Sometimes you just want a grilled cheese sandwich, but why not jack it up? This grilled cheese sandwich is made with delicious Blackberry Jalapeño Jam, cheddar cheese and good old white bread with buttered sides. You might be thinking, wait, what? You're putting sweet jam on a grilled cheese sandwich? I am telling you, you just have to try it!
This is another sandwich we made on our river trip this summer, besides the TBM (Tomato Basil Mozzarella Sandwich). Everyone was surprised how good this sandwich tasted because they were not expecting jam on a grilled cheese sandwich. Blackberry "Buzz" jalapeño jam is available in most grocery stores. It is usually over by the deli or specialty cheeses.
How to Make
Jacked Up Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Do you really need instructions to make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich? Probably not, but there are some tricks below that make these sandwiches so good!
1. Lay out the bread on the cutting board or counter. It is important to me that the bread matches up when you put the sandwiches together. So think about how the pieces of bread lay out and when you put the sandwiches together will the bread match? It seems like every loaf has a little bit of a lean to it on one side or the other. Sometimes you are lucky and get a loaf that is perfectly shaped so you don't need to worry about this.
2. Spread 1 Tbsp. blackberry jalapeño jam on four pieces of bread.
3. Put two slices of cheese on each of the other four pieces of bread. The cheese makes a big difference in these sandwiches. I use the sliced Tillamook Medium Cheddar cheese you can find at Costco. It is a little bit more expensive, but I think it is work every penny.
4. Put the two pieces of bread together and spread softened butter on the top piece of bread on each sandwich.
5. If you want extra flavor, spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the butter to create a perfectly toasted sandwich.
6. Put buttered side down on the warm skillet or griddle. Having the pan warm before you put the sandwiches on makes a big difference. This creates enough heat immediately for the bread to toast at the right speed and temperature. Having to warm the pan up after you put the sandwich on creates burned bread.
7. Put the timer on for two minutes. I am the timer girl! I do not like spending time working on something only to have it burn. If I put a timer on, it does the work for me!
8. While you are waiting for the timer to go off, spread butter on the unbuttered, or top, piece of bread. Add a thin layer of mayonnaise on top of the butter.
9. Flip the sandwich over and put the timer on for another two minutes. You will need to do steps 7 and 8 one more time. The sandwich needs to cook a total of four minutes on each side, 8 minutes total cooking time. You cannot do it all at once or your bread will burn.
10. Find the largest lid you have in your kitchen and place it over the sandwiches. This keeps the heat in and will melt the cheese on your sandwiches to perfection. I was frustrated in the past when the bread was a perfectly, golden brown, but the cheese was not melted in the center of the sandwich. Using the lid makes a BIG difference.
10. Once both sides are the desired toastyness you want, cut the sandwiches in half and serve. (Is toastyness even a word? if it isn't, it should be!)
Jacked Up Blackberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
8 Pieces of Bread
8 Slices of Cheddar Cheese
4 Tbsp. Blackberry Jalapeño "Buzz" Jam (click link for a picture)
1/2 C. Butter, Softened
4 Tbsp. Mayonnaise (Optional)
1. Lay out the bread on the cutting board or counter.
2. Spread 1 Tbsp. Blackberry Jam on each of thenfour pieces of bread.
3. Lay two slices of cheese on each of the other four pieces of bread.
4. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the butter for extra toastyness.
4. Put the pieces of bread together to create 4 sandwiches.
5. Spread softened butter on the top piece of bread.
6. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the butter.
7. Place sandwich, buttered side down, on skillet already heated on medium heat.
8. Set the timer for 2 minutes, flip sandwiches.
9. While you are waiting for the timer to go off, butter the top, or unbuttered, piece of bread. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the butter.
10. Flip the sandwich over and then place a large pot or pan lid over the four sandwiches.
11. Set timer for 2 minutes.
12. Repeat steps 8-10 until sandwich is perfectly, golden brown and the cheese has melted.