Uncrustable-Inspired Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich Recipe

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Uncrustables, a kid-friendly brand of frozen sandwiches, comes in three different flavors of peanut butter and jelly as well as peanut butter and honey and even chocolate-hazelnut spread. In the past, however, Uncrustables offered a wider variety of savory flavors. While some, like a weird taco-flavored sandwich, weren’t very popular, others, like grilled cheese, are greatly missed by fans, including developer Tess Le Moing. When her favorite ice cream cheese sandwiches were discontinued, she came up with a DIY version with a twist. As she tells us: “I added ham to this grilled cheese for a little extra protein and red pepper jelly to make it more adult.”

Le Moing says, however, that you can customize the filling however you like. While she calls ham and cheese “the perfect marriage,” the same could be said for bacon or turkey. As for the type of cheese, she likes to balance the sharpness of cheddar with mild Monterey jack, but pepper jack would make for a spicier topping, or you can use just about any other type of cheese for your grilled sandwiches.

Other ingredient swaps you could make include replacing the butter with mayonnaise and omitting the jelly in place of a different condiment like pesto or pickled peppers. Whatever you do, don’t play with the bread. Only store-bought sandwich bread is soft enough to form a good seal, so save the seven-grain artisan bread for something else.

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Gather the Ingredients for Uncrustable-Inspired Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

You only need six ingredients to make this sandwich. The filling includes ham, cheddar, Monterey jack and pepper jelly, while the “crustless” ones are made with soft white sandwich bread and butter.

Step 1: Prepare the pan and oven

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and place a baking sheet on top. Set to 450 F.

Step 2: Chop the Meat

Chop the ham.

Step 3: Mix the meat and cheese

Mix the two cheeses and the chopped ham in a bowl.

Step 4: Spread Bread with Jelly

Spread 1 teaspoon red pepper jelly in the middle of 8 slices of bread, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.

Step 5: Pour the sandwich filling onto the bread

Put 1 large tablespoon of the cheese-ham mixture on the jelly.

Step 6: moisten the bread

Using your finger, brush a little water around the edges of the bread.

Step 7: Cover the Sandwiches

Cover each slice of bread with the remaining slices of bread and press gently.

Step 8: Cut the Sandwiches

Using a glass cup or mug measuring about 4 inches in diameter, press and twist the cup to cut out and remove a circle from the center of each sandwich.

Step 9: Seal the Sandwiches

Use a fork to crimp and seal each sandwich.

Step 10: Butter the Bread

Brush the top and bottom of each sandwich with melted butter.

Step 11: Place the Sandwiches in the Pan

Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and arrange the sandwiches, flat side down, on the sheet.

Step 12: Cook the Sandwiches

Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the sandwiches are golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 13: Eat the Sandwiches

Remove from oven and serve.

Uncrustable-Inspired Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich Recipe

What should I do with leftover bread crust?

At Mashed, our goal is to reduce food waste, so we never suggest you throw away the bread crusts that will be left after cutting the sandwiches. Leftover bread is often used to make croutons, but depending on how generously you spread the jelly, there may still be a bit of stickiness on the edges of these crusts. Sweet and savory mashups are trendy, though, so jelly-flavored croutons can still work, or you can dry the crusts and grind them to make homemade (and possibly slightly sweetened) breadcrumbs. You can even put pre-cut bread shapes to good use by using them for eggs in a frame.

Other uses for leftover bread include bread pudding, breakfast casserole, and French toast sticks. You can also chop the crusts and toss them with butter and cinnamon sugar, then bake them for little bites of cinnamon toast. However, you don’t need to use the bread right away, as you can put it in a Ziploc bag and store it in the freezer until you decide what to do with it.

How can I stop the filling from leaking?

One problem you might face when making DIY Uncrustables is that the filling oozes out the edges while the sandwiches cook. This is one of the reasons why it is important to use soft, chewy bread. If the bread is too firm, thick or dry, you won’t be able to shape and seal it and it may crack or break if you try. You should also avoid overfilling the sandwiches, as any excess filling (above a heaping tablespoon) will be pushed out to the edges, making it more likely to escape.

To make sure your sandwiches are secure, pinch them together first – remember to wet the edges as the instructions say – then crimp the bread with a fork. Of course, if you plan to make homemade Uncrustables regularly, you may want to invest in a gadget for cutting and crimping sandwiches. For extra-cute sandwiches, Amazon sells a set of three in the shape of a heart, mouse, and star.

Read the original article on Mashed.