Overview

Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar and Tillamook Muenster knock this classic sandwich into another league. New York pastrami, caramelized onions, pickles, and Dijon, all covered in melted cheese. Commence drooling.

"One of my 'must do's' when I go back to visit friends and family in New York is get a great pastrami sandwich. This is the best way for me to remember those times without waiting until I go back east! Be sure to get the best pastrami you can find!" – Dave Danhi of The Grilled Cheese Truck

Ingredients

Butter Spread
¾ cup (6 oz) Tillamook^® Unsalted Butter at room temperature
¾ cup (6 oz) mayonnaise

Sandwiches
4 tablespoons (2 oz) Tillamook^® Unsalted Butter
2 yellow onions, sliced in ¼ inch slices
1 tablespoons olive oil
16 oz thin sliced pastrami
8 slices rye bread (thick ½ inch slices)
4 tablespoons (2 oz) Dijon mustard
8 slices Tillamook^® Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar Cheese
8 slices Tillamook^® Muenster Cheese
2 large kosher pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation

Butter Spread
In a mixer, beat butter and mayonnaise with the paddle attachment until well mixed. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all butter as it may stick to the bowl.

Caramelized Onions
Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and add 4 tablespoons of butter. Add onions to melted butter and continue to toss over medium/low heat until onions are caramelized evenly. Be sure to keep mixing this to avoid burning. Finish with a small amount of fresh ground black pepper. No salt needed here as the pastrami, pickles and Dijon will add enough salt to this melt.

Pastrami
Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to almost smoking temperature. Add pastrami and sauté for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from heat immediately.

Assembly of sandwiches
Generously butter each slice of bread on one side and lay buttered side down. Add (in this order): ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard spread thinly on bread, 1 slice Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar Cheese, 1 slice Munster Cheese, 1 oz caramelized onions (add more if you like!), 4 oz seared pastrami, pickle slices, 1 slice Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar Cheese, 1 slice Munster Cheese, and top it off with 1 slice buttered Rye Bread with ½ tablespoon Dijon spread on non buttered side (buttered side out).

Cooking
Heat griddle to about 350°F. Place all sandwiches on griddle. Allow Melts to cook SLOWLY. If your heat is too high it will burn the bread and the inside will not be hot. Once golden brown, gently flip and repeat until cheese is melted and the inside is hot. If the bread browns prior to the inside being hot, place pan with sandwiches in oven at 450°F to allow to finish.