A Simple & Natural Grilled Cheese Recipe Worth Waiting For

Nature is full of herbs, that offer natural flavoring we use in variety of dishes. This inspired us to take some of those flavors, put them in a grilled cheese, and give it a cliche name… The “Nature’s Grilled Cheese”. If you’re looking for a mouth full of flavor, with the main ingredient being cheese, then give this recipe a try!

Finding the right ingredients

First, let’s talk about the bread. Using a local, fresh, and good size white bread will make all the difference, so check with your local bakeries to see what’s available. But if something basic & generic is what you prefer, then have at it.

Next ingredient on the list, is the cheese. You can’t make a grilled cheese without it, and like the bread, you don’t want to skimp out on the quality of the cheese. You can use any local farm’s fresh-made cheddar cheese you’d like, but for this recipe, we’ll use Cracker Barrel®’s yellow sharp cheddar.

Finally, the ingredients that will turn this grilled cheese into a “Nature’s Grilled Cheese”, are the herbs! I recommend going to your local farmers market, or anywhere you can purchase fresh grown herbs, and avoid getting anything wilted.

Cooking Instructions

1. To start prepping this glorious masterpiece, you need to chop up your herbs on a clean cutting board. That means chop the dill, the rosemary, basil, and parsley. Then mix all the herbs together with the oregano, and place them to the side for when ready.
2. Heat a skillet (or griddle) to a low heat. Remember, the best things in life are worth waiting for, and that goes for grilled cheeses! High heats tend to cook the bread too fast, forcing you to finish before the cheese has properly melted to a hot, gooey form. 
3. Next, we prep the bread by spreading butter on both sides. The goal of spreading both sides, is to have a buttery crisp inside and out, which overall enhances the flavor!
4. When finished spreading from corner to corner, lay the pieces down on your skillet/griddle, and let sit uncovered for about 4 minutes (or until golden brown). *NOTE: This time estimate is based on using a gas stove burner, electric burners may cook at different speeds.
5. Once the first side of each slice is golden brown, flip to their other sides, and put the 2 slices of yellow cheddar cheese on one slice of bread, followed by the herb blend (parsley, oregano, dill, rosemary, basil) on the same slice. Immediately place the other slice of bread on top, with the un-cooked side facing up. 
6. Cover the grilled cheese while it cooks on low heat. *NOTE: This is an important step… Since we are using low heat, and cheddar cheese is a denser cheese than brie, American, Swiss, and others, it’s crucial to trap rising heat while the melting process begins.
7. After about 4 minutes or so, remove the cover, and flip the grilled cheese with a spatula, while verifying the previously grilled side is golden brown. Now leave the skillet uncovered, as you want moisture to leave the skillet. After all, the goal is “crispy” not “soggy”.
8. Wait another 5 minutes, and flip one more time for a flash reheat on the previous side, and verify the newly grilled side is also golden brown. Turn off skillet, transfer grilled cheese to the cutting board to cut in half, dish and enjoy!

Conclusion

So wasn’t it worth the wait? That fresh taste in your grilled cheese must have opened a door for trying new grilled cheese recipes, did it not? We sure thought so. 🙂

If you want to explore new grilled cheese recipes, including some of our signature combinations, then be sure to stop on by ‘Shorey’s Grilled Cheese & Ice Cream“, located in Franklin, New Hampshire… And of course, save room for our NH made ice cream, serving 28 delicious flavors!