Monte Cristo Sandwich - the Real One

I'm not a big grease fan and to some that might be the best part of this sandwich. I cooked the first two sandwiches according to the recipe. To no surprise the grease took over the flavor. As a result, I decided to eliminate the grease for the rest and lightly coated the pan. I cooked it like I would a grilled cheese. The sandwich was DELICIOUS and my mind was put at ease b/c I was not clogging my arteries. I also used Hawaiian Bread and dipped them in blackberry jelly.

Excellent sandwich for students to make with extra stuff lying around the house. Subed Old Cheddar for Swiss and fried it in a pan with just a little margarine, like french toast. Absolutely amazing.

I was very curious about this sandwich so decided to make it for dinner. My husband and I with raised brows took our first bite and were pleasantly surprised. Again with curiousity we tried our next bites with strawberry jam. Very tasty! But I honestly don't think I'll make it again unless I happen to have some odd reason to gain weight. I just can't justify eating a batter dipped sandwich. Hubby thought we should have deep fried candy bars with it, hehe. Good recipe but not worth the calories.

This IS the monte cristo from the Blue Bayou at Disneyland. I've eaten it many times. Excellent recipe and simple to prepare.

So many reviews include ways to change this sandwich because of it being deep fried. Please don't; this is what the sandwich is. If you want to do it differently, create a recipe making a sandwich the way you like it, but don't go telling people how to change it to make it taste worse. Oh yeah, another thing... no one cares what you think or hour husband thinks or your dog thinks... it's not about YOU; get over yourself!

I made this the other night when we were low on groceries.......what a pleasant surprise.....This was awesome!!!! It tasted just like the one at Bennigan's. I left out the ham since I didn't have any, and subbed American cheese since thats what I had, and doubled the batter as other reviewers suggested. I couldn't find my FryDaddy, so I pan-fried it in a deep skillet in about an inch of oil........worked perfectly!! I served with Brandied Blackberry Preserves and it was delicious! Thanks for a cheap and easy recipe to add to the rotation!

You can make these bit size if you take one piece of bread, cut the crust off, and roll flat with a rolling pin. Layer on a slice of cheese, turkey, and ham and then roll up. Secure with four toothpicks, spaced evenly, and cut into 4 pieces. You dip the pieces individually in the batter and fry them up. They were so cute!

Perfect! I used jalapeno Monterey Jack instead of Swiss. One user commented it was hard to keep the sandwich together, so I inserted the toothpicks at such an angle to the bread, that they were barely sticking out. This held together much more securely than just inserting it straight through. Berry jam is a must w/ this. (oh, and I also heated my oil to 400 as someone else suggested....Perfect!)

Making this recipe was my first experience with monte cristo sandwiches, and they were delicious! Surprisingly, they also reheat very well, even in the microwave.

I made these for dinner last night and wow heart attack heaven! The batter needs to be doubled if you plan to make the whole amount. My kids and husband liked this but we all agreed it was really to oily and heavy. We could each only eat 1/4 of the sandwich and we felt pretty lethargic from it.

IT'S DELICIOUS! Do not bother with other Monte Cristo recipes unless they're deep fried like this. (I know it's not the healthiest, but hey, if you want healthy, eat a salad.) The only change I would make is to add a bit more ham & turkey to each sandwich. Also, it's just not complete without a side of seedless red raspberry jam for dipping. YUM!

I decided to be daring and make the recipe exactly as written but grill on a Foreman Grill to reduce the grease. It wasn't greasy but the bread dried out.

An absolutely perfect sandwich, great with strawberry preserves. I'm really amused by those who complain about the grease. I actually keep track of the grease that is soaked up by different foods, and this one soaked up a whole lot less that french fries or okra. Even 90% of cake recipes call for 1/2 cup of some kind of fat. I prefer to indulge every once in a while, and get plenty of exercise. Awesome recipe for that "once in a while" treat.

thought this was a great sandwich - I have had many Monte Cristo's, and this is one of the best. My only suggestion is to make sure your oil is at least 365 degrees before frying or else they will be oily, and also drain on paper towels before serving. I have also served these at a heavy "snack" party - you can make them early in the day, and re-heat in a hot oven for about 5 minutes - they will puff, and be gooey

I had my first Monte Cristo sandwich at a local restaurant and just loved it. Since then, I have been searching for a recipe that was as close to that same sandwich as I could get, and I believe I found it. Some other recipes suggest just dipping your sandwich in a milk/egg mixture and grilling like french toast, but I believe the batter and the frying is part of what makes this so delicious. For anyone worried about the oily greasy flavor, I used butter flavored Crisco and then laid them out on a paper towel to soak up the excess grease. They turned out delicious! We made these for a family birthday dinner and they were a hit with EVERYONE (from the little kids to the older adults). We served ours with powdered sugar and drizzled with raspberry preserves.

I also diluted the batter just a little to make it easier to use. After dipping the sandwich in batter, I coated them with dry bread crumbs on all sides. Made them easier to handle and they came out of the fryer with a nice crispy coating. The kids loved them.

