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Big Cheese Squeeze
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients
2 slices of bread, cut thin (as far as bread selection goes, all I'll
say is the bigger the loaf the bigger the sandwich)
1 teaspoon (or more) smooth Dijon mustard
1 cup grated cheese (This is the soul of the thing, so use the good stuff. We like a semi-hard,
semi-soft combo like smoked gouda and Gruyere or Fontina with a young Asiago. If you're a purist
, go for the Cheddar, but make it sharp and aged if possible.
Good quality olive oil for spritzing.


Directions
Find 2 heavy skillets that will nest together. Two (10-inch) cast iron
skillets are ideal. Heat them over high heat.
Meanwhile, spread mustard on one slice of bread. Distribute the cheese evenly over the mustard,
season with fresh black pepper and top with second piece of bread.
Spritz the bread surface that's staring up at you with olive oil using either a Misto or a pump
sprayer. A light coat will do, don't soak.

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Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

 

When the pans are hot enough to vigorously sizzle a drop of water, remove them from the heat and
place the sandwich, top-side down in the middle of one pan. (if your pans are a different size, this
would be the larger one.) Spritz the slice now facing you, as well as the bottom of the other
skillet. Lay the skillet right on top of the sandwich. If the top pan isn't cast iron, weigh it down
with a brick, can, or something of similar heft.
Wait patiently, crack a beer. When you hear the first bit of cheese run out and sizzle on the pan,
it's done. This will take anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the top skillet, (you may need to coax it off with a spatula, but I doubt it).
Just look at it. It's perfect...better than mom's. (no reason to tell her)
Remove to a plate, count to 10 and slice it in half. Take a bite. Take another. So they lost...
there's always next year.



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Copyright 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved