For Ultra-Cheesy Tuna Melts, One Kitchen Tool Is Key

Even though the original tuna melt was a happy mistake, the combination of creamy fish filling, gooey cheese, and crunchy golden bread has gone on to become a comfort food classic. It's one of those dishes where canned tuna is better than fresh, making super easy to whip up. But if you find that yours don't quite turn out as nice as you hoped, either because the bread is burned or the cheese isn't properly melted, the solution is easy: Use a pan lid.

The technique is simple: Just cover the skillet with the lid while you cook the sandwich on the stovetop. The reason why this is so effective is because the lid traps the heat, which allows the cheese on the sandwich to melt better. It also means the food cooks faster and more evenly, so there's less chance of the bread burning before the cheese has fully melted.

A glass lid can be especially useful if you have one, since it lets you monitor the sandwich as it cooks, but it's not essential. And if you don't have any lids that fit your pan, just place another flat object (such as a baking sheet) over the pan instead. Whatever you use, make sure you keep the heat medium-low rather than too high to avoid burning the bread.

Your tuna melt can be made even better with great ingredients plus the right technique. Sourdough makes the best bread for a crispy grilled cheese sandwich, and this also applies to a tuna melt. It's sturdy enough to stand up to the gooey, creamy ingredients and stays intact during the cooking process, and it won't become soggy even in the trapped steamy heat under the pan lid. Using mayo rather than butter on the outside helps to achieve the ultimate golden crispiness.

American cheese is a classic choice for this dish because it melts so well, though sharp cheddar also does a great job. Add some chopped crunchy dill pickles to the tuna salad to help cut through the richness and create a balance in taste and texture. When you're ready to toast the sandwich, place it down in the skillet so that the side with the cheese is cooked first. This will ensure that the cheese melts more quickly.

If you're making an open-faced sandwich rather than one with two slices of bread, you can still use the stove instead of the broiler — this works perfectly with English muffins. Just toast them cut-side down in the skillet before topping them with the tuna salad and cheese. Place them back in the skillet along with a tablespoon of water, put the lid on to create some steam, and cook until the cheese is melted.