I Tested The Most Viral Grilled Cheese Recipes- Guga's $100 Wagyu, Disney's Buffalo Chicken, Babish 

My dude literally woke up and chose the most delicious suffering he could. As a person with dairy allergy, I approve!

While I like Guga, I hate his obsession with putting expensive steaks in literally anything and thinking of it as an improvement. I'd rather have my Wagyu plain, and then eat a grilled cheese. I get it it's more exciting than a grilled cheese, but it's less exciting than plain Wagyu.

kenji may not win these things, but his recipe is usually the one followed by most people because of how simple but delicious they are

the problem with adding sodium citrate to just the shredded cheese is it has to be stirred and melted to homogenize the cheeses, just chucking it in wouldn't do much. and I used about 1lb of cheeses to 1/2ish tsp of the stuff when I made my own american cheese. it is acidic and there was alot in that small amount of cheese.

When I want grilled cheese, I want Kenji's version. I don't care how it ranks in the end ratings, it's the only one that ticks off all my "grilled cheese" boxes. (mic drop)

the amount of lactose intolerant people who are going to watch and get inspired to make some grilled cheese

Gotta admit. I'm not the biggest fan of Guga these days. Making his "100 dollar food" is literally just making a basic food and then adding Wagyu to it. Not even the rarest butter from Egypt or the most expensive American cheese from Wisconsin or something. Nope, just flat out Wagyu. That's it

I had a grilled cheese today for the first time in years so that’s an odd coincidence. Cheddar and Camembert on sourdough and cooked in butter and a bit of bacon fat. So a bit fancier than normal but still an actual grilled cheese. Yum

The babish version is basically Welsh rarebit which is so good

You missed out on Alton Brown's grilled grilled cheese. He literally grilled the cheese and poured it on the grilled bread. It was perfection.

Honestly I was probably the one kid where grilled cheese WASN’T a regular presence. Heck it barely had one. Never much white bread in the house after a certain point. In hindsight I wish it did. Quesadillas? Yup, had plenty of those, but quesadillas don’t have the same pull or as much crunch. Completely different satisfaction

Not too long ago I messed around with different grilled cheese buttering methods. My ingredients, as basic and to some unappealing were simple slices of white bread and kraft singles. Cooked each in a skillet on low-med with a lid for melting consistency. For fats I tried butter, margarine, mayo, ghee and olive oil. For the different taste in ingredients, I didn't notice too much difference to be picky over, that being said, I would still rank them Margarine, Olive Oil, Butter, Mayo then Ghee from worst to best. Ghee is just good. For my different grilling methods, I started with the basic spreading fat on bread. I tried all but the olive oil, and my results were your standard nostalgic grilled cheese. Nice and golden, nothing extravagant, but good. worth noting that butter and ghee should be room temp or else they are not spreadable. Next I tried fat in pan only. I didn't do mayo for this as it was a bit too awkward. This went a little poorly. without having any barrier, the bread just soaked up the excess fat in the pan and sogged out before grilling. I tried less fat in the pan to similar results. Aside from a little bit of excess fat, the bread toasted edge to edge beautifully, getting the perfect level of crunch even over the crust that normally doesn't happen with spreading fats. The final product still tasted delicious, just required way more fat to grill. The margarine underperformed. Butter was decent, but it definitely started getting a little too dark by the end. Olive oil held temp great and gave a good even cook, and ghee was just fantastic. Soaked in that amazing butter flavor without burning. The last method I tried and this was the most risky to my health was double grilled. I would give the bread a super light spread, cook it super blond, let it rest for a moment while I quickly wipe out the skillet, then toss some fat in the pan and finish cooking. This was the best of both worlds. It had an absolutely gorgeous crunch, edge to edge golden crispy grilled bread. It didn't sog out because the initial grill prevented excess fat from the pan fry to get soaked up. The result was an incredibly tasty, gorgeous fat filled masterpiece. Weirdly enough I think it took less fat overall than the pan only method, definitely more than the traditional spread. For this Ghee once again shined strong. I paired mayo with olive oil and it was also pretty good. Butter was solid and margarine existed. Is this method worth it? probably not. It was damn good tho.

Unpopular opinion: If a grilled cheese has more than just cheese and bread, it isn't a grilled cheese anymore. It's just a hot sandwich.

The oof that he went so far out of his way to get English Cheddar and then bought $20 worth of Welsh Cheddar Though it does seem Babbish was attempting to recreate Welsh Rarebit anyway so, accidental win I guess

Somebody should keep a tally of how many angry "That's not a grilled cheese, that's a melt!!!!!1!!" comments this video ends up getting

There's a word for sandwiches that have things other than cheese. Melt - Definition: A type of sandwich consisting of bread, some sort of filling, and a layer of cheese, sometimes grated. The sandwich is then grilled or fried until the cheese is melted.

