Seared Sandwiches Take Center Stage

October 2003

Seared Sandwiches Take Center Stage

By Melanie DubberleyContributing Editor

Grilling transforms common sandwiches to the epitome of consumer satisfaction. Think of the classic childhood favorite, grilled cheese: It’s the perfect combination of perceived quality, comfort and toasted flavor. Grilling also boosts upscale builds, such as thin-sliced turkey topped with zesty chipotle sauce and smoked Cheddar cheese sandwiched between two slices of jalapeño focaccia. The turkey is warm, the cheese is melted, the sauce drips down your hands and the crispy toast has rich brown flavors characteristic only to freshly grilled bread.

Operators coast-to-coast grill sandwiches in fast-food restaurants, university cafeterias, hot delis and supermarkets, says Gary Rupp, vice president, sales and marketing, Lang Manufacturing Company, Everett, WA, a provider of grilling equipment. Quick-service restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, sandwich chains and bakery-cafés are escorting the grilling phenomenon to the foodservice foreground.

Who’s making it hot?In 2002, NPDFoodworld®, a Web-based global provider of food-industry market information, touted the fast-casual segment as “one of the biggest trends” in the food industry. Though the understimulated economy cooled the group slightly, the latest Fast Casual Profile data from NPD Group, Port Washington, NY, a market information company and parent of NPDFoodworld, illustrates that consumers spent about 73% more in fast-casual stores than in traditional quick-service restaurants between August 2001 and August 2002.

Speedy service, cozy atmosphere and, most importantly, the food brings cash-strapped customers to these restaurants. On their menus, french fries yield to specialty salads, wraps, and yes, grilled sandwiches. Scott Davis, senior vice president and chief concept officer, explains that Panera Bread Company, Richmond Heights, MO, chose to offer hot panini, grilled Italian sandwiches, in response to customer requests for hot menu items other than soup. This grilled-sandwich line broadens lunch offerings, and attracts more male diners who want a fresh and hearty hot meal.

While consumers enjoy grilled sandwiches at fast-casual restaurants, they also appreciate grilling in fast-food burger applications. Laina Hanna, communications manager, Burger King Corporation, Miami, FL, explains that the company changed its marketing strategy from “Flame-Broiled” to “Fire-Grilled” when customers told them that “fire-grilling” is a more relevant way to discuss its core asset.

Fire from all directionsA grilled sandwich can be anything from the all-American classic burger to the gooey cheese sandwich that has been weighted and perfectly grilled on a flattop. Grill the meat, grill the bread or grill the whole sandwich: No matter the method, this portable meal will benefit from this peerless process.

Technically, grilling is the method of cooking foods from below with radiant heat at high temperatures and in relatively short time. Heat from wood, charcoal, gas and electric elements can do the trick.

Hanna emphasizes, “Fire-grilling brings out the flavors of ingredients naturally, creating better-tasting products, and provides a healthier way to prepare food.” When grilling meat, some of the juices reduce directly on the surface to create tiny pockets of concentrated flavor. More juices drip into the fire and flare up, creating smoke. As the temperature increases, fat liquefies and drips. These renegade juices and rendered fats are in part responsible for the smoky and charred flavors characteristic of grilled meats.

The Maillard reaction plays an important role in creating the distinctive flavors of grilled foods. Alkyl pyrazines, melanoidins and other flavor and browning compounds form rapidly when reducing sugars and free amino acids located on the food’s surface react under high-temperature conditions (300ºF or higher). The creation of these scrumptious flavor compounds is why people grill: It tastes good.Flattops or griddles can also flat-grill foods. These basically consist of a thick steel or cast-iron plate above a gas or electric heat source. Foods sit directly on the evenly heated surface. Flattops’ versatility helps chefs prepare all sorts of foods, from frozen or thawed breakfast items to burgers. The cooking surface does not allow quick finite adjustments in temperature, and fire safety codes must be followed.

One type of flat grill has a heated hood that presses down onto a polished griddle surface. This style cuts cook time in half because both sides of the food are heated simultaneously, which eliminates the need for flipping. On some models, the hood closes to approximately 3 in. away from the bottom surface and never touches the food, allowing the chef to cook an array of products of different thicknesses. “The hoods cook using radiant heat, shorten cook time, and take less space than a conventional single-surface grill,” explains Rupp. Burger chains and other operations where cook time is key typically use large table-sized flat grills. Some can be programmed for temperature and time control. An employee just places burger patties on the surface and closes the lid. When the food is fully cooked, a buzzer sounds and the hood pops open. An average burger patty takes about 3 minutes to cook, while a grilled-cheese takes about 1.5 minutes. From 12-in. tabletop models to stand-alone versions of 48 in. and more, there is a grill that will fit most any operation where a versatile cooking medium is necessary.

