Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Smoked ham, mushrooms and cheese! If ever there were three ingredients that were meant to be together it would be these. A beautiful sliced ham with a deep smoky flavour, mushrooms fried in lashings of butter, and a rich extra mature cheddar, all melted together in between buttered grilled bread, is surely sandwich heaven.

Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A good Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese is another sandwich staple that is one of my all time favourites. If ever there were three ingredients that were meant to be together it would be these. 

This luxuriously filling in a grilled sandwich must surely be one of the greatest of comfort foods that really hit the spot. In this particular recipe I have opted for a rich flavoured extra strong cheddar to bind the smoked ham and mushrooms together, but with an additional slice of Emmental to provide a base for the ham. My personal preference for this sandwich would be to opt for some lovely fresh mushrooms fried in butter to continue the luxurious theme (but you could just simply open a tin of mushrooms and drain some to give you a quicker option which can literally be prepared while the sandwich maker is heating up if you wish).

What you will need for the perfect Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

My preference is always for thick sliced bread for my toastie or grilled sandwich everytime. Thick sliced bread is a must as, in my opinion, the bread is the most important part of any sandwich. White sliced, or a 50/50 white/wholemeal combination always works well. For this sandwich I have chosen a really thick sliced white that is so thick it's actually labelled as "doorstep". This provides the perfect extra thickness as this sandwich needs to have a great depth in terms of both size and flavour.

A slice of Emmental cheese is the perfect base layer under the ham to provide the heat and "glue" for the meat in any grilled sandwich. If the cold ham is placed directly on to the dry bread there is always the chance of movement when cutting through at the end. Also, the Emmental adds a mild, almost nutty flavour and will not overpower the star of the sandwich which is the meat. To keep things simple, I buy my Emmental ready sliced, and always have a part opened pack in my fridge. As a tip, once opened, keep the remainder in a ziplock bag with surplus air expelled. It lasts for ages! 

The choice of meat I have used here is a shop bought Peppered Smoked Ham, ready sliced, and perfect for sandwich making. This can usually be found in any supermarket in the chilled meats section, and are normally in a packs of 5 or 6 slices, ready to go. This is usually very thinly sliced so I prefer to fold two slices into each sandwich to provide a substantial filling and balance to the cheese. My local supermarket stocks this peppered smoked ham (and I do love a hint of black pepper in my sandwiches), but any similar sliced ham would do just as well.

The choice of mushrooms is really up to you. You may have a particular favourite or for ease you may decide to simply open a small tin of mushrooms with the surplus water drained off. Tinned mushrooms are a handy stock item to have in your cupboard as they are always there when you need them, unlike fresh mushrooms which "brown"very quickly in a few days if not used. 

However, tinned mushrooms can be a little bland when compared to fresh, and if you really want to enhance this luxurious sandwich then some fresh mushrooms, thickly cut and pan fried in butter until a lovely golden colour has to be the way to go. 

The cheese I have chosen for these grilled sandwiches is an extra mature grated cheddar. I prefer my cheese to have a good depth of flavour, but you could opt for any type of cheddar or whatever is in your fridge. As I am always "unready" and also, I hate grating, I find it much easier to buy the cheese ready grated from my local supermarket. I always have a few bags of different kinds of cheeses in my fridge so I'm always ready for that craving for sandwich or snack. These are usually supplied in resealable bags so you can just use the amount you want and keep the rest for later (up to 5 days so no need for waste).

Making the perfect Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

This sandwich requires a little preparation prior to any assembling of the ingredients but when done properly it can really add to the final result. Firstly, you will need to thickly slice some fresh mushrooms and fry in a pan with plenty of butter, turning over a medium heat until nicely browned. Then set aside ready to add to your sandwich filling.

Then turn on the snack maker with the grill / panini plates fitted. The ease of using the grill plates is that the sandwich can be pre-assembled and the whole thing lifted into place onto the pre-heated bottom plate. When using these plates, it is still possible to create some sort of "sealed sandwich effect" particularly with a good thick sliced bread as the crusts, when compressed, can form a barrier to the sandwich filling escaping.