There has already been an answer to the debate: A grilled cheese must only have cheese in it. Anything other than cheese would turn it into a melt. Also, still waiting for the Arby’s Beef & Cheddar versus between Josh Weissman, Guga/SVE, Sam the Cooking Guy, and Matty Matheson.

Babish basically made Welsh Rarebit. Why he called it “inside out grilled cheese” is beyond me.

that inside out grilled cheese looks like it should be in the goofy movie

"Linger in my mouth and Taurus..." David, you made me smile. Thank you. :) I flub my words, too.

I love the concept of the first recipe being a completely reasonable but amazing version!! Honestly that’s the one we’re most likely to replicate if presented the way you did

Grilled cheese is just cheese and bread with butter. The moment you put meat in there, it’s a grilled sandwich, not a grilled cheese.

That ‘English cheddar’ is Welsh cheddar!

0:47 I laughed so hard! How can a chef of his status not make a simple grilled cheese?

When David started putting together the fresh herbs chicken I got confused AF lol thought I accidentally skipped to a different video

I believe the team at Mythical Kitchen tested the best way to make a traditional grilled cheese and I would have loved to see you test it

Awesome as always David! Gonna stick around for the “putting things in grilled cheese makes it a melt” arguing which is inevitable.

David’s unintentional innuendo’s are too funny…

Davey, I've recently tested mascarpone in recipes as a substitute for cream cheese because I also hate cream cheese with a passion. I'm telling you, it's so much better because there is no tanginess. If anything, it's got a sort of milky flavour to it, but less than what you'll find in ricotta

Good job releasing the video the minute I get a craving, again.

Can you test some air fryer recipes please?

I was kinda looking forward to seeing you put together a sandwich of your own, using your favorite components of the other sandwiches...

A grilled cheese is a grilled cheese. So only Kenji's reciped counted for that. The other recipes are melts or whatever :)

i have never been this early

Such a good song during the beginning

As someone obsessed with Kenji's grilled cheese recipe, you should look at it like a plain canvas. You learn the basics, use American cheese for meltiness, use soft white bread, and cook it slowly- but other than that, you can add whatever you want and do it as you like it. I think that's what Kenji aims for when he creates his recipes, teaching you the basics, and the structure of a recipe. It's up to you to experiment with what you like best. Add bacon, change the cheese, use mayo and not butter, or a different sauce- it's just a canvas :)

the disgust at the 'dominate your mouth' phrasing was so funny lmfao. Love this man

Babish’s sandwich is essentially rarebit sauce over a grilled cheese in case you want a simplified version. Also if you’re going for a English cheddar go to your deli at the grocery store and try some.

If you wanna get the cheese to melt, put a cover over the pan and put a few drops of water into the hot pan. Make sure to do it away from the bread so it doesnt get soggy and cover right away

I'd MUCH rather clean that cheese off the wire rack than my cast iron, plus it doesn't let the cheese pool and make the bottom bread soggy.

That second sandwich was basically a cheese toastie, meets Welsh rarebit

A quesedilla is a grilled cheese. Fight me, pedants.

Anytime my food anxiety comes back I binge watch your videos while eating and I feel good. Thank you 👍

We didn't really have grilled cheese sandwiches growing up. We had grilled cream cheese, zaatar and olive sandwiches in pita bread. Just spread cream cheese on one side of the pita, sprinkle zaatar and a few slices of black olives. Then grill in a frying pan with olive oil.

Wait...is this a first win for Kenji?! Like, in my own opinion...Guga lost because it was a steak sandwich and not a grilled cheese...all the hype for the basics man! Heck yeah!

just watching this video is making my stomach hurt idk how you survived making it

Cheese should be the only inner component to a grilled CHEESE sandwich. The other two are cheats but I will try.

glad you bring back the old song for outro

My favorite simple/classic (bit with a twist) grilled cheese is from Chef John at Food Wishes. He adds some shredded cheddar to the outside of the bread when toasting it so you basically have the melted gooey cheese on the inside but on the outside you get some nice crusty cheese. It's so good!