I had never eaten a Monte Cristo Sandwich. I had seen them on the menu in restaurants but, I was afraid to order one in case it was a bust. When I saw this recipe I had to try it. My son & oldest grandangel were here and they said it was a great Monte Cristo. I did not cut the sandwiches until they were cooked and ready to serve. I fried them in my cast iron skillet with about 1 to 1 1/2" of oil. I sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with jam. They were truly great!! I have made them several times since and always make extra for the next day. We think they are better the next day heated in the microwave for a few seconds. Tried making with graham cracker crumbs as one reviewer suggested. It did not work well at all. Will only make the Real One from now on. Followed the directions and it made 4 sandwiches nicely with a little mix left over that I poured in the hot oil to make a funnel cake. THANKS FOR THE GREAT RECIPE!!!

Great recipe, and my sons asked me when I would be making this again! I did substitute milk for the water, added some extra meat, and a dash of vanilla to the batter.

I've made this recipe a couple of times now. Everyone loves it just the way it is! The kids ask for it as their special birthday dinner & my neighbor keeps asking me when I'm making them again so she can come over for a bite. She said she's tried other Monte Cristo Sandwiches at restaurants and none come close to being as delicious as mine ~ THANK YOU so much for this recipe!

One trick that I found, wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap over night. It makes sure it sets while frying.

This is a very good recipe. But not the kind that I like. When we made it at work, we make the sandwiches with american, swiss, turkey and ham. We also make them a day in advance and wrap each tightly in cling wrap and then wrap them all together. This will help them stay together when frying. You could also do this a couple hours before frying. Then we dip them in egg and then in grahm crackers. Gives it a wonderful sweet crust and makes it very crispy. Finally cut them in half before serving. Alot more work yes but well worth it in my opinion

You don't have to deep fry this sandwich! I fried in a non-stick pan with a little veg. oil and butter. Put the toothpick all the way through at an angle before battering & let some of the batter drip off before frying. Turned to cook all sides. I used regular bread and didn't have Swiss so used American (I know....). Swiss would have been even better, but this was an excellent sandwich, if you like Monte Cristo's!! Dusted lightly with powdered sugar. Heated raspberry jam, strained the seeds and used to drizzle on each bite. Could only eat half but will reheat the other half later :O) !! Used to love Bennigan's :O( - Friday's has one they deep fry - I don't like it.

Wow! Never made or had these before. My husband asked for these & said they were just as good or better then he has had. Probably will only be for a special brunch now & then, since they are deep fried w/ham, cheese, batter..etc....but, worth for a special treat. I doubled the batter to make 6 large sandwiches. I used a loaf of fresh Itlian bread you find in the deli & cut into large slices. Basically by the time I put the cheese and meat on the slices the toothpick fit perfectly. I did not quarter them & my swiss cheese didn't melt on the inside, but, no one complained--just raves. My kids would only eat them with the powder sugar (and loved them), BUT, DON'T miss using the current jelly sauce as mentioned by the submitter--actually I used rasberry since that is what I happen to have---husband and I agreed that final touch made the sandwich.

Absolutely wonderful. I fell in love with the Monte Cristo as a child in some cafe in the old Opryland theme park in Nashville. Nearly 40 years later I can say that this is the best I've had. And not too difficult to make. Thanks a ton!

I have made this 3 times this week and it is my absolute favorite recipe! LOVE IT! The only change i made was butter instead of oil and I only used enough to coat the bottom of the skillet

Fantastic! I made this exactly according to the recipe and it turned out so well. Very delicious. These were the best Monte Cristos I have had since Bennigan's closed down. Truly fabulous! I recommend placing the cooked sandwiches on a plate layered with paper towels so the hot oil will be absorbed. They were crispy and delicious and perfect! I enjoyed eating them with raspberry jam.

Very, Very good! I have been looking for a recipe like this! Better than the grilled sandwiches. I heated the oil to 400 degrees since the sandwiches are large and tend to make the oil drop a few degree when they are fried. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE baking soda for the powder!

I thought this was pretty good, but the batter needed something...(besides the baking power which I forgot!). I served with some strawberry jam mixed with cream. I think I'll add a pinch of cinnamon and a little vanilla next time. However, my finicky eater asked me to make these again (which should automatically warrant five stars) and floored me when she even suggested I serve to the kids for snacking at Easter dinner.

The batter could not be more perfect. One exception was that we used vegetarian deli "meats" as a substitute, which makes the whole thing a little lighter and better for you. Enjoy with a variety of jams/preserves.

easy and tasted just like disney land. Kids loved it

Tastes just like I remember it from the restaurant. Very easy, however, I was only able to do 9 quarters of a sandwich with the egg batter. This was perfect for my family, but if you need more, i would double the batter.

Am not a fan of mixed meat nor of egg, but I remember this being my favorite sandwich of all time from childhood jaunts to Disneyland and that Pirates of the Caribbean restaurant. This recipe teleported me directly back to that time and place. Wow. Used Crisco oil for frying and the crust came out crispy and flaky. Made this for a group of Europeans who had never even heard of a Monte Cristo. Resounding applause from all. Will make again -- but rarely. This thing in a calorie bomb waiting to explode! But worth it, so worth it.