In addition to cooking burgers on flattops, quick-service restaurants (QSR) have been pleasing diners for decades by flame-grilling and broiling burgers. Robust char notes combine with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion for a classic crowd pleaser from the QSR repertoire. Broiling is a close cousin to grilling. Instead of a radiant heat source below the food, infrared radiation cooks from above, at higher temperatures and in less time. Restaurants use salamanders or small broilers to quickly melt cheese or cook delicate foods.

One typical heat source used in preparing patties and thin chicken-breast filets for these applications is an automatic broiler. Tom Baker, vice president of marketing for Nieco Manufacturing, Windsor, CA, explains that automation is these broilers’ biggest advantage. “Employees can feed several frozen, prescored patties down the chain, then do something else. This provides labor savings, and takes the issue of quality control out of the regular employees’ hands and puts it into the managers’.”

Two types of user-friendly automated broilers are available. The first, a return-flow system that can sit against a wall, is perfect for operators who have limited production space. The products feed into and return on the same side. The second type is a flow-through broiler that is divided into two sections: The first cooks meat and the second toasts buns. The products feed in on one side, and flow through to the opposite for final assembly.

Automatic broilers limit food handling and cooking errors, but most importantly, efficiently deliver great grilled taste to customers. They are faster than traditional, open grills because they cook both sides of the protein at once, saving energy. Their prices average from $7,000 to $25,000 dollars, but the grills can be quite cost-effective. Before jumping on the automated grill train, owners should review local fire regulations. The smoke generated during the cooking process demands hoods and ventilation systems, and operators need to follow other safety and fire precautions as designated by regional fire codes.

Panini paradiseAlthough grilled sandwiches run the gamut from cubanos to hamburgers, panini have emerged as a current favorite. Culinary lore recounts that Nunzio Panini accidentally invented the panino when he stuffed grilled eggplant and goat cheese into bread hot out of the oven. From a different perspective, Daphne Derven, assistant director for programs and curator of food at COPIA: The American Center for Food, Wine and The Arts, Napa, CA, explains that the word refers to the heritage of the filled-bread concept, popular in the Mediterranean, where a variety of flavorful fillings are wrapped in traditional ways. These wraps or sandwiches are clean, easy to eat and very portable, she explains.

The process of weighting sandwiches on a grill during cooking has endured for decades. In the early 1900s, technological advances and the development of electricity led to appliances that simplified this process, Derven continues. The portable panini became trendy and modern, and started appearing in Italian and Parisian roadside stops and à la mode cafés. The United States altered the French croque monsieur (a ham and cheese sandwich dipped in egg batter and grilled) to create its own heartwarming comfort food of schooldays, the ubiquitous grilled cheese.

In the 1970s, grilled sandwiches again became mainstream and vogue. They reappeared first in Europe, then in California in the late 1980s. Starting in Italian espresso shops and lunch bars, they moved to the ethnic Italian regions of the United States like North Beach in San Francisco and Little Italy in New York. The expansion of hot panini followed the evolution of espresso because they were easy to prepare and perfect hand-held accompaniments for the energizing beverage, adds Derven. Because of this relationship between grilled sandwiches and coffee, today’s diners are willing to pay a premium for sandwiches just as they pay for gourmet coffee.

It was just a matter of time before the panino’s contagious freshness and portable appeal would gain popularity in the United States. Many local mom-and-pop stores, delis and espresso bars around the country now serve these hot eats. Derven notes, “They are fun, fresh, and made just for you. Not insignificantly, they are a variation of that American childhood comfort food, the grilled cheese: very soothing and comfortable, but for adults.”

A long time coming, hot panini now grace foodservice menus. Operators press the entire sandwich between two hot aluminum platens on a grill press, and cook it in a matter of minutes. They can pre-assemble and cook panini to order while still providing diners with high-quality sandwiches. Specialty breads, gourmet fillings and grill marks spur diners’ love affair with the sandwich’s exotic appeal. It is not known exactly when sandwiches started being branded with ripple marks, but Derven suspects it was early in the sandwich timeline, otherwise many modern appliances that have rippled hot plates would not be synonymous with panini.

Several manufacturers make grill presses, which are durable, user-friendly and do not require special ventilation. Starting in size from 15 by 12.5 by 7 in., or about the size of two squat breadboxes, they can occupy limited space in cramped kitchens.

When choosing a panini grill, operators should note the actual cooking-surface composition and dimensions as well as temperature range and control mechanism — factors that determine how quickly the sandwich cooks. The faster the food is served, the more pleasing to today’s time-challenged consumers. Operators should also consider the grill’s weight (average is 50 to 130 lbs.) and electric specifications (voltage averages from 120 to 240V). Employees should be able to move the grill to clean and maintain it. The average price varies by manufacturer, and starts around $600 for a sale item and exceeds $2,800 for larger industrial models. For franchisers, an important consideration in the purchasing decision might be to choose a manufacturer that can customize a panini grill to meet specific operational demands.

