It doesn't sound like the end of the world, nor anything abnormal or unusual, but maybe a change or two will correct the issue.

As an aside, we had twin boys who lived at the end of the block about the same age as our kids at the time, and one liked to have his cheese sandwich toasted -- using toast from the toaster, then you melted the cheese on one slice under the broiler in the toaster oven and topped it with the other slice of toast (no buttered bread at all). The other twin liked his grilled -- buttered bread and cooked on a griddle or pan. I think there is a big difference between grilled and toasted, but we differentiate them at our house, but I know people who use the terms interchangeably as well.

1. Change the type of spatula you use. If you use a long one, try a short one, or vise versa.

2. Be-quick-with-the-flip! Don't be tentative or hesitate, and keep it close to the pan surface, holding it with your other hand until the flip.

-Grainlady

George Foreman grill! Husband bought one for $5 at the thrift store. I use it for grilled cheese, patty melts, tuna melts, grilled ham and cheese, etc. And, I use mayonnaise, instead of butter, on grilled sandwiches.

And a related tip I got from a cooking mag--instead of buttering the bread for the side that goes on the pan, use mayo. It makes a fabulous toasted side.

Are you doing the assembly in the pan? Putting first slice of bread in pan and then adding cheese, etc? Try assembling the components first, give the cheese more time to melt. Or try Kenji's method.

I butter the two sides of a piece of bread, put that down on the pan, butter the other piece on one side, put it down on the pan where I lay on the cheese (and I like jam on first), when both are toasted put the non-cheese piece toasted side to the cheese and let the sandwich toast on the bottom. Then take a spatula under the finished side and a spatula on the top, using two hands/spatulas flip the whole thing over and slide the spatulas off. Nothing falls out and there is heat inside the sandwich to melt the cheese better. A little extra butter doesn't hurt and makes a nice melty cheese crunchy sandwich. Might want to go to the dollar store and find a couple very wide silicone spatulas for flipping, usually used for hamburgers. They are useful for turning just about anything where a slim metal one is just not wide enough in my house.

Nancy

I think someone needs a panini press - no flipping required! lol.

I just preheat the pan, make a cheese sandwich, butter the hot pan, and pop that puppy on the pan. When it's ready to flip, I gently lift an edge with a spatula or the butter knife (why dirty a spatula) and use my hands to flip. I sometimes butter both sides, and sometimes butter a side after it's grilled.

I used to like them 'squished', but meh, it's not necessary. What is necessary is to sometimes use Swiss or provolone, or even to mix yummy cheeses!

1. Get a plate that is smaller than the pan. Put the plate on top of your sandwich, and flip the pan. With the sandwich upside down on you plate, now you can just slide the sandwich back on the pan.

2. To get the cheese melt better, microwave first.

dcarch

I use my sandwich grill.
But occasionally if I am lazy I will make one in a fry pan.
I make a cheese sandwich....usually use sliced Swiss, using a bit of mustard too. no butter....yet.
Then I put a pat of butter into my hot but not sizzling fry pan, add the sandwich, put a lid on the pan....make sure your pan isn't too hot, you want to melt the cheese before the bread gets too brown, when the bottom is almost brown enough, I slide another good sized pat of butter into the pan and flip the sandwich using a spatula and a fork to steady it. Grill with the lid off so it crisps until the 2nd side is browned.

You all are making me crave grilled cheese now - & we're out of bread!

I simply check that the cheese has melted enough to stick the 2 sides together before turning. If bread is browning too much before that happens, lower the heat. I either lift a corner of the top slice to check for melty-ness &/or just use my fingertips to gently wiggle the top slice side to side & if it sticks it's good to go.

I also butter the top slice once it's in the pan - or pick up the sandwich & melt a new bit of butter before turning, depending on whether or not the butter is soft or not.

I always use an iron skillet.

Alton Brown had a trick that's pretty slick: have two seasoned cast iron skillets; I also have used griddles like these. Heat them both on the stove until they sizzle a drop of water and remove from heat. Place the assembled sandwich on one of the skillets, do a light spritz of olive oil on the top slice of bread facing you (and a spritz on the bottom of the second skillet). Place the second skillet on top of the sandwich and wait until you hear the cheese sizzling, anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes.

In essence, it's a low tech panini press. Here are the details.

Okay, I only skimmed so maybe I missed it if someone else said this, but if you're having troubles flipping, instead of changing the way you like to make your sandwich, why not try spatula tongs? The kind they make for fish would work too. Or if you have a good slotted spatula and a fish flipper, put the former on the bottom and gently balance the latter on top, don't squeeze too hard, and flip away. If you do a good sharp flipping motion, which is easier when you have something holding the top on, you shouldn't lose stuff out of the sides. The falling out thing is when gravity has enough time to overcome whatever friction is holding the sandwich together. Grab it top and bottom, flip fast, and you should be good to go.

This thread needs some visual aid ;)

My low tech Panini press...

Patty melts on sourdough...

I have almost exactly the same two cast iron grill pans - I generally use the wide grills for fish or chicken and the narrow grills for vegetables, especially zucchini. I guess I could also have a low-tech panini press, which is good because I do not have room for another small appliance. I'm not sure what the large rectangular pan is, however, although it resembles my griddle, except that mine has a trench on one side and the outer side are not that high. It looks like that griddle is not reversible. Mine is, but I never use the grill side, since I have pans for that.

