, it's helped make me faster cook (since most videos have everything prepped ahead of time). I watch a lot of cooking videos, but I honestly don't make much of what I watch. I've probably made more meals from your new POV videos than any other. I really hope once quarantine ends, you keep making them.
10:22 is such a heart-warming frame with the daughter's "Preschool Papa" list, the child's artwork and fun grabber tool, and the neon-beaded bracelet on your wrist. You are obviously a good dad, and I appreciate seeing it. It's also apparent by your choice not to include her voice and face in these videos. Keep it up.
Me and my fiancé just watched this video in bed at 1:25am. It's now 1:30am and we're both in the kitchen cooking ourselves a grilled cheese. This is gonna be epic 😂
Been making grilled cheese in one form or another for 40+ years. When he was grilling the bread individually, I was literally like wtf is he doing?? Then the magic...he used that grilled side for the inside of the sandwich. Never ever even crossed my mind to do that. Love this dude!!
The best thing about Kenji's videos is the fact that not only do you learn cooking techniques but also you learn about different cultures and their contribution to food. Also as an Asian myself I appreciate the real food science lessons.
I'm a big fan of Sodium Citrate and use it in all my Mac & Cheese, Nachos, etc. Being a science geek. I love the coincidental formula Na3C6H5O7 -- NaCHO !
If you don’t have sodium citrate, you can add some lemon juice and a pinch of baking soda. I use it in pasta dishes all the time. The baking soda neutralizes the sour acid flavor, leaving you with the citrate ion in solution!
Meathead of Amazing Ribs has a recipe for hot sauce called "Controlled Burn." It's pretty much all we eat at our house. Fresno chilis, habaneros, serranos, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, pineapple juice, balsamic, vanilla, Grand Marnier - it has such a complex flavor. I'll definitely check out Todd's, though.
I love mustard in a grilled cheese. Or - and I just made one with this - a thin smear of pesto. Does the same job as mustard (acidic punch of flavor), and I had a small amount I needed to use up. Fresh mozzarella, a little aged cheddar, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and pesto. So good!
@@JKenjiLopezAlt True. And I honestly thought about leaving that word out. But it does deliver a similar sensation - really sharp, bright flavor that balances the cheese and butter.
Just made this w/ Japanese “hotel” bread. You’re changing my culinary life Kenji, thank you! The salt sprinkle is such a pro tip, as well as American cheese helping the others melt. 🤯 I used pepper jack, American, and white cheddar.
I could listen to Kenji defend American Cheese all day long. I moved to Costa Rica recently and was ecstatic to find American Cheese down here. Family Disagrees but damn if I don't love what American cheese brings to the table.
After dozens of isolation videos on grilled cheese, this will be the definitive version.. the final word on matters concerning grilled cheese sandwiches.
I'm not non-binary but I am trans and you signing off with "bye guys, gals and non-binary pals" made my morning infinitely better. Totally subscribed because of that. Thank you for making such informative and comfy videos ♥️♥️♥️
Me myself I love using white bread Texas toast. It's thick and soft and doesn't fall apart on me like regular bread. Instead of putting butter in the pan I butter both sides of each bread slice Toast both sides on the pan Then put regular American cheese and cheddar cheese They mix well perfectly And it comes out great everytime
Actually this one particularly might take you less because when people mess it up at home, they mess it up by using too high heat and toasting the bread too fast.
Long time (and I'd say a bit more serious than average) home cook here. Just tried the American cheese between cheddar trick, and I'm so surprised at how well it works. I learn something with each one of these videos, and can't tell you how grateful I am that you take the time to continue to put these out. Start a Patreon, and I'll join it. Thanks, Kenji. Edit: And yeah, as someone who has been salting the outside of a gilled cheese for years, it should be one of the main takeaways of this one. I've also been toasting both sides since I was a kid. I was actually shocked that most other folks I knew didn't ever do that.
one of my favorite mix-ups is to take a really sharp or funky cheese and pair it with some sweet stuff. one time I made one that was really pushing the definitions of what you'd consider a grilled cheese, shingles of brie on sourdough slices with some homemade strawberry jam. I'll also, if I'm shredding cheddar and gouda for it, mix in mustard powder and some cayenne and black pepper.
Being a mechanic and loving to cook I love kitchen tools also I found those same Chef presses on eBay And we have been using a butter Bell for about 2 years now, we have coffee and buttered toast every morning at 4 a.m. the butter doesn't last more than two weeks. A little salt in the water helps it stay fresh longer.
Oh my god, Chris Schlesinger‘s “Thrill of the Grill” had such an influence on me. Thank you for his honorable mention. One of my favorite quotes from the book; “Barbeque is not a sauce, it is a process.”
