Cooking can be a pain and an inconvenience when you’re not a culinary genius. But that doesn’t mean you can’t learn essential skills that will improve your kitchen game! One of the easiest, and tastiest, foods to make is a sandwich. Not sure how to make one that is pleasing to the taste buds? Here’s a fool-proof guide to the art of sandwich making.
Step One: Bread It
Of course, an essential element of the sandwich is the bread. It’s the first, and arguably most important, choice you have to make. There is a plethora of bread options you can choose from, which can understandably be overwhelming. Rye, sourdough, pumpernickel, hearty wheat, a potato roll, sweet Hawaiian bread, brioche, a Kaiser bun from Klosterman Baking Company, pitas, or wraps are all popular favorites.
Step Two: Condiments of Your Choice
Some of the typical condiments you will find on a sandwich include mayo, mustard, and ketchup. But, a great sandwich can also include some of your more, shall we say, exotic condiments. Pesto comes to mind, as well as many unique dressings, aioli, hollandaise sauce and even bacon jam. You want to put just enough of your favorite condiment on to moisten your bread, spreading it right up to the edge, but not enough to make a soggy sandwich. Some condiments won’t make a lot of sense on certain sandwiches. For instance, ketchup could be great on a Philly Cheesesteak, but not so much on a chicken salad sandwich. Remember to choose an option that pairs well with your sandwich filling.
Step Three: Spice It Up
Cheese it! Cheese will hold just as much variety as the breads you have to pick from. Muenster, Havarti, Swiss, cheddar, pepper jack and provolone are just a few. Then, fill this bad boy up with flavor from veggies and meat. You will find vegetables like onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, olives, peppers and a whole host of others in sandwich shops across the land. Additionally, some regions may get little creative with their beetroot or avocado. Choose a good quality meat like roasted turkey, roast beef, chicken, or ham, plus deli meats like pepperoni, salami, pastrami, and throw in some bacon for good measure. When in doubt, bacon is always on the menu.
Step Four: Hot or Cold?
Finally, choose whether you want this sandwich cold like it is, or if you want to heat it up. If you choose hot, grab some butter and toast it up on the griddle, or break out the trusty Panini press until your bread is nice and gold. Then get your sandwich on!
Now, of course there are some sandwiches that will always need to be crafted in a certain order. For instance, a Rueben includes corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, warm on toasted rye. You may get some raised eyebrows if you add cucumbers or pepperoncini. With so many variations on bread, condiments, meats, and other fillings, you could realistically eat a sandwich every day for at least a year and never have the same thing twice. Don’t be afraid to try new things! As you perfect your kitchen skills, you may end up being the best sandwich maker around town.
