I’ve saved my favorite for the last week of National Grilled Cheese Month. An unusual but amazing blend of flavors I hope you all love.

One of my favorite cheeses, Brie is often served in both sweet and savory experiences. Baked in puff pastry dough, topped with jam, and served with apple slices, melted into gooey crepes, or enjoyed plain on a cheese board, there’s really no wrong direction to go. Since lately I’ve been loving the sweet and salty combination, I went that route here.

Gooey Brie sandwiched with crisp bacon and tart huckleberry jam, this sandwich tastes almost like breakfast (and in fact, I think would also be awesome cooked French toast style) but works equally well for lunch or dinner. With the sweetness of the jam I recommend serving with a decidedly savory side dish, like roasted veggies or a green salad.

I chose sourdough bread for its wonderful crispy texture and neutral but tangy flavor, but any white-ish bread will be great. I would personally avoid a hearty wheat or multi-grain because I think the bread would overpower the filling, but obviously that’s completely up to you.

Be careful not to go overboard with the jam as a little goes a long way, but if you want to add an extra slice or two of bacon I won’t judge. I kept mine a bit lighter with three ounces of Brie and two slices of bacon, but if you’re looking for an extravagant and indulgent experience, definitely increase those portions. Or if your bread slices are on the smaller side, stick to two ounces of cheese. Brie is quite rich so a bit less can be plenty.

I will say this sandwich is best served immediately so if you’re serving more than a couple of people, plan to eat in stages or use a large griddle. (You could possibly keep them warm in the oven as well, but I’ve not personally tried this since I’m rarely cooking for more than two people anyway.)

Round out your month with a classy grilled cheese (can grilled cheese be classy? I’m going with yes) and a fantastic flavor profile. I hope you enjoyed the series and maybe even found a new sandwich to try.

Huckle-Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese
Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, cooked and drained

2-4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp huckleberry jam² 

2 slices bread
butter or oil

Directions

1. If you haven’t already, cook the bacon. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
2. In a medium pan (big enough to fit both slices side by side), heat a little butter or oil over medium-low.
3. Meanwhile, spread one slice of bread with huckleberry jam, and top with bacon.
4. Arrange brie in a single layer on the other.
5. Place a lid (or a plate, or whatever you have around) over the pan and continue to cook low and slow until the Brie is melty and the jam is warmed through.
6. Gently transfer the Brie slice on top of the other, and cook an additional 30-60 seconds so the flavors meld.
7. Remove from pan, slice in half, and enjoy immediately.

Notes

¹ I like this method of grilled cheese preparation because it doesn’t require flipping the whole sandwich, and I think the cheese melts faster, but feel free to use your own preferred method!

² If you don’t have huckleberry, any reasonably tart jam would work great; try raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry, marionberry, etc.