I like putting tomato thokku, which is a savory super spicy indian pickle made with ground tomatoes, tamarind, and chillies, in my grilled cheese, and some english mustard!
@@leighanne6364 Tomato thokku in my home style is Make a dry powder of toasted fenugreek and asefotida Grind Peeled tomatoes and Tamarind into a paste Fry in a vanli with salt and kashmiri lal chilly powder for color with lotsa oil. Just as the oil separates add the fenugreek and asefotida All of these amounts are to taste, and we don't really measure so use your best instincts to decide the ratios! Good luck experimenting! Oh, we use fresh Bangalore or Indian country tomatoes, I'm not sure you can do this with canned ones.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the schedule next to the cutting board. It's great to see other parents being so proactive with education during these times. Also I think I speak for everyone in wanting to know more about circle time. :D
I also think it's great he keeps his family off of camera. Way too many people just plaster their children online without understanding their child's feelings or potential risks.
Circle time is we sit in a circle (or when it’s just two of us, that’s reduced to a line facing each other), have a small snack, and usually read a story or sing a song or sometimes talk about something. It’s quiet sit-down time.
Kenji! I always butter my bread. I just grab a butter knife and leave the tip of it in the pan as it's heating. Then when you need to just put that nice layer on the bread, the knife is warm and just grab those paper thin slices of butter and it'll spread like, well, butter!
Found a Japanese bakery in Auckland that sells shokupan. At first I was unimpressed - this looks like an ordinary unsliced supermarket white loaf. Then you notice it’s a little moister, with a tighter texture and a subtle yeastyness that’s completely missing from the supermarket product. But the damn thing is NZ$11! That’s NZ$2 more than a 1kg full-grain rye loaf from the German artisan baker up the road! Oh well. Kenji’s method is excellent and I’ll probably be slipping a slice of “American” cheese in with the Cheddar and Emmental in every toasted cheese sandwich I make in future. And do it on shokupan, when I can spare the change.
Finally- FINALLY. SOMEONE ELSE WHO TOASTS THE INSIDE OF THEIR GRILLED CHEESE! I have been preaching double grilled bread for grilled cheese for years now. Glad to see you continue to be a man of good tastes, Kenji. EDIT: On the topic of hot sauce, if you haven't tried it before, I 150% recommend Formosa! They make an incredible habanero hot sauce with a tomatillo base that crushes most other hot sauces in my books.
Since mayo is just eggs and oil, it browns reasonably pretty well but the taste isn't as good. It's a decent substitute but I wouldn't use it as a replacement.
Kenji, you are a much better chef than I will ever be, but I do recommend you have softened butter on hand. Not only for buttering bread, but also for the myriad of baking applications that call for room temp butter rather than fridge cold, or melted. You could always buy those half-sticks a certain Indigenous American themed butter company makes, if you find that you're not using it up in time.
That "and non binary pals" made me smile. Thank you Kenji for spreading love for all humans not judgement and discrimination. As a transwoman, it makes our day whenever someone we look up to does this things.
its crazy that you actually put in the work and correct yourself on things you say, instead of just letting it be. A lot more content creators should be like that...
One: I hope you keep making lots of these videos after the pandemic. Two: now you have to make sous-chef Eric show us how he makes the lactofermented hot sauce.
Plenty of great videos out for that. Really, you just lacto-ferment any chile you like, and when it's ready, strain the chiles off and toss them in a blender. Add as much of the ferment liquid back in as you think it needs or set it with vinegar if you want that tang (also not a bad idea if storing at room temp). If you want it smooth/liquid, strain out the solids. Boom, hot sauce! You can add other flavors you like to the ferment, like garlic, ginger, or herbs/spices.
I recently "discovered" the idea of drizzling honey on the outside of a grilled cheese and I don't know if I will ever make grilled cheese without it again. I put it on when both sides of the sandwich have been toasted and flip it a few more times. Absolutely delicious with the salty cheese
This is the video that made me buy those chefs presses from California kitchen. They are pretty handy to have in smaller pans when nothing else is going to fit. Thanks for the recommendation Kenji!
The Netherlands is a wonderful country. We have butter that is hard as your but also butter that stays soft in the fridge. Also our grilled cheese almost always comes with ham. Guess that idea is from the Croque Monsieur maybe
I know it sounds weird, but my favorite grilled cheese melt has an over-easy egg, bacon, and peanut butter (ideally spicy) spread onto the cheese. The way that the cheese melts with the peanut butter, and then mixes with the egg yolk is god-send. Also nice Monty Python reference.