I love making grilled cheeses with sourdough, a layer of Mayo and mustard on the inside, a slice of pepper Jack cheese, and cooked with butter. Super simple and super tasty ☺️ I add some spinach and tomatoes after to make myself feel healthy 😂

My favorite grilled cheese is bread (preferably Dave’s killer thin sliced but any will work!), shredded cheese (preferably Colby Jack - but whatever hard meltable cheese), frozen chopped spinach thawed, and a fat (butter or otherwise). Start with two slices of bread in the pan (if you prefer a harder bread pre toast the bread to taste in your toaster) with the fat spread on the facing down side. In a bowl (or go wild like I tend to and just kinda mix/layer on to save having to wash a bowl) mix equal parts cheese and spinach then layer on the bread amount to taste (I prefer about a 2cm height of filling. Then flip one slice of bread over the other and toast / melt on low heat to melt the filling (flipping the sandwich as needed. (Optional if you are in a rush after browning / toasting the bread pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds bursts to melt the filling). Enjoy your sandwich with whatever dip you like or plain. I like it with sugar free ketchup or a spinach artichoke dip.

lovin the wallows backtrack

"Fighting to whos gonna dominate the mouth...sigh" That sigh was like, not even gonna bother to explain

Love how it went from a normal grilled cheese with just bread and cheese to a fucking wagyu grilled cheese

I think that’s the beautiful cheese shelf at the grocery store near us. I remember the day I walked into STORE REDACTED and it was brand new and huge and filled with sooo much cheese I wanted to cry with happiness. XD

I like my grilled cheese with gouda, ham or slices of kielbasa and fresh tomatoes with garlic or onion. As for bread I just use whatever I have and would go stale otherwise. :) The disney one looks good to me but I like cream cheese so maybe thst's why.

The perfect accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich (white bread, butter, American cheese) is a bowl of Campbell's Tomato soup. It's a beloved Canadian classic.

Sodium citrate is absolutely slightly acidic. It's basically salt combined with citric acid, and it works better for making silky smooth chees sauces, like for trying to get a homemade version of mac and cheese that's just as smooth as the store bought stuff. But just mixing it with shredded cheese like that isn't really going to do much. Not sure what Guga was thinking tbh.

Thanks for the video 👍

Soup and grilled cheese sandwich. My fav comfort food.

for vegans OR DAIRY SENSITIVE PPL AS I AM i am in love with the daiya cheddar or american cheese slices for a classic grilled cheese they melt so good i cant ever tell the difference 😭❤️

Love the video. However, I feel as if a better Babish grilled cheese to try would be the Regular Show grilled cheese he recreated! Oh, so simple, but Babish proved that a lot can go into even a seemingly simple dish.

If my mouth is craving a grilled cheese... Sweetheart, she's getting some basic ass bread and some basic ass sliced cheese. But if those cooks want to make one of theirs for me, I will happily enjoy them :) Thanks David

4:14 basically right on the money there

I’m English and didn’t even know ‘English cheddar’ was a thing that was any different from American cheddar 😂 but the best one from over here is definitely cathedral city - it’s cheap too

Love your videos !! Such a doll !! 😘😘

Austrian airlines adds a few tomato slices into their grilled cheese sandwich snack. It's amazing.

I’ve been a loyal follower since your Oreo challenge around 7 years ago. When I found your channel I was a recently divorced young queer person looking for some comfort viewing. You’ve been a great supplier of food, laffs, and fun for me over the years. From this OG - I say a hearty thank you for the content!

For the butter vs mayo debate, you have to keep in mind some people are referring to margarine when they talk about butter, since it is cheaper. If comparing the cheap options, of margarine vs mayo, mayo wins. It has a good flavor and browns real nice, whereas margarine has good flavor but does not cooperate when browning. Both lose by a landslide to real butter though, it just gives superior flavor and browning.

1st one looked ideal for 4 triangles & tomato soup dunking🙂 I like whole grain or rustic breads, butter and for cheese Kraft singles, Swiss and gruyere if I'm being extra. Sometimes I'll very lightly sprinkle some Nature's Seasoning on the buttered bread prior to grilling. Great video!

Babish out there making Welsh rarebit

I use sodium citrate in cheese sauces for mac & cheese and fettucini alfredo. I've never used it like you do here. After butter, onion, garlic, and half and half (or whatever my recipe is) is heated in the pan that's when I put it in. In liquid and *before* I put in cheese, so that's quite a different scenario to you putting a spoonful in a bowl of cheese. I stir it in until the crystals have fully dissolved into the sauce. Also, I usually use 1/2-1 teaspoon for a dish that is being made for at least 5 people.

grilled cheese with muenster cheese is top tier

Aged cheese actually is lactose free, or close to it, and contains like 99% less lactose than regular milk, and in some cases the amounts are so low they are indictable. In the ageing process the lactose is broken down. And it doesn’t need to be aged for years like say a Parmesan. But just the normal amount is plenty, so any yellow cheese that you can slice is essentially lactose free. As long as it’s not a white fresh cheese like say fresh mozzarella, cream cheese, ricotta. Those fresh cheeses all have plenty of lactose in them. (Though Brie even if it’s appears like a soft white cheese, actually is a aged cheese, and is lactose free) But this doesn’t apply to ehm American cheese-like products. There the colour or texture isn’t a indicator of anything for them. It needs to be a cheese made like you traditionally make cheese.

