Have you been flipping grilled cheese sandwiches the wrong way your entire life?
If you, like most people, make them with a pan on a stovetop, you probably shovel a spatula oh-so-gingerly under the toasted side of the half-cooked pile, trying not to splatter butter everywhere (why does it burn so quickly, even when you turn down the heat?), hoping the melting cheese won't ooze out all at once, before you quickly turn your spatula hand upside-down and praying for the best.
Well, the internet is here to show you a better way — one we wished we'd seen before subjecting ourselves to one too many ruined grilled cheeses.
TikTok user @donnabonnana shared a video on Feb. 2, 2021 that has multiple people calling it "genius" or simply using the mind-blown emoji in the comments section.
In the video, a man demonstrates flipping a single grilled cheese sandwich by placing a spatula under the sandwich and instead of flipping the sandwich, flipping the pan on top of the opposite side of the sandwich, before placing both back on the stove to finish cooking. The TikToker's voice can be heard as the video plays, saying, "Hey guys! I was today years old … when I learned how to flip a grilled cheese from my husband."
The text on the video reads, "My husband was excited....he said you should do one of those 'i was today year's old...' videos and show them how I flip my grilled cheese sandwiches." The caption added, "Grilled cheese tip from my hubby Patrick."
Related
The video went viral, boasting over 4 million views, over 8,000 comments and over 430,000 likes.
"Omg what?! I have been ruining my grilled cheese for years. This is genius!" wrote one commenter.
Another wondered how the husband could flip the pan without getting oil all over the stovetop: "and if you've got oil in the pan...then what?"
@donnabonnana swiftly replied, "Then you don't use this method, he just used a little soft butter on the bread."
Others poked fun at the hack: "Have you ever thought about flipping the whole stove?"
"Tried it and smashed my toes, that's why my husband came up with this alternative," the original poster quipped.
Another TikToker @firedepartmentchronicles posted a stitch with the original clip. In his video, he inquired with a big smile, "Quick question for ya, what has happened in your life that this has become a difficult task? Something to think about!" He added in the caption, "what is happening right now? #greasefire #notahack."
So, is the method safe? We turned to Tracy Wilk, chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, for answers. The short answer: It's safe — but use caution.
"My mom wasn’t the world’s greatest cook, but she had some novel tricks up her sleeve. This is her exact method for flipping omelets!" Wilk told TODAY Food. "When I first saw this on TikTok, it didn’t faze me because that’s how I’ve always seen my mom do it."
Related
"The hack seems safe, but make sure you are aware that you could be flipping hot oil, which could start a grease fire," she advised. "If your pan isn’t dry, you may want to remove the grilled cheese, and then use a dry towel to remove the excess oil/fat. You want to make sure when you flip the pan upside down, you don’t have any excess grease hit the gas flame.
"I would also recommend using a metal spatula for this hack, which is more heat resistant than a rubber spatula. The idea of having a rubber spatula so close to the gas flame makes me slightly nervous."
Whether or not you agree with the "genius" grilled cheese hack, I think we can all acknowledge that making a perfectly melted grilled cheese sandwich is less of a science and more of an art. Now, pass the tomato soup!
