Two pieces of bread, some sort of cheese, plus a fat for pan-frying, and you have everything you need to throw together the melty sandwich. But that doesn’t always mean the sandwich will be amazing.

The oil should be a minimum of 1 inch deep. Place pieces of bread in the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. This bread generally does not brown and should be dry on the ...