Melty Grilled Cheese And Ham – The Best Comfort Food

 This epic grilled ham and cheese sandwich has buttery toasted bread, smoky salty ham, and gooey, melty cheese make a sandwich that seems sort of simple, but it just hits the spot EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

Just like my (equally as epic) recipe, the ooey gooey cheese is key for a comfort food sandwich.

Make This Into A Full Meal 

Don’t just make the sandwich…. make it a full, cozy meal:

 – creamy, tangy, and perfect with warm sandwiches. The chilled salad is delicious with the warm gooey cheese!
 – the classic dunking combo.
 – Like fries, but crispier and covered in parmesan!

🌟Ingredient Highlights

• Bread: I used my homemadefor my sandwich today, but almost any bread you love will work. White bread, brown or whole wheat bread as well as special artisanal bread would be lovely. If you can toast it, it will work.
• Cheese: The choices are endless, but I like a classic grilled cheese so I’ll typically use sharp cheddar. But if you’re feeling adventurous, swiss, provolone, pepperjack, or spicy havarti is also excellent to use.
• Ham: I have a local butcher shop that makes a delicious black forest ham that I order shaved, and I recommend you use your favorite shaved ham as well. I like to buy it shaved because shaved ham keeps the sandwich tender to bite into and creates more surface area for the flavors to melt together in that perfect bite. Other alternatives are listed below.
• Butter: Butter is best for that deliciously rich flavor and a nice crispy crust on the sandwich. Margarine can also be used as a substitute and for a lighter option, some spray oil will work.

Choosing The Right Kind Of Ham

You can use any ham you love for your sandwich. Here are a few options that taste amazing!

• Honey Ham – adds sweetness to the sandwich without being overbearing.

• Smoked Virginia Ham – The smokiness is delicious and adds tons of flavor!

• Peppered Ham – has some spice to it and has a rich flavor that can’t be beaten.

• Spiral Ham – If you have a holiday dinner or any other occasion and end up with leftover spiral ham, it makes the most fantastic sandwich!

• You can also use a Black forest ham, shaved thin. This is what I used today for my sandwich.

How To Make This Grilled Ham And Cheese Sandwich Recipe

PREP STEP: Bring the cheese out of the fridge about 10 minutes before making the sandwich so the cheese comes to room temperature. You’ll need a skillet and a spatula to flip the sandwich.

STEP ONE: I cut two nice big slices and then buttered one side of it. This buttered side will be the BOTTOM layer of the sandwich. 

STEP TWO: Lay the buttered side down in the pan and after that, I just started layering the ingredients. I like putting cheese on both the bottom and top, kind of sandwiching the ham in the middle.

STEP THREE: Then, put the other piece of bread on top of the cheese. I buttered the outside so that when you flip the sandwich in the pan, will become the bottom piece. 

SALTYPOT TIP: The important step is to fry it low and slow over medium-low heat. If you grill it too quickly, the bread will burn before the cheese melts. You want the sandwich to warm slowly, so the cheese gets a chance to get all melty and yummy as the bread toasts or, grills, in the pan. 

After it’s toasted on one side, flip it carefully and do the same to the other side. Also, another tip is to cover the frying pan with a lid for a few minutes to trap some of the heat in there to help melt the cheese as well. 

When it’s done grilling, turn it out onto a nice board and give it a minute or two to settle. Then slice, and ENJOY!! 

Look below for all the exact amounts, detailed cooking instructions, and handy tips in the printable recipe card below.

🔥 Don’t Skip These Steps

• Use low to medium heat so the cheese melts before the bread burns
• Butter the outside evenly (don’t skip edges)
• Add cheese on BOTH sides of the ham for max melt
• Press lightly … don’t smash it. (We don’t want the cheese oozing out the sides)

Switching It Up (Other Additions)

You can make your sandwich with just bread, meat, and cheese if you desire. Nothing wrong with that my lovely!! But, depending on my mood, I like to add some extra toppings to change the flavor and texture. Here are a few of the things I love to use:

• Fresh vegetables – Believe it or not, adding some thinly sliced fresh tomatoes on top of the ham, or slices of avocado on top of the ham layer before going into the skillet is crazy good. I like it because the slow heat softens the tomato (or the avocado) and it kind of makes the sandwich ‘juicy’ without being sloppy or soggy.
• Condiments -Adding a bit of sweet heat like my  to the bread slices, or some spicy horseradish, , or even some  would all be dynamite!
• Tang Factor – Super thin rings of pickled peppers or  would also be divine in this sandwich. Sounds wierd maybe, but SO delicious! The tanginess would play against the rich gooey cheese!

Is This Sandwich The Same Idea As A Cheese Toastie?

Yes. Grilled cheese and a cheese toastie are the same types of sandwiches. The only difference is that we’ve added ham to our grilled cheese, so technically, this sandwich would also be known as a ham and cheese toastie.

   I hope that if you decide to follow this method for your grilled ham and cheese sandwich, you might try to add a few twists that were mentioned earlier, and then let me know how it went by commenting below!  Thank you for stopping by The Salty Pot today! 

~Joanne

The Ultimate Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich You Crave

Ingredients

• 2 slices crusty artisan bread (thick-cut)
• 85g shaved Black Forest deli ham
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese (brick-style, broken into smaller pieces)
• 1 tbsp butter, divided

Instructions

1. 1. Preheat Pan: Preheat a frying pan over medium-low heat.
2. 2. Butter the Bread: Butter one side of a slice of bread with ½ tbsp butter and place it butter-side down in the pan.
3. 3. Layer the Ham and Cheese: Add half of the cheese pieces, spreading them evenly over the bread.
   - Loosely fold and layer the ham slices on top of the cheese, covering as much of the bread as possible.
   - Add the remaining cheese pieces over the ham.
4. 4. Top the Sandwich: Butter the second slice of bread with ½ tbsp butter and place it, butter-side up, on top of the sandwich.
5. 5. Grill it Up: Grill slowly over medium-low heat to allow the cheese to melt without burning the bread. Once the bottom slice is golden brown and crispy, carefully flip the sandwich.
6. 6. Melt: Cover the pan with a lid for about a minute to help the cheese melt faster. Once the second side is golden brown and the cheese is fully melted, remove the sandwich from the pan.
7. 7. Rest: Let it sit for a minute, then slice and serve immediately.

Notes

1. Taking the cheese out 10 minutes ahead of time will help bring it to room temperature so it melts more evenly and quickly.
2. Don't be afraid to use the leftover ham you have on hand. Cut it as thin as possible and make this delicious grilled cheese melt as usual.
3. I like to sprinkle just a light bit of salt over the top of the sandwich after grilling. Only do this if your ham is not overly salty.
4. Want to make it ahead of time? Assemble the sandwich and wrap it in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 1 day before grilling.
5. Try using mayonnaise instead of butter for an ultra-crispy crust!