While the appliance is heating up gather all the ingredients together and butter one side of each of the 2 slices of bread. These will be the sides that come into contact with the hotplates, and help to achieve the beautiful golden grill lines on the outer surfaces of the bread during the cooking process. (You could lightly spray or spread on a good quality oil if you prefer).

To start assembling your sandwich, turn one slice over so that the buttered side is face down, and cover the dry side with a slice of Emmental cheese as a base. Then take the smoked ham and carefully fold two slices to cover the Emmental as much as possible. 

Cover the smoked ham with the freshly fried mushrooms straight from the pan that you have set aside earlier, spreading as evenly as possible.

Now sprinkle the extra mature grated cheese over all the mushrooms right to the edge of the sandwich to ensure an even melt.

Place the top slice on top to complete the sandwich with the buttered side uppermost.

With your sandwich now assembled, once the appliance is up to temperature, carefully place the completed sandwich onto the bottom grill plate (taking great care as this is very hot and will sizzle noticeably upon contact). It is important to close the top plate slowly, and bring to rest on to the top of the sandwich but do not apply pressure. 

This will gradually settle under it's own weight while cooking, as in this case we prefer not to compress the sandwich by closing fully and locking the handles.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until golden. 

Once your grilled sandwich is ready, switch off the appliance at the socket. NEVER lift your finished sandwich out with your fingers as the plates will still be extremely hot! Always use wood or plastic tools to loosen and lift away your sandwich, which usually comes away from the non-stick surface easily. Allow to cool for at least one minute before cutting and serving as the cheese will be extremely hot.

The Recipe

Roast Beef & Emmental Grilled Sandwich

EQUIPMENT

• 3-in-1 snack maker with grill / panini plates

PREPARATION TIME : 10 minutes

COOKING TIME : 5 minutes (approx.)

SERVINGS : 1

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices of extra thick white bread
• 8g butter or similar
• 2 slices (50g approx.) smoked ham or similar
• 40g mushrooms (pre-fried)
• 1 slice of Emmental cheese (30g approx.)
• 40g extra mature grated cheddar cheese

 For more information on weights, measures and simple conversions in both metric, imperial (and US) read ... DO SPOONS, MILLILITRES AND CUPS ACTUALLY MEASURE UP?

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the fresh mushrooms by pan frying in butter until golden brown
2. Turn on the snack maker
3. While the appliance is heating up gather the remaining ingredients together
4. Butter one side of each of the 2 slices of bread
5. Turn one slice over (buttered side down) and cover with one slice of Emmental cheese
6. Cover the Emmental with the 2 slices of smoked ham folded to cover the whole area
7. Spoon the pre-cooked mushrooms evenly over the sliced ham
8. Cover with the grated extra mature cheddar cheese
9. Place the remaing slice of bread on top with the buttered side uppermost
10. Carefully place the completed sandwich onto the grill plates
11. Close the top plate gently onto the sandwich but do not press or close handles
12. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until golden

Or you could try...

If you prefer to add another layer of flavour to your sandwich, why not try spreading a teaspoon of American mustard (the mild type you would use in hot dogs, etc.) or English mustard (which also works well with ham) on to the inner surface of the top slice.  However, do not over use, as a strong mustard can overpower the filling.

Perfect with...

The Smoked Ham & Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich is perfect on it's own as a snack at any time of the day, or whenever the fancy takes you.

Or simply add some fresh baby salad leaves with a light dressing, to create a quick and tasty lunch.

How does your sandwich maker compare?

For most of the recipes shared here I use my trusty Tower Deep Fill 3-in-1 Sandwich Maker, so obviously you may need to adjust your ingredients slightly if you are using a different appliance. Having said that, most sandwich makers are very similar in design and size, and the amount of each filling is a guide only and you can increase or decrease, add or subtract, according to your personal taste.

Never be afraid to experiment, and remember you won't always get the perfect result first time, so if at first you don't succeed try, try and try again. It's great fun!

If you want to check out some of the alternative 3-in-1 machines available check out our guide...

More than just cheese toasties  -  The best reasonably priced 3-in-1 sandwich makers