Ham and Cheese Sandwich

I’ll admit that growing up I never appreciated a ham and cheese sandwich. The versions I was exposed to in my lunchbox as a kid consisted of cold, slimy packaged deli ham covered with gloppy mayonnaise and a bland slice of processed cheese, all squished between slices of flavorless supermarket white sandwich bread. It was more likely to end up in the trash than in my belly. Not deterred by those early experiences, I’ve grown to appreciate the easy and comforting nature of a ham and cheese sandwich. As an adult I’ve enjoyed way better versions and my perception of the sandwich has improved vastly. I’ve also learned to fine tune its preparation in a way that grown-up Leah now loves. 

Here I’ve put together a guide to making my ultimate hot and melty ham and cheese sandwich. This version features a generous mound of satiny and savory ribbons of ham sandwiched between a thin layer of tangy Swiss cheese, with tart mustard and pickles added to counter the sweet and salty deli ham. It’s all piled high and cooked in a skillet, where it’s pressed for a portion of the time, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese melts and blankets the warm ham.

The Rise of the All-American Ham Sandwich

The ham sandwich is so ingrained in the American lunchbox repertoire that it’s easy to never question how it became so popular in the U.S. Yes, there are gorgeous and popular iterations of ham sandwiches across the world. France has its over-the-top croque-monsieur and the simple and rustic jambon buerre (ham and butter sandwich) at the other end of the spectrum. There’s the Cubano that features pork three-ways (ham being one of them), while in Brazilian cuisine, the toasted ham and cheese known as a misto-quente ("hot mix") is popular. But the version I identify as the go-to American ham sandwich consists of plain white sandwich bread, mayonnaise or butter, a bit of mustard, thinly sliced deli ham, and a few pickles if you’re feeling adventurous. 

Like many popular American dishes, the ham and cheese sandwich wasn’t born here out of thin air. It was first introduced to the U.S. from England around the mid 1800s (although the sandwich was popular in England for almost a century prior to this), according to the website Food Timeline. While it’s hard to pinpoint the exact date the sandwich gained popularity in the U.S. there are early iterations of the above described ham and cheese sandwich in American cookbooks going back to the mid 1800s. Eliza Leslie’s 1840 cookbook Directions for Cookery in Its Various Branches has a small section highlighting ham sandwiches and their preparation: “Cut some thin slices of bread very neatly, having slightly buttered them; and, if you choose, spread on a very little mustard. Have ready some very thin slices of cold boiled ham, and lay one between two slices of bread. You may either roll them up, or lay them flat on the plates.” This simple preparation is one of the earliest examples of the ham sandwich in print in the United States. 

From this time on it gained popularity throughout the U.S. The ham and cheese sandwich was even the go-to baseball park food in the 1800s all the way up until 1909, when hot dogs were first first sold at New york’s ballparks and took over as baseball’s food icon.

The ham sandwich continued to gain popularity in the American diet in the early 1900s and forward. It was at this time that bakeries started selling pre-sliced bread, thus making sandwiches very easy to prepare, and the ham sandwich became an easy, portable meal for workers and school children on the go. The ham sandwich doesn’t show any signs of declining in popularity—in fact, Google searches for “ham sandwich” have risen year-over-year since 2004 (the farthest back Google search data goes). 

Bringing us up to the present, I’d argue that a simple ham and cheese sandwich falls into the category of foods that we take for granted these days. It’s a sandwich seemingly so basic that you might wonder at first, “do I even really need a recipe for this?” Sure you could open up your fridge and just pull out a package of ham and the first condiments you stumble upon to spread and layer together—and there is definitely a time when an impromptu sandwich is needed—and admittedly, no recipe beyond what Miss Leslie introduced to American culture back in 1840 is needed for that. But in my experience, the more simple and ubiquitous a recipe is, the more guidance and insight you need to execute it really well. And don’t we all deserve a really well executed sandwich?

The Keys to Perfect Ham and Cheese

To make a great version with golden toasty bread, melty cheese, and the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors in every bite, you’ll benefit from these pointers below.

Use Good Ham—and Don’t Skimp on It

To be clear, this is a ham and cheese sandwich and not a grilled cheese with ham—what places it firmly in the “ham sandwich” category is not the type of ham used, but the amount of ham. I call for a generous three ounces of ham per sandwich, which is enough for a big, hammy taste but not so much that the sandwich is unwieldy. 

You’ll of course want to use a high quality ham, preferably one that you’ve been able to sample at the deli counter before purchasing. The convenience of reaching for prepackaged ham may be tempting, but you and your sandwich are worth the brief wait in the deli counter line. The ham should be relatively dry, with no slick or slimy residue on it (this is a sign that the ham isn’t freshly sliced). Go with whatever ham variety you prefer—Black Forest, Virginia, honey-roasted, even capocollo— just make sure it is sliced very thin. The thinner the ham slices are, the easier it is to layer, shape, and curl the meat over itself to hold together in the sandwich once it’s griddled, flipped, and pressed. The thinner slices also have a better mouthfeel when you sink your teeth through the sandwich.