I almost never make grilled cheese sandwiches, except for an occasional Reuben, when I have corned beef or pastrami on hand, which is fairly rare. Instead I make quesadillas, using flour tortillas instead of bread. I heat the quesadilla with its fillings in a large skillet (12" diameter), covered, at medium to medium low heat for 3-1/2 to 4 minutes, and then it is crispy and done. Then I fold the sizes over to the middle and serve it. This way I never have to flip a sandwich. You can use the same ingredients that you use for grilled cheese sandwiches to make quesadillas. I always put the cheese on top because it is easier for me to fold them that way.

If you are having trouble flipping sandwiches, try it with tortillas.

Seriously though to the op, if you are having trouble flipping, perhaps it's the spatula you are using? My griddle is built in, and gets as much use as my burners do. I use different shapes, sizes, and stiffnesses for different tasks. You might try just changing your spatula to help you master your technique.

Good point from cookncarpenter - I have a long flexible metal spatula that's great for large items like a sandwich.

Something like this 1 - w/ a wood handle:

Thanks every for the helpful input and ideas, and the photos! I usually use a spatula that looks like the third one from the top (or first one up from the bottom spatula) in cookncarpenter's photo. I also have wide silicone spatulas, shorter than the shortest one pictured above, and one shorter metal one.

I am really good at making quesadillas...and I have used the low-tech panini press too (but perhaps not as often as I should).

I'll be practicing some new techniques for tonight's dinner--and will try the mayo suggestions as well.

Thanks again!

Smiles,

Sooz

If you cover the pan the cheese will melt a little faster and better function as glue for the flip.

Sourdough is my favorite, besides loving the taste, it is firmer and stands up to several turnings. I turn my sandwiches a few times, to get an even browning and allow the cheeses more melting time. Use plenty of butter, mayo, or both.

A few more grilled sandwich tips I use...

• Sprinkle a little garlic salt on the buttered (or mayo) outside prior to grilling
• Grate a little parmesan on the outside, it browns and crisps up deliciously
• Grind a little dried basil or oregano on the outside :)
• If adding ham or other meat, or even a tomato, toss it on the griddle a bit each side before placing on the sandwich
• A little mustard or horseradish on the inside kicks things up a little

bon appetit!

I have a large round spatula that looks like this, and I use it mostly for Okonomiyaki, but I think it would work well for grilled sandwiches. I bought it at a restaurant supply store, and it was described as being a cake lifter - I would never need to use it for cookies, even though that's what Amazon says it is for. It's really nice to have and it attaches very strongly to my magnetic knife strip, to keep it out of the way.

I loved my Happy Call pan (the red one in the front) but it wasn't compatible with induction so I gave it away at my Adopt-a-Pot Party. Just close it then flip when ready to grill the other side of the grilled cheese or whatever.

Like rgreen and Lindac, I melt the butter in the pan, then add the sandwich. I just use a spatula to flip it, but I find a sturdier and less flexible one the best, as a flexible one causes me to lose the sandwich when it bends, LOL.

Grilled cheese was one of Ashley's favorites, so I had a lot of practice! I do have a panini press (which seldom gets used) and a grill pan just like cookncarpenter, except mine is blue. It doesn't get used much either, for some reason. I'd love to have that griddle, cookncarpenter!

Lars, I have that same spatula and do indeed use it as a cake lifter. I can slide it under a frosted layer and place that layer on top of another without touching the sides and messing up the frosting. It's very handy if you make many tiered cakes.

Annie

I agree with lisaam - put a lid on the pan to speed up melting the cheese. The melted cheese works like glue for the flip.

Okay, doesn't anyone else "spill" the cheese around the sandwich into the pan on purpose like I do? I love, love, love the cheese chips that makes. It doesn't bother me at all if some of the cheese or other fillings to my grilled cheese sandwich spill when I flip the sandwich over, I just slop it back on, or let it toast in the pan beside the sandwich, as I always over fill it for that purpose.

Sally

^Agree sally2...if some of the ingredients aren't oozing out, you haven't put enough on the sandwich to begin with :)

Grilled cheese queen here. I believe i have made thousands over the years...

All varieties of stove tops, cheap pans, dozens of bread choices. and local cheeses...vacation rentals.

Not so much for us but house visitors that get peckish mid-day...when dinner is hours away. They hover in the kitchen and start opening the fridge non-stop.

Cast iron griddle or pan is perfect but not always available.

Low to med heat, butter and oil, (i like avocado oil). Put down slices of bead of choice, swirl around to coat the bottom. Add cheese and toppings of choice...ham slices, pesto, tomato slice in the summer months, whatever is in season...add the top bread slice. (no butter yet)

Use a bit of pressure depending on the bread. Another smaller skillet or a tea kettle. Add a piece of alum foil between if the bottom of your top weight pot/pan may not be so clean. The slight pressure creates a bit of heat-steam and melts the internal cheese layer quickly while the bottom gets a nice crust.

Let that first cooking go a bit longer on the lower heat to melt and 'glue' the slices together, then add a bit of ev olive oil or soft butter and flip...i just lift a corner with a spatchula and use the other hand fingers to easily flip...not that hot really on the top bread slice.

Even if your bread is bunny white with a velvetta slice, that first low heat before flipping is key. Can't really press down on white bunny bread but a lid for a few minutes will steam heat the insides while toasting the pan bottom connected bread.

Am I the only person who uses tongs to flip grilled sandwiches?