Back in the middle of May, I saw an advertisement for the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Academy cooking competition. I knew right away Certified Hereford Beef would come into play in my recipe development because beef is a perfect match with grilled cheese. I started thinking about a recipe that highlighted the classic grilled cheese with the superior quality of Hereford cattle and the flavors Kansas City barbecue, and this beautiful adult grilled cheese came to life.
This grilled cheese is a fusion of the classic grilled cheese and a cheese steak sandwich, completely re-envisioned with the marriage of KC BBQ adding its sweet and tangy flavor to the creaminess of the Wisconsin cheeses. I present to you “THE CHB”, the newest sandwich to take over the land!
Ingredients
8 slices havarti cheese
8 slices two-cheese cheddar
4 slices apple smoked thick cut bacon
2 – 8 ounce Certified Hereford Beef sirloin steaks
4 tbsp. whiskey maple bbq sauce
1 large shallot
1 large aloha pepper
2 sticks margarine or butter
1 – 8 oz. package shredded red cabbage
1 – 8.5 oz package creamy coleslaw kit
4 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 slices sourdough panini bread
Sea salt
Cracked pepper
Granulated onion powder
4 tbsp. mayonaise
Instructions
1. Cut the the shallots and pepper like onion rings. In a large saute pan, add 2 Tbsp. margarine on medium high until melted. Add the shallot and cook until golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool in a small bowl. Add the pepper in the same pan until tender on the edges. Remove and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the red cabbage, coleslaw kit, mayonaise and apple cider vinegar. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to mend together.
3. Spread margarine on both sides of the sourdough bread. Put aside for later.
4. On a small pan, place the bacon into the oven at 400° for 15 minutes or until crisp. Drain and let cool.
5. Season the steaks with the salt, pepper and onion. Let rest for 5 minutes. In a large saute pan on medium heat, add 4 Tbsp. of margarine until melted. Add the steaks and sear. Cook the steaks until they reach medium rare temp on the inside (cook longer if you prefer). Remove from pan and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Cut steaks into 5-6 2″ strips.
6. Get the bread and layer the havarti cheese on the bottom first, then the steak, peppers, BBQ sauce, shallots, coleslaw, bacon and the 2 cheese cheddar. Add the second piece of bread on top.
7. In a large saute pan on med-high heat, add 4 Tbsp. margarine and melt. Add the cold sandwich in the pan until the cheeses start to melt and the bread gets crusty. Flip over the sandwich on the other side until golden brown, adding more margarine as needed. Repeat this process for the next sandwich.
Enjoy a world of bold flavors!
