How To Recreate The Viral British Cheese Sandwich At Home

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It's hard to imagine a world without sandwiches. These easy, portable, and cost-effective meals are among the most popular menu items globally, and while there are a number of sandwiches worthy of the dinner table, some tend to pique public curiosity more than others. Such is the case with a rather distinctive cheese sandwich that was posted on TikTok.

This eclectic sandwich quickly went viral, with nearly 180,000 likes and thousands of comments on the recipe. Some fans were enthusiastic, while others were less than excited by the combination of ingredients, with one commenter going so far as to say "Britain took depression era cooking and never let go."

Not one to shy away from a challenge, I decided to try this sandwich for myself. If nothing else, I needed to discover what the key ingredient in this so-called recipe, the Branston pickle, was for myself. I went out and bought a jar of this very British condiment along with the remaining ingredients and got to work. Read on to find out how to assemble this decidedly British sandwich and if it's even worth doing so.

Before delving into all the ingredients in this sandwich, let's take a look at the Branston pickle. While it may not score high marks in a ranking of favorite condiments, this pickle is beloved by those on the other side of the pond. Originating in the 1920s, it's made from a combination of diced carrot, rutabaga, onion, and cauliflower, pickled with sugar, vinegar, tomato purée, date paste, and dried herbs and spices. The result is something that's simultaneously sweet and savory, with notable acidity and a dash of salinity. It's available in regular and small chunk varieties at international markets and online.

The remaining ingredients in this sandwich include Cheddar cheese, white bread, mayonnaise, and potato chips (or crisps, as the Brits call them). While there are a number of brands available on the market, I tend to agree with Julia Child that Hellman's is the best mayo for sandwiches. When it comes to Cheddar, I'm a purist and opted for a nice, sharp Cheddar, though mild would work fine here. And, while you can make homemade potato chips, this recipe works best with a store-bought brand, like basic Lay's — which are known as Walkers crisps in the U.K.

The equipment needed for this is minimal. A plate and a knife are all that are necessary, though the TikTok video also uses a vegetable peeler. More on that in a bit.

The instructions on TikTok are fairly straightforward. Spread some of the Branston pickle on one slice of bread and layer the mayonnaise on top of this. The two are mixed together into something that almost resembles super chunky thousand island dressing.

For the second piece of bread, the cheese needs to be sliced thinly and distributed evenly and generously. While the TikToker uses a vegetable peeler to cut thin strips of cheese, I found this to be ineffective with real, sharp Cheddar, which tends to crumble easily. I opted for a sharp paring knife for this task.

Next is the key, which is to add the potato chips on top of the cheese. This isn't a time to be stingy with the chips. A solid layer is necessary to provide the right textural interest to this sandwich. Once the two pieces of bread are assembled, the sandwich needs to be pressed together, effectively smushing the potato chips and crumbling them into the mixture. Then cut the sandwich in half, and it's ready to enjoy.

The first thing I detected about this sandwich is the aroma of the Branston pickle, which I can most easily describe as that of a pickled, sweet barbecue sauce. I also noticed that I was perhaps slightly heavy-handed with the process of pressing the two halves of the sandwich together, as some of the chips had punctured the bread. This wasn't a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of when assembling the sandwich.

As for the flavor, it is honestly hard to describe. I was initially struck by how salty this sandwich was. Between the cheese and the Branston pickle, it felt like I had taken a bite of a salt lick. Fortunately, the mayonnaise kicked in and helped to tame the saltiness a bit. The other dominant component in flavor was the acidity of the Branston pickle. Though there are some sweet and umami-rich elements in it, the vinegar is potent, leaving a residual astringency on the tongue that's maybe an acquired taste.

Perhaps the saving grace for this sandwich was the chips. Many people believe that crunchy potato chips belong in sandwiches, owing to their salty flavor and crisp texture, and they would be right. In this case, they literally made the sandwich edible. They helped to moderate the pungency of the pickle while giving the otherwise mushy ingredients a more satisfying mouthfeel.

While I enjoyed the novelty of making this sandwich, there is zero chance that I would do so again. It isn't something I found crave-able, nor is it as nutritionally-balanced as I would like a meal to be. Obviously, those who have enjoyed Branston pickle their whole lives will likely develop an affinity for it, as do those who have eaten Vegemite or Marmite since childhood. For those of us coming to it as adults, it may be something of a hard sell. That said, while I may not understand the flavors or appreciate them, they are a great lesson in global culinary and cultural diversity.

I will say, however, that there are elements of this viral recipe that are worth incorporating into other sandwiches or recipes that I would consider. First, the potato chips are a genius way to add crunch for those who perhaps dislike lettuce or are looking for a vegetarian alternative to bacon on a sandwich. And the Branston pickle, while perhaps not my favorite as a stand-alone ingredient, has some potential uses, thanks to its distinctive umami-rich notes and thick texture. I could visualize it working well paired with roasted vegetables and perhaps a creamy tzatziki for a sandwich with some Mediterranean flair. I could also envision adding it to a soup or stew to help liven up the flavors and give it that cooked-all-day taste.