10 secs in the microwave gets the butter soft enough to spread evenly on the bread before cooking. I keep mine pretty simple. Plain cheese is awesome (I use gruyere and swiss since they are easily available). Sometimes I go for cheese/tomato, cheese/pineapple, cheese/onion, cheese/ham, or sometimes combinations of 3 ingredients.
Always here for the “Holy Grail” references 😆 It’s funny that you mentioned Josh Ozersky as I’m wearing a t-shirt from “Meatopia”, which he started and later became part of the NYC Wine & Food Festival.
I love the flavor of butter with grilled cheeses, but prefer the even browning and crunch that I get from using mayo. It would be interesting to see how a hollandaise would work with grilled cheese, since that’s basically a mayo made with butter instead of oil 🤔
Instead of slicing the butter to put in the pan, just peel back the wrapper to expose the butter on one end, hold it like a marker and paint the warm pan. The butter will melt off and coat the pan perfectly. Works great too when making griddle toast or pancakes.
What's your opinion on using mayonnaise in place of butter? I have seen Bon Appetit recommend using mayonnaise instead of butter which seems odd to me.
Rather than butter or mayo, I've really taken to using ghee (or another clarified butter) as the fat of choice for grilled cheese. It's produces a better flavor than mayo, is way easier to apply to either the pan or the bread than butter, and is incredibly hard to burn. You get an even, golden delicious texture every time.
Personally dislike mayo crusts but browning butter and then toasting the bread in said butter is really crispy, and kinda tastes nutty. It's all personal preference
Rather than seeking Kenji's opinion on mayo (he has used mayo in a previous grilled cheese video btw), why not try it yourself and decide if it's to your taste? Are you going to make choices in your life based on what someone else thinks?
It works nicely for browning. The flavor is different. Sometimes I do mayo when I feel like it! If forced to pick I’d stick with butter but luckily nobody forced me to pick such things.
I've found that salted butter can sit at room temp in a covered dish seemingly forever, however unsalted will become rancid in a relatively short amount of time.
american cheese melts great, but is flavorless. I really like what you did here, by combining it with more flavorfull cheeses. I will try that next time i make a grilled cheese, I always had the problem of not getting proper melts.
The best grilled cheese I've ever had was at a bar in Washington called Pints & Quarts. They called it the Cheesy Chris after the cook who "created" it. It was cheddar, swiss, and jack on sourdough with bacon and tomato. Super simple, super delicious. I used to go in every Sunday for lunch and have that with a side of tots and a beer.
I like making grilled cheese with rye bread, aged Swiss, drained sauerkraut, spicy mustard. And I never use butter in the pan. I slather mayo on the bread instead. If you've never tried mayo instead of butter, you're missing out.
I definitely feel you on not having room temp butter around. I've had to melt cold butter in a pan to make grilled cheese before. But spreading soft butter on you bread is 100% more desirable for a good toast. Kerry Gold butter tends to soften much more quickly than other butters.
Excellent tip on the Japanese bread! FWIW, I also like to sprinkle a little grated Parmesan in the pan along with the butter to get a little frico action going on. That, along with the both-sides browning method you used and a dash of cayenne on the inside==perfect grilled cheese
Personal favourite for grilled cheese is to put a stack of pastrami between the cheese. also enough melted butter in the pan that the bread can absorb. Super decadent.
I think I picked up grilling the inside from your book - thanks for that. At some point I also got turned onto spreading mayo on the bread instead of butter for extra richness
I don't usually keep softened butter around, but instead of microwaving it, I'll put slivers of butter on the bread. I find it gives it the even browning similar to spreading it.
Yeah I like to microwave my cold butter too. Power 1. Spread it even. I like to grill mine on a high quality aluminum griddle with a large foil tent over it. The tent catches some of the heat and guides it in to the sandwich. I like the mustard-hot sauce dipping idea. I notice that you like to step to the doorway before you take your first bite. You've done that in quite a few vids. I suppose that's to clear your nose palate, so to speak? Great idea! Now I'm doing it. I also ordered two of the chefs presses. Thanks for all the great vids!
Great to hear you mention Josh. He was such an awesome writer and FAN of food. I still watch ozerskyTV episodes from time to time. Thanks for all the great content Kenji!
"3 slices of cheese may seem like an unreasonable amount..." Me: Yeah, totally, that's definitely not that much at all. "...but it's a reasonable amount" Me: Oh.
A really quick way to soften butter is to put some butter on a plate in the microwave.Then run the microwave on high for about 5 seconds and then roll the butter to a perpindicular side. Repeat this until the butter is soft enought to spread with a knife.
In the first 3 minutes you gave a better explanation of American cheese than I've ever heard. I'm gonna use your sausage - meat analogy all freakin DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
For those who were wondering, Kenji walked around with a slice of American cheese in his hand for 1 minute and 37 seconds.
