The Expert Tip You Need For Building A Perfect Monte Cristo

For many people, grilled cheese sandwiches conjure up childhood memories of munching on this meal and dipping it in a hearty bowl of tomato soup. But, if you want something a bit more adult, you might want to turn to the Monte Cristo. This sandwich is filled with meat and cheese and then soaked in an egg batter before being fried. The result is a juicy, savory sandwich that feels sort of like a cross between a grilled cheese and a plate of French toast.

Max Halley, Owner of Max's Sandwich Shop and Author of Max's Sandwich Book, spoke with Daily Meal in an exclusive interview to give some tips on creating the perfect Monte Cristo yourself. For one thing, he explains that you'll want to choose the right bread. "I think challah is excellent, as it is very soft and takes the egg/batter very well," he says, adding, "I'd say any similar soft white bread will do the job though — Pullman, Shokupan, pain de mie, those kinds of things."

It's not just about the bread, however. Getting the perfect Monte Cristo also boils down to adding the right flavors to your meal. It's also important to avoid certain ingredients – specifically sweet ones – if you want a truly game-changing sandwich.

When filling your sandwich, it can be easy to put the focus on the meat and cheese. However, Max Halley explains that there's another ingredient that's just as critical: "Lashings of mayonnaise inside [of a Monte Cristo] is imperative, of course." Mayo adds creamy, tangy flavors to your meal that make it taste even richer. At the same time, it can help to balance out some of the salty flavors of the deli meat in your sandwich, which tends to have quite a lot of salt.

But it's not just about the mayo. Monte Cristos are savory sandwiches, and to really bring out that flavor profile, you'll also want to add mustard. Halley explains that doing so can also help to balance out the richness of the meal. This way, the creamy taste of the mayo, the richness of the cheese, and the slight sweetness of the egg-battered bread don't drown out the true savory nature of the dish.

Beyond the fillings, you'll also want to make sure you get a golden brown exterior while melting the cheese in your sandwich. Halley says that to do so, just avoid overheating your pan. This leads to a meal that's packed with a preferable texture as well as flavor.

Max Halley explains that what you leave out is just as important as what you put in. And when it comes to what to avoid, it's things that are sweet. "Going anywhere near confectioner's sugar and anything sweet like that [is a big mistake]. For me, this is very much a savory sandwich, and [it's] to be left like that," he notes. Even though the sandwich is dipped in an egg batter making it feel like French toast, the savory fillings might not mesh well with sweet toppings. This is particularly true thanks to the mustard in the sandwich, which has a tangy, pungent taste that isn't complemented by sweetness the way that salty, rich flavors like the cheese are.

Instead, if you want to add some extra flavor to your sandwich, Halley says, "I'll let you have mustard or hot sauce for dipping, but no jam or maple syrup, please!" Hot sauce can add a nice bite that balances out the richer taste of the melty cheese, while extra mustard can bring out this ingredient in the sandwich fillings.

Of course, at the end of the day, it is up to you to come up with a flavor combo that you love. Halley concedes: "Having said that, the sandwich you make is yours, not mine, so if you jam with ham and jam, ham and jam away my friend." So, if you really want to try mixing these ingredients, it's up to you.