Choose a Melty Cheese with Big Flavor

American cheese has its proper time and place, but that’s not on this ham sandwich. You want to use a cheese with an assertive tangy flavor that pairs well with the sweet and salty ham. I recommend Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyère—it has a bold flavor so thin slices deliver a big effect and it also melts well. Cheddar also works nicely, especially if you purchase it thinly sliced from the deli rather than trying to shave thin slices off a block of cheddar yourself. Whatever your flavor preference for cheese is, the most important characteristic is that it melts easily, so skip the dry, crumbly cheeses here.

Choose the Right Bread

The most important feature to look for when choosing bread for this sandwich is slices with a flat surface area so the bread will have direct contact with the skillet for even toasting. This is no time to play around with a roll or baguette. I also recommend keeping the slices to about 1/2-inch thick. Any thicker than that and the bread will be too chewy and distracting from the meat filling. Beyond that, you can go your preferred bread route. I like to use cut slices of a rustic round boule. It yields larger slices than a standard square sandwich bread loaf and the bread has a bit more chew to counter the tender deli ham and cheese filling. Slices of marble rye or pumpernickel would be delicious here as well.

Cover the Bread with Plenty of Mayonnaise

Spreading mayonnaise on the inside of both slices of your sandwich bread doesn't just add tangy mayo flavor, it also serves as a layer of glue to ensure the sandwich stays snug and secure when cooking. Also, go ahead and spread even more mayonnaise over the exterior of the bread. In my opinion, mayo is even better than butter for toasting up sandwiches in a skillet. Mayo achieves the same golden toasted effect as butter does (they are both fats, after all), plus I prefer its tangy flavor. And it's already the perfect spreadable consistency right out of the jar—no need to soften, unlike butter.

Now I know for Kenji’s grilled cheese he recommends buttering and griddling the bread on what will be the inside of the sandwich before assembling and cooking the sandwich, but remember, this isn’t a grilled cheese. This is a ham sandwich that’s mounded with three ounces of meat along with the cheese. The inside of the sandwich bread should remain soft so that the cheese melts into the bread and the filling can sink into the bread just enough to anchor the fillings to the bread. If the inside of the bread were pre-toasted, the fillings would slide around on the too-firm toasted surface.

Layer with Purpose

The order in which you layer the ingredients onto the bread for this sandwich affects how it holds up once griddled. From bottom to top, layer the sandwich as follows: mayo-coated bread, half the cheese, ham, pickles, the remaining cheese, top bread slice with the interior coated with mayo and mustard. As mentioned above, the smear of mayo on the interior of both bread slices acts as the first layer of glue. This is followed by a slice of cheese that acts as even more glue. The cheese will melt into the bread and into the ham that’s piled high in the middle, securing the whole sandwich together. Make sure to spread the ham and the pickles into an even layer before topping with the rest of the cheese. I find it’s easiest to spread the mustard over the interior side of the mayonnaise covered top slice of bread. It spreads more easily than trying to glop it directly onto the sandwich fillings.

Weigh It Down When Griddling

When a sandwich has a high volume of fillings, it can be tough to ensure the interior cheese turns melty at the same rate that the other fillings warm through and the bread browns. It takes more time to warm through a large mass of sandwich fillings, and there’s a risk of burning the bread before the cheese melts. But weighing down the sandwiches with a Dutch oven (no need to buy or use a specialty griddle press) while cooking over medium-low heat ensures the cheese melts, the ham warms through, and the bread browns all at the same time. The heavy Dutch oven acts as a press to secure everything in the sandwich together so that it will be easier to handle and will hold together when sliced and enjoyed. (Of course, if you have a panini press or sandwich press, feel free to use it.) 

Let It Rest

This is a hill I am willing to die on. I cannot rant enough that everytime you make any type of griddled sandwich with melty cheese inside, you need to let the sandwich rest a few minutes before slicing into it. Be patient and do not, I repeat, do not slice into this sandwich right away.

You have just taken the time and care to make a perfectly golden, crisp, gooey warm sandwich. Slice into it immediately, and a flood of cheese will come pouring right out. The filling needs a few minutes to cool down and firm up just enough so that it stays intact and remains inside once the sandwich is opened. This also avoids a scenario in which the ham filling slips right out the back of the sandwich when bitten into.

Better than resting the sandwich on a cutting board or plate, elevate the sandwich on a wire rack or something else that will allow air to circulate while it’s resting—I even had an old roommate who would elevate her grilled cheese by placing two chopsticks underneath it. If you rest the sandwich directly on a plate or cutting board, the bottom side will steam and start to soften as it sits. But resting it on a perforated surface allows airflow under the sandwich so steam won’t get trapped underneath and turn one side of your crisp sandwich soggy.

Once it’s properly rested, go ahead and slice into what I think is the best warm and melty version of a ham and cheese sandwich possible—I just wish I had this version in my lunchbox as a kid.