And your point?
@@ar977 it's the future ma'am, data is everything
Very informative thank you I was wondering myself
Good
I wear the cheese it does not wear me!
the zoom in on Shabu is video editing at it's finest
Because we've never seen the two in the same room, I believe you are actually referring to the zoom in on Sous Chef Erik
I'm dying hahaha
It made my day, hahaha, love it.
No its not
Love this 😃🥰puppy
I keep sliced white bread in the freezer - primarily for preservation... I don't use it that often. But a nice side effect is that you can spread (cold) butter on the frozen slices very easily. The bread thaws very quickly in the hot pan and doesn't hamper the melting of the cheese. I get really nice result that way... evenly browned, buttery, crunchy bread and stringy cheese. Cheers.
Brenner would it become soggy though?
@@vgiriande Short answer: No, not for me.
Generally: Why would it? There is no extra moisture added to the bread. If you have large, visible ice crystals forming on the bread (that would melt into the bread as it thaws, thus making it soggy), you have a problem with your freezer.
When I make grilled cheese from frozen sliced bread, I ding it in the microwave for a short 30 sec or less, to get the bread soft, so that I don’t have to wait as long for the bread to crisp up
smart
@@KnickKnackPatty If you have problems with not eating bread fast enough, this is all you need to do to keep a loaf really. Just make sure that you never forget to tie up the bag back closed.
This dude is all about giving credits to who he picks up his techniques from, Gotta respect that!
He respects the communal nature of our food, it's so great!
That shabu slow zoom was much appreciated 😂🥰
I rewatched that part 3 times 🐶
I started cackling when I saw it
Came here to say this
Your new POV videos at home are amazing - especially where you tell stories or explain food science. But what I truly love about them is that they're real time. We see you chopping, prepping, etc. as the food cooks; and for me, it's helped make me faster cook (since most videos have everything prepped ahead of time).
I watch a lot of cooking videos, but I honestly don't make much of what I watch. I've probably made more meals from your new POV videos than any other. I really hope once quarantine ends, you keep making them.
"Dad can you make me a grilled cheese?"
"Sure, where's my GoPro?"
.... and, give me a 1/2 hour.
... and, then Dad eats it himself.
@@scottlawrence635 ..thus making the boy detest his dad
10:22 is such a heart-warming frame with the daughter's "Preschool Papa" list, the child's artwork and fun grabber tool, and the neon-beaded bracelet on your wrist. You are obviously a good dad, and I appreciate seeing it. It's also apparent by your choice not to include her voice and face in these videos. Keep it up.
There's also the various videos with multicolored painted toenails, which adds to this. It's peak wholesomeness honestly.
"those responsible ... have been sacked." I see what you did there, Kenji!!
But have they sacked those who were responsible for the ones who were responsible? :D
Kenji: you'll need a big enough pan for 2 slices of bread to speed this up.
Also Kenji: nvm thats OK. 😆
Ha it was a new brand of bread!! The one i used to use was from Andersen bakery which went out of business because of quarantine :(
Love the content! Thank you 🙏🏻
In Syria, we put a drizzle if olive oil and some dried mint on grilled cheese sandwiches and it's really good
Obada Emad I put a slice of tomato in it then drizzle some za'atar and olive oil over it
Me and my fiancé just watched this video in bed at 1:25am.
It's now 1:30am and we're both in the kitchen cooking ourselves a grilled cheese. This is gonna be epic 😂
jajaja how'd it go tho????
Been making grilled cheese in one form or another for 40+ years. When he was grilling the bread individually, I was literally like wtf is he doing?? Then the magic...he used that grilled side for the inside of the sandwich. Never ever even crossed my mind to do that. Love this dude!!
The best thing about Kenji's videos is the fact that not only do you learn cooking techniques but also you learn about different cultures and their contribution to food. Also as an Asian myself I appreciate the real food science lessons.
@@madthumbs1564 So what? It's the sentiment that counts.
I'm a big fan of Sodium Citrate and use it in all my Mac & Cheese, Nachos, etc. Being a science geek. I love the coincidental formula Na3C6H5O7 -- NaCHO !
If you don’t have sodium citrate, you can add some lemon juice and a pinch of baking soda. I use it in pasta dishes all the time. The baking soda neutralizes the sour acid flavor, leaving you with the citrate ion in solution!
NaCHO 365/7 days a week
🤯🤯🤯🤯
This is perhaps the coolest fact I’ve ever learned in a TH-cam comment
For what purpose? I must of spaced out if it was explained in the video.
The zoom in on the dog 😂😂
Shabu is the star.
