Tuna melts are a popular grilled or fried sandwich in the US, made with canned tuna, cheese, and bread. The tuna is mixed with mayonnaise and other ingredients, and the sandwich is toasted in the oven or on a skillet. Canned tuna may contain mercury, so pregnant women and young children should limit their consumption.
Tuna melts are a type of grilled or fried sandwich that includes tuna topped with melted cheese. Generally known as a table food in the United States, tuna melts can be simple or elegant and are often prepared at home. Good for lunches, these sandwiches are a favorite of adults and children alike.
Bread, tuna and cheese are the only ingredients needed to melt the tuna. The tuna is always canned and prepared as a simple or complex tuna salad. The bread is often white, but can be rye, sourdough or wheat. American or cheddar cheese is often used, but almost any cheese, such as provolone or Swiss, can be included instead.
The tuna salad used for these sandwiches is usually drained tuna mixed with mayonnaise and other flavorings. May include mustard juice, relish, and lemon. Sometimes diced onions, celery or black olives are also added. Salt and pepper may or may not be added to taste. Fancier sandwiches can also include capers in the tuna salad mix. Some tuna brands also have pre-prepared tuna salad or flavored tuna in bags or cans that are suitable for use on tuna fondues.
Mayonnaise is usually spread on the bread before adding the other ingredients. Usually, the tuna is placed on one slice and the cheese tops it, but the cheese can be placed first. Sliced tomato is also included in the sandwich. After all the ingredients have been placed on one slice, another mayonnaise-coated slice is placed on top to complete the sandwich. The tuna melt can also be an open sandwich, meaning the second slice of bread is omitted.
Once complete, the sandwich is placed in the oven and broiled until the bread is toasted. Some versions, especially the open-faced versions, may only toast the bread this way first and then return the sandwich to the grill just to melt the cheese. Alternatively, the sandwich can be placed in a buttered skillet and grilled that way. The tuna melt is flipped halfway through cooking so both slices of bread can be toasted.
Canned tuna usually contains small amounts of mercury, which is usually harmless, but can cause problems for pregnant women and young children. Different types of tuna contain different amounts of mercury and, therefore, different amounts are safe to consume. Doctors suggest that only 12 ounces (340 grams) of light tuna or 6 ounces (170 grams) of albacore be consumed per week by young children or pregnant women.
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