Hot melted cheese oozing between two slices of buttery, golden-brown bread is definitely one of the simpler pleasures in life. It’s a dorm room staple, the perfect midnight snack, and a diner favorite.
Of course, I’m talking about the humble grilled cheese. And its slightly more complicated cousin, the tuna melt, is even better… it’s grilled cheese that’s been taken to a whole new level!
But, if you don’t know what you’re doing, a tuna melt can be extremely hit or miss.
It’s hard to believe that, before 1903, sardines were the canned fish of choice. But when a Californian grocer named Albert P. Halfhill realized that sardines were in short supply that year, he decided to package tuna fish in the surplus sardine cans. And the rest was history.
By 1954, canned tuna had become so popular that the U.S. became the largest producer of canned tuna in the world.
And, a few decades later, the tuna melt was born.
According to a writer named Warren Bobrow, the first tuna melt was served around 1965 in Charleston, South Carolina. Lovers of a good tuna melt say that the secret to the perfect sandwich is in the tuna salad.
Cowboy cook Kent Rollins agrees, but his tuna melt recipe has another secret ingredient.
Kent Rollins, in case you didn’t know, is a national treasure. His YouTube channel is teaching thousands of people the secrets of “cowboy” cooking. He uses cast iron and a live fire to serve up hearty and uncomplicated food.
And Ohh wee! His take on the iconic tuna melt is undoubtedly the best I’ve tried.
There are a few twists in this recipe that will make it the best tuna melt you’ll ever taste. According to Rollins, it’s important that you use good quality canned tuna that’s in water, not oil.
What makes the tuna salad really sing is the addition of creamy horseradish and capers, which add a tart burst of flavor and zing.
Here’s what you’ll need for the tuna salad:
- 1 9-ounce can of solid white albacore tuna packed in water
- 2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise (Duke’s brand preferred)
- ½ to 1 tablespoons horseradish
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon capers
- Salt and black pepper
Go ahead and mix all that up in a mixing bowl and season to taste.
But, another thing Rollins says makes for the best tuna melt is the kind of bread you use.
For the best tuna melt “y’all ever wrapped a lip around”, Rollins uses a good sourdough bread, which he slathers in Kerrygold Irish butter.
For all the cheesy, oozy goodness, he adds three kinds of cheese: parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar.
Here’s what you’ll need for the sandwich:
- 8 slices sourdough bread – about 1/2-inch thick
- 1 stick butter, softened (Kerrygold brand preferred)
- 4 to 8 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ to 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ to ¾ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Now, Rollins toasts the bread in a cast-iron skillet until it’s just “halfway done.”
“That’s right folks, I said halfway cooked. What does that mean? When you first toast both sides of the bread- don’t toast it all the way, just about halfway toasted. This is because once we put the whole sandwich together we’re going to toast it all the way to that golden goodness,” Rollin explains.
Flip the bread and sprinkle one side with Parmesan cheese and wait for it to melt slightly.
Now, remove your bread from the skillet and top it with 2-3 tablespoons of cheddar cheese. Add your tuna salad mixture, and then top that with 2-3 tablespoons of Mozzarella cheese and close the sandwich.
Now, it’s time to get a good melt on.
Cook the sandwich in the skillet until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Flatten the sandwich slightly with a spatula to make sure every corner is beautifully toasted.
Rollins says you shouldn’t be afraid to flip the sandwich a few times to get good color on it.
That’s it – the best cheesy tuna melt that you’ll ever taste, guaranteed!
Serve immediately and enjoy.
To follow along with the cowboy cook himself, watch Kent Rollins’ video for a cheesy tuna melt below.
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