MMM…Our bacon blackberry grilled cheese is the best thing since sliced bread. It provides the perfect combination of something sweet, salty, savory, crunchy, and gooey. AND that’s all provided in just one bite into the sandwich.
The Blackberry Reduction
The most important component to this recipe is the reduction. To make matters easy, we highly suggest the use of frozen berries (which are flash frozen once the fruit becomes ripe). If you’re questioning why you should even bother to make your reduction instead of using readily available jams at the grocery store. Consider this as food for thought….
When someone takes the time to create a flavor profile it provides an experience. Not only for the person creating the flavor, but for those around i.e. a loved one. It creates a memory and most importantly it creates a boom a** dish!
So hopefully we changed your mind and you’re totally going to make the reduction. It’s a pretty simple step, which can also be done a 1-2 days in advance.
In a saucepan add the thawed blackberries, sugar, and salt. Reduce the mixture to half and finally stir in the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest or add the lemon goodness in the beginning. Transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for no more than 1 week.
Bacon Blackberry Duo
This duo is not quite what you think. It’s more tart and salty than sweet and salty, which we find to be refreshing. The duo makes the grilled cheese go from ordinary to out of this world extraordinary. With the best part being it does not have to be the summer time to make the incredible sandwich! We should totally high-five to this bacon blackberry goodness…just saying.
Tips to a Killer Grilled Cheese
Below are just a few things that will lead to a greatness:
- Be patient.
- Pretty sure you’ve heard the expression all great things take time. That’s also the the case with grilled cheeses. You don’t want the pan too cold or too hot for obvious reasons. If the pan is too cold the cheese will not melt and the exterior will not be crispy. If the pan is too hot, you risk burning the bread completely. So use a pan that balances heat, such as a cast iron.
- Choose the cheese wisely.
- Not all cheeses are created equal (if you’re a huge fan of feta cheese, we highly suggest you let it sit out of the game this round). Aim more for cheeses that melt easily such as a sharp cheddar, Gruyere, pepper jack, or fontina.
- Three’s Company.
- A combination of three cheeses will make the grilled cheese a killer! For an example, a great pair of three cheeses would be a creamy cheese (goat cheese), mild cheese, and a soft cheese. Talk about something delicious!
- Try mayo.
- If the butter is just not cutting it for you, try spreading mayo along the outside the bread. This will provide a killer exterior and an amazing golden-brown color. Mayo, unlike butter, has a higher smoking point making it acceptable to higher heat (unlikely to burn).
- Add texture.
- Nothing makes a sandwich greater than other textures. But stay away from condiments such as tomatoes (very watery and will cause a soggy sandwich). Here’s a few great options for texture: cooked bacon, pickled red onions, bbq onions, or cooked mushrooms.
- The condiments.
- Use up some of your kitchen condiments like sriracha, harissa, pesto sauce, pepper jelly, spicy ketchup, or grainy mustard. You name it! You can add it!
Looking for more goodness? Check out these recipes below…
- Fried Chicken Sandwich
- Turkey and Spinach Sliders
- Bacon and Egg Tarts
- Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon
- Spiced Brown Sugar Bacon
- Apricot Raspberry Pinwheels
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Cake
Bacon Blackberry Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
Blackberry Reduction
- 20 oz. Blackberries thawed
- 2.5 oz. Granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. Lemon zest
Bacon Blackberry Grilled Cheese
- 2 tbsp. Blackberry reduction
- 2 slices Applewood bacon cooked and chopped
- 3 Fresh blackberries
- 2 slices Sourdough bread 1/4 inch thick
- 2 slices Muenster cheese
- 2 slices Sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp. Gruyère cheese
- 2 tbsp. Unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Blackberry Reduction
- Add the thawed blackberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt into a medium-high saucepan. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent burning.
- Once bubbling, reduce the heat to a medium-low and continue to cook until it reduces by half (~15 minutes).
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 1 week).
Bacon Blackberry Grilled Cheese
- Heat a cast iron skillet on low heat.
- Spread 1.5 tablespoons of blackberry reduction evenly onto two slices of bread.
- Place 2 slices of cheese onto the bread, followed by a handful chopped bacon and a few pieces of blackberries.
- Add half of the shredded cheese and 2 more slices of cheese. Carefully close the sandwich and transfer to the cast iron skillet.
- Allow to toast for 1-2 minutes per side. Increase the heat to a medium-high.
- Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of EVOO to the skillet.
- Cook the grilled cheese for 4 minutes. Press down (be gentle, do not smash) and flip the sandwich. Continue to cook until golden brown and cheese melts.
- Eat immediately.