Waittt...i missed it, which timestamp hahaha
@@pyromania666 starts slowly zooming at 5:30
I am that dog watching these recipes 😂
5:30 Shabu: why have you forsaken me master I want my food that I will inevitably fail to catch in the air but still demolish
Meathead of Amazing Ribs has a recipe for hot sauce called "Controlled Burn." It's pretty much all we eat at our house. Fresno chilis, habaneros, serranos, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, pineapple juice, balsamic, vanilla, Grand Marnier - it has such a complex flavor. I'll definitely check out Todd's, though.
I love mustard in a grilled cheese. Or - and I just made one with this - a thin smear of pesto. Does the same job as mustard (acidic punch of flavor), and I had a small amount I needed to use up. Fresh mozzarella, a little aged cheddar, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and pesto. So good!
I can see that tasting good. Not much acid in pesto though!
@@JKenjiLopezAlt True. And I honestly thought about leaving that word out. But it does deliver a similar sensation - really sharp, bright flavor that balances the cheese and butter.
Just made this w/ Japanese “hotel” bread. You’re changing my culinary life Kenji, thank you! The salt sprinkle is such a pro tip, as well as American cheese helping the others melt. 🤯 I used pepper jack, American, and white cheddar.
That slow zoom on the dog's face made me lmao. Still watching Kenji
I always forget that lmao is a verb
@@skoogadoo true
That chopping board has phone holder. Now, I've seen it all.
Joe Auerbach it’s a Food 52 cutting board.
@@JoeAuerbach Yeah, but do you ever consider how dirty your phone is? It should never be near your cutting board or your hands when preparing food.
das just as dirty as your fingers, the air, actual ingredients, etc.
@@figgyonel5351 Lol, what? I can wash my hands and the ingredients....
das so you wash your ingredients with soap?
"The secret to a good grilled cheese is to take your time"
**Claire from BA has entered the chat
The mad gal starts it on a cold pan!
I love Claire
@@Julesreynoso Everyone loves Claire!
i would die for claire from the ba test kitchen
And now the BA TH-cam channel has completely stopped making new videos. Damn you, Adam Rapoport!
Finally a proper chef that recommends toasting both sides of the bread!
I could listen to Kenji defend American Cheese all day long. I moved to Costa Rica recently and was ecstatic to find American Cheese down here. Family Disagrees but damn if I don't love what American cheese brings to the table.
After dozens of isolation videos on grilled cheese, this will be the definitive version.. the final word on matters concerning grilled cheese sandwiches.
I'm not non-binary but I am trans and you signing off with "bye guys, gals and non-binary pals" made my morning infinitely better. Totally subscribed because of that. Thank you for making such informative and comfy videos ♥️♥️♥️
Chef Kenji Lopez teaches me something with every video. I truly enjoy learning from him in every episode.
Me myself I love using white bread Texas toast.
It's thick and soft and doesn't fall apart on me like regular bread.
Instead of putting butter in the pan I butter both sides of each bread slice
Toast both sides on the pan
Then put regular American cheese and cheddar cheese
They mix well perfectly
And it comes out great everytime
Me seeing that this video is 15 minutes long: awesome should only take a half hour for me!
Actually this one particularly might take you less because when people mess it up at home, they mess it up by using too high heat and toasting the bread too fast.
Osama Qasho' yikes bud..
At justweed_ak on Instagram Alexander He’s right
5:30 the Shabu slow zoom! :-D
Long time (and I'd say a bit more serious than average) home cook here. Just tried the American cheese between cheddar trick, and I'm so surprised at how well it works. I learn something with each one of these videos, and can't tell you how grateful I am that you take the time to continue to put these out. Start a Patreon, and I'll join it. Thanks, Kenji.
Edit: And yeah, as someone who has been salting the outside of a gilled cheese for years, it should be one of the main takeaways of this one. I've also been toasting both sides since I was a kid. I was actually shocked that most other folks I knew didn't ever do that.
Babish' approval: food shake
Kenji's approval: a mild MMHH sound
@@felixargyle1285 👀
@@kyleschmit3788 sorry there was a scammer here before they deleted their comment
kenji really just sounds like a dad, which makes sense
Ethan's approval: stepping back
I dont know what I like better - Kenji's respect & crediting other chefs for foods & techniques, or the bright beaded bracelet.
one of my favorite mix-ups is to take a really sharp or funky cheese and pair it with some sweet stuff. one time I made one that was really pushing the definitions of what you'd consider a grilled cheese, shingles of brie on sourdough slices with some homemade strawberry jam. I'll also, if I'm shredding cheddar and gouda for it, mix in mustard powder and some cayenne and black pepper.
At the end, when he eats it, the "crunch" makes me so happy!