I made this for breakfast today. These were delicious. I followed the recipe except for the deep fry part. I skillet fried them and I am sure they were just as delicious. We used maple syrup as a dipping, too. A winner in my house.

O MY this was just what I wanted, couldnt not be better. and yes we did fry them in oil about 3 inchees deep at 380# degrees I cut the sandwiched just in half and stuch in 1 toothpick in a angle . My husband cokked them and just kept turning them till done. did not have powered sugar , but did use raspberry per with the seeds on them. even my 7 year old loved it. will only make once in a while because of the calorie count , but defintly worth it to try.. LOVED THEM

This recipe is restaurant quality, possibly even better. Make sure you cut the crusts off the bread first. Wheat bread works just as well, and we used genoa salami and American cheese as well as the turkey and swiss. This was so good! Thanks for the recipe.

Surprisingly simple and very tasty. I made it following recipe as is. No alterations were needed.

Thanks so much for this recipe! Monte cristo has been one of my favorite sandwiches for a years but I didn't have a good recipe til now. Yes it's very heavy, that's why I only indulge once or twice a year!! The only change I made was to saute this in butter (using clarified butter) instead of oil. My family loved this treat for dinner. I served with a nice light fruit salad to offset the clogging of the arteries...LOL Try this once and you won't be disappointed!

I used to LOVE these sandwiches years ago!!! Bennigan's used to sell them. Then I was diagnosed with Celiac disease and have not had one in years. Made them tonight with my gluten free flour and they were fantastic!!! So glad to have them again. Good recipe for gluten free too.

I made these for dinner tonight and my kids just loved them and so did I. It turned out exactly as I expected. I get so annoyed with bad reviews based on fat and calorie content you should know by looking this isn't healthy. Things like this are meant to be a treat not a daily meal and as such was perfect as cross between a sandwich and a donut lol. I fried mine in about an inch of oil and flipped quickly to get all the batter cooking.

Tastes just like the one I used to get in Nevada! The entire family loved it, including my mother-in-law (who is a GREAT cook herself). I used peanut oil in my deep fryer, which helped to keep it from burning too easily, and served pasta salad along side. I think those who seem concerned about the greasiness or fatty content of this dish should look elsewhere anyway. What did they expect for something battered and deep-fried! Serve a green salad instead. We will definitely have this again.

Excellent recipe! Haven't had a Monte Cristo in years, this was as good as I remember. I'm really happy to be able to make them myself now.

This was FANTASTIC! I thought it was almost exactly like Bennigan's famous Monte Cristo, although the hubby thought there was "something different" (I think it was the brand of ham/turkey that I used). I followed the recipe to a T, deep fried it, and served it up with some powdered sugar and raspberry jam/preserves. Talk about good! My only problem was that by the third sandwich, I was scraping the bottom of the bowl for the batter, so I would probably double the batter mixture next time (luckily, I was only making three sandwiches).

I have made Monte Cristo's using this recipe many many times and everyone who tastes this delicious sandwich wants the recipe! You really can't go wrong if you are looking for the authentic Monte Cristo taste. Just remember to make sure the oil for frying is hot enough! If it's not, you'll end up marinating your sandwich in unhealthy oil.

UGGH. I had never had a monte cristo sandwich before, but it sounded tasty and the reviews were great so i gave it a try. It did not taste good. I usually dont eat deep fried foods often, maybe thats why, but this was horrible for me. Sorry but i will never try this again. :(

We absolutely loved this recipe!! It was quick and easy and even good cold the next day.

I make a special brunch every Sunday for my husband. I made these for the first time. My husband loved them. I didn't care for them at all. Too much batter and grease for my taste. However, I might try the suggestion of cooking them like a cheese sandwich to avoid all the grease next time. So, a big hit as far as my husband was concerned and a big miss from my perspective.

My husband always loved this sandwich at Bennigan's so i thought I'd give it a try. My 10 year old said we should have these for dinner every night. 6 year old told me best sandwich he ever had! I served with warmed raspberry preserves.

I t was excellent. My family and I had just had a Monte Cristo at Disneyland and we were not impressed. I came home and looked this recipe up and made some. My famoly raved over the sandwich. It gets an A+ from my family and I.

Of course when cooking something like this, you're not doing it to be healthy. It's all about taste and reliving that savory moment which brought you to this recipe. With that being said, I used three slices of each meat... and it was like I was at the restaurant. Every bite just urged me to want to cram in one bite after another.

This is the real one. It's perfect. Most recipes for a monte christo are nothing more than a sandwich with french toast like bread and this one is truly breaded. Thanks so much for the recipe. They're just like I remember having at Bennigan's restaurant! Husband LOVED them and the recipe is a keeper!!

Just like I remembered! LOVE these! They were a bit on the greasier side than they should be, though. Possibly my frybaby wasn't hot enough. The title doesn't lie - these are the real thing.

I loved this sandwich. I did not deep fry mine though. I dipped in the egg mixture and cooked like french toast or grilled cheese. I also dipped my sandwich in strawberry jam. Oh so good!!

This recipe has replaced my own personal concoction. