The Only Way The Pioneer Woman Makes Grilled Cheese

Ree Drummond's love affair with the childhood favorite grilled cheese sandwich is well documented. On her Pioneer Woman blog, she wrote, "I don't think I've ever met a grilled cheese sandwich I didn't love." We're with her. All that warm, ooey-gooey goodness of melted cheese, dripping down the sides as you bite into perfectly toasted bread can be sheer nirvana. Not to mention, there are infinite ways to mix up the types of cheese you use as well as foods you can add into this grilled piece de resistance to make it even more perfect. From bacon to slices of tomato and grilled onions, to avocado to sliced apple or pear, there are plenty of ways to dress up your grilled cheese. 

But one of the biggest pitfalls and challenges of making the beloved grilled cheese is having the bread toast too quickly or even burn while the cheese may not completely melt (via Bon Appetit). That's why you need medium heat to cook more slowly. You've probably heard the ubiquitous phrase 'slow and low' – "slow and medium" (or "slow and medium-low") should be your chant as you make this sandwich. However, there's also a particular kind of cookware Drummond swears by. If you want to make your grilled cheese sandwich the way Drummond makes hers, you should use this one piece of kitchen gear. What is it?

The only thing Drummond has spoken about more than her love of grilled cheese is her love for cast iron skillets. Per Food Network, Drummond has a real fetish for these pans. She owns more than 25 of these beauties. She said, "Whether they are new or 40 years old, they look and cook the same." She also swears by this pan for making a grilled cheese sandwich. Drummond's not alone. Just do a quick internet search, and you will find lots of recipes also like the cast iron pan for grilled cheese. But why are they so awesome to use when making this sandwich? 

According to Martha Stewart's website, the most crucial element of mastering the grilled cheese is how the cooking surface heats, which makes a cast iron skillet a good choice. Per Cooking Issues, the cast iron skillet is "a good regulator," meaning you won't have lots of temperature fluctuations one way or the other. It heats up slowly and therefore cools off slowly.