Kenji: “I don’t just eat cheese and carbs”
This video: I’m about to end this man’s whole career
very funny and original 😐
@@Sam-dd7jm Your comment is *even* funnier and *more* original
@@jeffii9890 ok
There's a whole lot of butter in there as well 😁
Being a mechanic and loving to cook I love kitchen tools also I found those same Chef presses on eBay And we have been using a butter Bell for about 2 years now, we have coffee and buttered toast every morning at 4 a.m. the butter doesn't last more than two weeks.
A little salt in the water helps it stay fresh longer.
Oh my god, Chris Schlesinger‘s “Thrill of the Grill” had such an influence on me. Thank you for his honorable mention. One of my favorite quotes from the book; “Barbeque is not a sauce, it is a process.”
I like putting tomato thokku, which is a savory super spicy indian pickle made with ground tomatoes, tamarind, and chillies, in my grilled cheese, and some english mustard!
This sounds delicious. Looking up a recipe. Thank you!!
@@leighanne6364
Tomato thokku in my home style is
Make a dry powder of toasted fenugreek and asefotida
Grind Peeled tomatoes and Tamarind into a paste
Fry in a vanli with salt and kashmiri lal chilly powder for color with lotsa oil.
Just as the oil separates add the fenugreek and asefotida
All of these amounts are to taste, and we don't really measure so use your best instincts to decide the ratios! Good luck experimenting!
Oh, we use fresh Bangalore or Indian country tomatoes, I'm not sure you can do this with canned ones.
@@GirishManjunathMusic Thank you for your family recipe!!!!
@@leighanne6364 that's okay, it's not much of a recipe
@@tomthalon8956 condiments don't count toward making a grilled cheese a melt surely.
Also, that word just kinda sounds yucky.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the schedule next to the cutting board. It's great to see other parents being so proactive with education during these times. Also I think I speak for everyone in wanting to know more about circle time. :D
I also think it's great he keeps his family off of camera. Way too many people just plaster their children online without understanding their child's feelings or potential risks.
Circle time is we sit in a circle (or when it’s just two of us, that’s reduced to a line facing each other), have a small snack, and usually read a story or sing a song or sometimes talk about something. It’s quiet sit-down time.
Kenji! I always butter my bread. I just grab a butter knife and leave the tip of it in the pan as it's heating. Then when you need to just put that nice layer on the bread, the knife is warm and just grab those paper thin slices of butter and it'll spread like, well, butter!
best part of the video is Kenji's checklist for the day. Great Dad!
Where
Found a Japanese bakery in Auckland that sells shokupan. At first I was unimpressed - this looks like an ordinary unsliced supermarket white loaf. Then you notice it’s a little moister, with a tighter texture and a subtle yeastyness that’s completely missing from the supermarket product.
But the damn thing is NZ$11! That’s NZ$2 more than a 1kg full-grain rye loaf from the German artisan baker up the road!
Oh well. Kenji’s method is excellent and I’ll probably be slipping a slice of “American” cheese in with the Cheddar and Emmental in every toasted cheese sandwich I make in future. And do it on shokupan, when I can spare the change.
My wife is gonna love the Python reference - though I’m probably talking about these videos a little too often these days. “Kenji says...”
Finally- FINALLY.
SOMEONE ELSE WHO TOASTS THE INSIDE OF THEIR GRILLED CHEESE!
I have been preaching double grilled bread for grilled cheese for years now. Glad to see you continue to be a man of good tastes, Kenji.
EDIT: On the topic of hot sauce, if you haven't tried it before, I 150% recommend Formosa! They make an incredible habanero hot sauce with a tomatillo base that crushes most other hot sauces in my books.
Kenji, what’s your opinion on using mayo to toast the bread rather than butter? I know a lot of folks who swear by it.
If you check any of his late night cooking videos where we makes a grilled cheese he toasts it with mayo
Mayo, bread, butter, and American cheese is a good way to make a quick 5 minute grilled cheese. Dip in canned soup.
No
Since mayo is just eggs and oil, it browns reasonably pretty well but the taste isn't as good. It's a decent substitute but I wouldn't use it as a replacement.
Would recommend kewpie mayo on grilled cheese. That’s my go to
Kenji, you are a much better chef than I will ever be, but I do recommend you have softened butter on hand. Not only for buttering bread, but also for the myriad of baking applications that call for room temp butter rather than fridge cold, or melted. You could always buy those half-sticks a certain Indigenous American themed butter company makes, if you find that you're not using it up in time.
