The St. Paul Tuna Melt
Burgers, Clubs & Sandwiches
A short-order veteran slaps a pat of butter onto a smoking flat-top, scraping a heavy press across the griddle as the rye bread hisses and the American cheese bleeds over the crust—yielding a melt that is shatteringly crisp on the outside, molten in the middle, and bracingly tangy. We trade the commercial griddle for a heavy cast-iron skillet, wringing out the canned albacore to prevent a soggy bottom and frying the bread in a dual-fat coat of butter and oil. Grab a stiff spatula, press down hard, and do not walk away.
Ingredients
- canned solid white albacore tuna10 oz
- high-quality mayonnaise1/3 cup
- celery1 med stalk
- red onion1/4 cup
- dill pickles2 tbsp
- Dijon mustard1 tbsp
- lemon juice1 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- celery salt1 pinch
- sourdough bread4 large slice
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- sharp cheddar cheese4 slice
- smoked gouda cheese4 slice
- ripe tomato4 thick slice
Method
- 01
Wring the tuna completely dry to ensure a structurally sound sandwich.
Transfer the drained tuna meat to a fine-mesh strainer or clean paper towel and press it firmly to extract all latent moisture. Just as you towel-press grated potatoes for perfect hash browns, wringing the tuna protects the bread from a soggy bottom.
- 02
Mix the diner tuna salad until cohesive and stiff.
Transfer the dry, flaked tuna to a mixing bowl and vigorously fold in the mayonnaise, celery, red onion, dill pickles, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and celery salt until the mixture holds its shape on a spoon.
- 03
Assemble the sandwiches with the cheese positioned for maximum heat contact.
Lay out the sourdough slices and distribute the tuna salad evenly across two of them, spreading all the way to the edges. Layer each with two slices of tomato, one slice of cheddar, and one slice of gouda before capping with the remaining bread.
- 04
Fry the sandwiches in an oiled cast-iron skillet and butter the top exteriors.
Place your largest cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, add the neutral oil to coat the pan, and place the sandwiches in the skillet. Immediately spread the softened butter completely crust-to-crust over the top slices facing you, then press down gently with a heavy, wide metal spatula to ensure maximum contact.
- 05
Flip the sandwiches, cover with a dome to melt the cheese, and aggressively scrape to serve.
After 3 to 4 minutes when the bottom is a deep golden mahogany, swiftly flip the sandwiches. Place a metal mixing bowl or pot lid directly over them for the final 2 minutes to trap the steam and melt the cheese, then violently scrape the sandwiches out of the pan with the sharp edge of your spatula to preserve any crispy cheese skirt.
Notes
Utilize sturdy bread.
If authentic sourdough is unavailable, a hearty rye or a dense English muffin makes an excellent substitute; standard supermarket white bread will collapse under the weight of the cast-iron press.
Respect the cheese rule.
Always place the cheese directly against the bread or immediately adjacent to the heat source, rather than burying it under the cold tuna, to ensure it melts properly.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.