You need to try the Really Awesome Black Bean Burgers from Kenji, in my opinion its one of the best recipes in the internet. Chipotle mayo is a gamechanger.

For me the best grilled cheese is the classic simple bread and cheese sandwich with a side of tomato soup to dip the grilled cheese in.

"They're all kinda battling for who's gonna dominate your mouth." *>:)*

IMO should have included the grilled cheese from the movie Chef.

A grilled cheese only has cheese in it, everything else is a melt, imo.

I think it’s transferred to the wire rack instead of leaving it in the cast iron pan to prevent the bottom from burning. You’d have the residual heat in the pan already and then it would heat up more under the broiler.

I love the Julia nod!

Sodium citrate is great if you're trying to make a homemade queso dip or something, but on a grilled cheese just doesn't make a ton of sense. To work its magic it needs to get stirred into the cheese, not melted in place

My favorite viral grilled cheese (from before "viral" was a thing) is from Ham on the Street. He had bingo cages to pick a random bread, a random cheese, and a random jam, and any combination worked. It's food magic.

The inCHEEged instead of intrigued had me laughing for a good 5 minutes

I went to a place in London recently that only does grilled cheese. They look a lot like Babish's version. I don't think I've ever eaten so much cheese in one sitting before but it was delicious.

“They’re all battling for who’s going to dominate your mouth” *pauses* 🫠 Never change David. Love your videos. And go Jets!

David don't know if you have one near you, but the best deals on high quality cheeses, is usually at Aldi grocery stores. I regularly get English cheddar, or Gruyere at Aldi for a decent price. Sodium Citrate needs to be melted into a sauce before using it, or indeed it will be sour. Sodium Citrate is literally "sour salt"

The second sandwich, with the mustard/cheese sauce that is then broiled is called a Welsh Rarebit.. (Children mispronounce it as Welsh rabbit).

7:25 omg me every effing time i open my mouth, i swear everything i say ends up being a sex pun lolll

Trisodium citrate (more commonly known as sodium citrate) is actually a mild alkali/base. It has a tart flavor, which is how basic compounds usually taste. Acidic compounds taste sour.

I'm a purist when it comes to grilled cheese, bread, cheese and butter, that's it! Anything else and it's a different sandwich altogether.

Just can't beat a good ol classic grilled cheese 😁

I think you just can't beat a normal bread and cheese toastie

I want to see you combine the best features of each of them

Tbh my view on it is that once it has meat, it's a melt. Onions and a beer cheese sauce is walking the line but I'd still call it a grilled cheese.

Good point about the cheese stretch. I never saw the appeal of the thinly stretched cold cheese flaps you're stuck with after you stretched it out anyway lol

I’m sorry how is no one talking about you opening the bag of white bread from the wrong end 😂

And the OG, Chef John's inside out grilled cheese.

French onion grilled cheese sandwiches are a revelation

Wagu?? Buffalo chicken??? Well I never! A grilled cheese consists of only these following items. Cheese. Bread with spread (usually butter). This entire subreddit consist of "melts". Almost every "grilled cheese" sandwich i see on here has other items added to it. The fact that this subreddit is called "grilledcheese" is nothing short of utter blasphemy. Let me start out by saying I have nothing against melts, I just hate their association with sandwiches that are not grilled cheeses. Adding cheese to your tuna sandwich? It's called a Tuna melt. Totally different. Want to add bacon and some pretentious bread crumbs with spinach? I don't know what the hell you'd call that but it's not a grilled cheese. I would be more than willing to wager I've eaten more grilled cheeses in my 21 years than any of you had in your entire lives. I have one almost everyday and sometimes more than just one sandwich. Want to personalize your grilled cheese? Use a mix of different cheeses or use sourdough or french bread. But if you want to add some pulled pork and take a picture of it, make your own subreddit entitled "melts" because that is not a fucking grilled cheese. I'm not a religious man nor am I anything close to a culinary expert. But as a bland white mid-western male I am honestly the most passionate person when it comes to grilled cheese and mac & cheese. All of you foodies stay the hell away from our grilled cheeses and stop associating your sandwich melts with them. Yet again, it is utter blasphemy and it rocks me to the core of my pale being. Shit, I stopped lurking after 3 years and made this account for the sole purpose of posting this. I've seen post after post of peoples "grilled cheeses" all over reddit and it's been driving me insane. The moment i saw this subreddit this morning I finally snapped. Hell, I may even start my own subreddit just because I know this one exists now. You god damn heretics. Respect the grilled cheese and stop changing it into whatever you like and love it for it what it is. Or make your damn melt sandwich and call it for what it is. A melt.