That "and non binary pals" made me smile. Thank you Kenji for spreading love for all humans not judgement and discrimination. As a transwoman, it makes our day whenever someone we look up to does this things.
not a woman, just a freak-show
Why do you feel excluded by someone saying just “guys and gals”?
its crazy that you actually put in the work and correct yourself on things you say, instead of just letting it be. A lot more content creators should be like that...
One: I hope you keep making lots of these videos after the pandemic.
Two: now you have to make sous-chef Eric show us how he makes the lactofermented hot sauce.
Plenty of great videos out for that. Really, you just lacto-ferment any chile you like, and when it's ready, strain the chiles off and toss them in a blender. Add as much of the ferment liquid back in as you think it needs or set it with vinegar if you want that tang (also not a bad idea if storing at room temp). If you want it smooth/liquid, strain out the solids. Boom, hot sauce! You can add other flavors you like to the ferment, like garlic, ginger, or herbs/spices.
I recently "discovered" the idea of drizzling honey on the outside of a grilled cheese and I don't know if I will ever make grilled cheese without it again. I put it on when both sides of the sandwich have been toasted and flip it a few more times. Absolutely delicious with the salty cheese
That shabu zoom tho
This is the video that made me buy those chefs presses from California kitchen. They are pretty handy to have in smaller pans when nothing else is going to fit. Thanks for the recommendation Kenji!
Today I cooked along with this video, adding pickles and jalapeños. It was one of the best sandwiches I've ever made!
The Netherlands is a wonderful country. We have butter that is hard as your but also butter that stays soft in the fridge. Also our grilled cheese almost always comes with ham. Guess that idea is from the Croque Monsieur maybe
I know it sounds weird, but my favorite grilled cheese melt has an over-easy egg, bacon, and peanut butter (ideally spicy) spread onto the cheese. The way that the cheese melts with the peanut butter, and then mixes with the egg yolk is god-send.
Also nice Monty Python reference.
😟
10 secs in the microwave gets the butter soft enough to spread evenly on the bread before cooking.
I keep mine pretty simple. Plain cheese is awesome (I use gruyere and swiss since they are easily available). Sometimes I go for cheese/tomato, cheese/pineapple, cheese/onion, cheese/ham, or sometimes combinations of 3 ingredients.
Always here for the “Holy Grail” references 😆
It’s funny that you mentioned Josh Ozersky as I’m wearing a t-shirt from “Meatopia”, which he started and later became part of the NYC Wine & Food Festival.
After Food Network posted that really sad video of a grilled cheese yesterday, this was much appreciated.
I love the flavor of butter with grilled cheeses, but prefer the even browning and crunch that I get from using mayo. It would be interesting to see how a hollandaise would work with grilled cheese, since that’s basically a mayo made with butter instead of oil 🤔
Instead of slicing the butter to put in the pan, just peel back the wrapper to expose the butter on one end, hold it like a marker and paint the warm pan. The butter will melt off and coat the pan perfectly. Works great too when making griddle toast or pancakes.
What's your opinion on using mayonnaise in place of butter? I have seen Bon Appetit recommend using mayonnaise instead of butter which seems odd to me.
Rather than butter or mayo, I've really taken to using ghee (or another clarified butter) as the fat of choice for grilled cheese. It's produces a better flavor than mayo, is way easier to apply to either the pan or the bread than butter, and is incredibly hard to burn. You get an even, golden delicious texture every time.
Personally dislike mayo crusts but browning butter and then toasting the bread in said butter is really crispy, and kinda tastes nutty. It's all personal preference
Rather than seeking Kenji's opinion on mayo (he has used mayo in a previous grilled cheese video btw), why not try it yourself and decide if it's to your taste? Are you going to make choices in your life based on what someone else thinks?
It works nicely for browning. The flavor is different. Sometimes I do mayo when I feel like it! If forced to pick I’d stick with butter but luckily nobody forced me to pick such things.
I've found that salted butter can sit at room temp in a covered dish seemingly forever, however unsalted will become rancid in a relatively short amount of time.
Nobody:
Kenji: so I have these weights that stack
I've been wondering about the weighs for several episodes.
Michael McElrath look up “Chef’s Press”. I think the website is chefpress.com or something.
Just watched further in the video and realized he mentioned it himself. 🤦♂️
You can use a brick and wrap it up in foil
@@thespiritofjonathanjoestar6805 Ya'll just got bricks laying around?
why did i just watch a man make a grilled cheese sandwich in thorough detail and genuinely enjoyed every second
Come for the dope grilled cheese.
Stay for Kenji's dog staring longingly at the sammich
This man purposely shows up on my feed at exactly midnight when I’m hungry
american cheese melts great, but is flavorless. I really like what you did here, by combining it with more flavorfull cheeses. I will try that next time i make a grilled cheese, I always had the problem of not getting proper melts.
