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One of the best things about grilled cheese, second only to its comfort classic status, is its versatility. With all of the bread and dairy varieties in existence, there are all kinds of possible combinations, and that’s before you even consider making a sweet grilled cheese with sweet ingredients like jam or incorporating all manner of savory fillings. Really, you can give almost anything the grilled cheese treatment, and if you’ve been skipping pickles, it’s time to crack open those jars of fermented cucumbers (and more).
The primary benefits that pickles bring to your grilled cheese sandwich are salt and crunch, whether you’ve mastered the science behind the pickling process to make your own at home or you’re simply popping open a jar from the grocery store. You’ll want to recalibrate the whole sandwich for that signature salinity. Although cheddar cheese is an excellent melter, for example, it’s also already plenty salty. So, something milder like Swiss or havarti may be in better balance with the pickle addition.
Keep in mind that you can’t just expect maximum snap from any old pickle variety. If you’re looking for the crunchiest from-scratch pickles, you’ll want to salt them first to remove moisture and firm them up. And, whether you’re slicing up the store-bought kind yourself or getting them pre-cut, you should opt for a thicker cut, which will have more snap than flimsy, thinner options.
More pickle grilled cheese tips and tasty pairings
When considering any add-ins, you want to make sure that you’re working with a decently hearty bread to accommodate the added sandwich volume. Something like a crusty sourdough keeps a streamlined profile for manageability, while also holding up to the bulk of those extras. And you’ll want to pat your pickles dry in any case; the cheese doesn’t need any extra moisture, and excess liquid could even degrade the integrity of the bread. For the most even melt, it’s also a good idea to layer the pickles between cheese slices.
When it comes to your pickle choice, cucumbers may be the go-to choice, but feel free to give other cured fruits and veggies a try. Crisp, pink quick-pickled onions, popular on tacos, would go great with mild melters like queso Oaxaca or mozzarella. And, while the fresh kind can turn mushy in grilled cheese, sour pickled green tomatoes will better retain their crunch. Even among cucumber pickles, there are yet more choices to be made. Consider marrying sweet bread and butter pickle chips with a spicy pepper jack cheese for a dynamic match. Sour pickles and a near-sweet Gouda will also have an opposites attract quality. And those dainty cornichons will require more precise knifework, but paired with a Gruyère, they combine to create something like a toasty little charcuterie board, in sandwich form. You can also amplify the pickle quotient even higher with bread made from pickle juice.