In the bread basketToday’s food-savvy consumers welcome foods with spirited flavors and bold ingredient combinations, and an innovative grilled sandwich can be just the ticket to satisfy. According to Derven, sandwiches are classified as “panini” if they are made on a specialty roll, or more often, focaccia, a hearty Italian flatbread seasoned with herbs, spices and plenty of olive oil. In the bakery-café segment, specialty breads such as Asiago, basil pesto and ciabatta (an Italian-style loaf in the shape of a slipper) lure diners.

When stuffed with quality ingredients, even hoagie rolls, baguettes and tortillas have been the basis for tasty grilled creations in the U.S. marketplace. Across foodservice platforms, the bread is core in developing great hot sandwiches, even burgers. A toasted sourdough bun “makes the burger” in Burger King’s limited-time Sourdough Bacon Cheeseburger, according to company promotions.

Davis suggests that whatever bread the operator chooses, it should fit within the concept or brand of the restaurant. Additionally, an operator should ensure that the chosen bread functions properly on the grill, tastes great when cooked and has strong visual appeal. Using an existing bread formulation is a good starting point, although, after preliminary testing, researchers may find that it needs redevelopment to give it a different shape, moisture content and caramelization tendency.

Some bakery-cafés bake their own bread daily. This provides the ultimate fresh base for the sandwich, but is usually only feasible for operations that sell mainly bread or baked goods. If time, storage and production space are prohibitive to the small operator who wants to tap into the grilled-sandwich market, there is another option. Instead of going through the costly rigors of baking bread and creating toppings, a small operator might find it more cost-effective to purchase premade sandwiches designed for grill presses. They are easier to serve and offer customers a value-added product. These come frozen, and once defrosted, have a shelf life of up to five days. Flavor and texture degradation, mold growth and possible bacterial growth may become issues when working with a multicomponent system, such as a processed filled sandwich. Operators should carefully follow handling procedures.

Fill ’er upThere are a myriad of places to get ideas for sandwich fillings. For panini, Italian flavor combinations are a sure fit. Picking well-known flavors also helps. For example, since most people are familiar with cheese pizza, they can relate to a grilled mozzarella, provolone and tomato panino. But common foods like pizza are not the only inspirations for sandwich flavors. French onion soup inspired Sisha Ortuzar, chef of ’wichcraft, New York, when he created his Grilled Gruyère and Caramelized Onion on Rye.

Grilled-sandwich builds can encompass more than savory lunch and entrée flavors. Breakfast panini filled with ham and eggs, or frittatas pop up on menus. Sweet grilled sandwiches with fillings like banana, hazelnut and chocolate offer something for the sweet tooth in us all. To please adventurous diners, operators can design sandwiches with ethnic profiles to deliver bold flavors reminiscent of exotic regional foods served in a familiar medium. Cuban pork sandwiches and Mexican fajitas offer great starting points.

Recipes for grilling successDeveloping tantalizing grilled sandwiches might seem daunting. But really, designers will find limitless varieties of exciting sandwiches, making the creative process fun. Developers shouldn’t get discouraged if the dream grill falls flat off the sandwich truck in consumers’ eyes. Not every sandwich will work the first time. Davis says that at Panera Bread Company, consumers misunderstood some of the initial sandwich concepts, even though management thought they were phenomenal.

Ortuzar explains his three keys to successfully developing grilled eats. First, choose classic flavor combinations that complement each other. Next, test the sandwich to find out what works technically. He considers: “What holds together better? What cheese melts best? What combination isn’t sloppy, greasy and doesn’t fall apart?” He concludes, be sure to develop a sandwich menu that covers all bases and “is appealing to a lot of people, even timid consumers.”

Davis explains that research and development should work closely with operations to create a flawless grilled-sandwich system. Test the sandwich build in the stores to determine actual ease of production. Think carefully about who is going to physically make the sandwiches in the store. To prevent the cold sandwich station from being over-burdened, Panera Bread Company decided to add the hot-sandwich line to the salad production station.

Also consider when the sandwiches will be built. Those made to order require holding cabinets, which add extra cost and take precious space from inside the kitchen. One solution is to make the sandwiches right before the lunch rush in a catering-style production line. This allows for greater ingredient versatility and higher build quality, explains Davis. “The key is to have the sandwiches cook fast enough for the consumer, while keeping product quality,” he notes.Sandwiches are hip with today’s comfort-minded diners, reports Sloan Trends & Solutions, Escondido, CA. Many diners are looking for the perfect meal on the run, and sandwiches fill this category. A great way to tap into this market and add spunk to sandwiches is to catch the grill thrill. Grilled sandwiches can satisfy even the pickiest consumer’s desire for cozy tastes, real value and quick service.

Melanie Dubberley, a food writer and stylist, has more than 10 years developing recipes, and writing about and styling food. She lives in the New York metro area, and can be reached at [email protected].

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