This warmed my heart, this video had Flavor, Dog zoom, and a Sous Chef Erik mention.
It’s 2:19 am and I feel excited thinking about making my gf a grilled cheese with bacon and onions tomorrow morning mmm I hope it taste good
How’d it go
I feel the same about getting a gf one day
The best grilled cheese I've ever had was at a bar in Washington called Pints & Quarts. They called it the Cheesy Chris after the cook who "created" it. It was cheddar, swiss, and jack on sourdough with bacon and tomato. Super simple, super delicious. I used to go in every Sunday for lunch and have that with a side of tots and a beer.
What happened?
I like making grilled cheese with rye bread, aged Swiss, drained sauerkraut, spicy mustard. And I never use butter in the pan. I slather mayo on the bread instead. If you've never tried mayo instead of butter, you're missing out.
I definitely feel you on not having room temp butter around. I've had to melt cold butter in a pan to make grilled cheese before. But spreading soft butter on you bread is 100% more desirable for a good toast. Kerry Gold butter tends to soften much more quickly than other butters.
Love it, greetings from Germany ♥️
Moin Meister
Moin freunde
Moooin Meister
moin moin
Prost!🍻
Excellent tip on the Japanese bread!
FWIW, I also like to sprinkle a little grated Parmesan in the pan along with the butter to get a little frico action going on. That, along with the both-sides browning method you used and a dash of cayenne on the inside==perfect grilled cheese
Thank you so much for these videos Kenji, they’re the highlight of my day! Loved the explanation of American Cheese 2:10
The little list next to the cutting board warmed my heart.
I've cooked so many grilled cheeses, and I have learned all the techniques you spoke about in this video from trial and error I'm proud of myself
Personal favourite for grilled cheese is to put a stack of pastrami between the cheese. also enough melted butter in the pan that the bread can absorb. Super decadent.
0/10 not enough burnt toast in the fireplace
I think I picked up grilling the inside from your book - thanks for that. At some point I also got turned onto spreading mayo on the bread instead of butter for extra richness
Listen Kenji, I like your "cheese bread" and all, but you know what we all came for. 5:29
I don't usually keep softened butter around, but instead of microwaving it, I'll put slivers of butter on the bread. I find it gives it the even browning similar to spreading it.
My 3-year-old son calls them 'girl cheese sandwiches', and he always requests 'boy cheese sandwiches'...which is when we make them Kenji-style. 😉
So thats the origin of croque madame and croque monsieur :D
is there a "non-binary cheese sandwich"?
@@jsparakov yeah,vegan.
Kenji is the Japanese dad I need right now.
Thank you for saying non-binary pals in the end as well, it feels good to be seen ☺️
I just made this at work and it was the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had. The mustard and hot sauce (I used tabasco) was the perfect dipping sauce
"Those responsible for the hot sauce misinformation have been sacked." RIP kenji's brain cells
What
It's a Monty Python reference...
"Those responsible for the hot sauce misinformation have been sacked"
You beautiful bastard. YOU are the Holy Grail of TH-cam.
Pavlov's Shabu has learnt to sit for food without Kenji telling him to.
Yeah I like to microwave my cold butter too. Power 1. Spread it even. I like to grill mine on a high quality aluminum griddle with a large foil tent over it. The tent catches some of the heat and guides it in to the sandwich. I like the mustard-hot sauce dipping idea. I notice that you like to step to the doorway before you take your first bite. You've done that in quite a few vids. I suppose that's to clear your nose palate, so to speak? Great idea! Now I'm doing it. I also ordered two of the chefs presses. Thanks for all the great vids!
Guys, gals, non-binary pals is my all time favorite sign-off!
Great to hear you mention Josh. He was such an awesome writer and FAN of food. I still watch ozerskyTV episodes from time to time. Thanks for all the great content Kenji!
"3 slices of cheese may seem like an unreasonable amount..."
Me: Yeah, totally, that's definitely not that much at all.
"...but it's a reasonable amount"
Me: Oh.
A really quick way to soften butter is to put some butter on a plate in the microwave.Then run the microwave on high for about 5 seconds and then roll the butter to a perpindicular side. Repeat this until the butter is soft enought to spread with a knife.
“non binary pals” 🥺🥺🥺
In the first 3 minutes you gave a better explanation of American cheese than I've ever heard. I'm gonna use your sausage - meat analogy all freakin DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
I wonder if he has any food waste from having such a large amount of food in his kitchen
In a lot of his videos he has a separate bin for compost, so I think he's doing better than most
@@joshuarolle6040 Nice
I like to butter the bread and then coat the buttered side with a combo of grated parm and romano and grill that side.