Monte Cristo Sandwich: How To Enjoy This Classic Without All the Hassle

Have you ever experienced a Monte Cristo sandwich? We say “experienced” because an authentic Monte Cristo is more than your average sandwich; it’s a production. How did this classic come to be? The history behind the Monte Cristo sandwich is equally as complicated as making the sandwich itself. Depending on who you ask or what reference materials you research, you will most likely find a host of answers to the question: Where did the Monte Cristo sandwich come from? Some food historians believe it originated in France in the early 1900s and is a spin-off from a dish called Croque Monsieur. At the same time, other foodies and history buffs swear it was born in Monte Cristo, Washington, or Salida, Colorado, or somewhere in California. 

Regardless of its beginnings, the batter-fried sandwich has made its way through Disneyland, hotel dining halls, restaurants, and kitchen tables for generations. While its reincarnations are endless, the foundation for a Monte Cristo is white bread, egg batter (think french toast), cheese, butter, and sliced meat (typically ham). A sweet jam is often served on the side for dipping along with a dusting of powdered sugar. Here’s a quick rundown of how you might make a Monte Cristo sandwich the hard way:

• Whisk together one egg per two sandwiches in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
• Lay out your bread slices (two slices per sandwich)
• Spread mustard across one piece of bread per sandwich and mayonnaise on the other slice.
• Place a slice of cheese on top of each bread slice, then the meat.
• Stack the sandwich sections together.
• Dip each sandwich into the batter and fry in a large, hot buttered skillet till golden brown, flipping when necessary.
• Place on a plate, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with a side of strawberry or raspberry jam.

Told you it was complicated.

In keeping with the tradition of mixing up the Monte Cristo sandwich recipe and keeping our cholesterol down a bit, we’ve put together Craig’s Texas Pepper Jelly version. Our sandwich is all about breakfast for a couple of reasons. One, we love a plate of comfort food around here, and two, first thing in the morning is as good a time as any to serve up said comfort food. We also believe you should be in and out of your kitchen lickety-split so we’ve made our recipe simple and quick, which means no dipping your sandwich in batter or frying. And to make it easy, we made an infographic for you with the steps: