Name: Windy City Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 8 slices hearty white sandwich bread; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted; 2 cups grated Swiss cheese; 4 very thin slices red onion , rings separated; 8 very thin slices bologna; 8 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 4 tablespoons dill pickle relish; 1 cup sauerkraut , rinsed and drained

Why This Recipe Works

In our Windy City Grilled Cheese Sandwiches recipe, the right ingredients coupled with the proper technique gave us perfect sandwiches. Buttering the bread—not the pan—gave our sandwiches the most even browning. Cooking the sandwiches over medium-low heat allowed the cheese to melt evenly and the bread to brown deeply. For a taste of Chicago, we layered Swiss cheese, sliced red onion, sliced bologna, mustard, and pickle relish into each of our Windy City Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. For a crisp crust, we pressed the sandwiches with a cake pan to mimic a panini press.

Before You Begin

If you like a Chicago hot dog, you’ll love this sandwich. Press the relish with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Instructions

Brush top side of each slice of bread with melted butter. Flip 4 slices over, layer 1/4 cup cheese, 1 slice red onion, 1 slice balogna, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish, another slice of bologna, 1/4 cup sauerkraut, and another 1/4 cup cheese into each sandwich. Cover with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with round cake pan, pressing lightly. Leave cake pan on top and cook until first side is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip sandwiches, press again with cake pan, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 sandwiches.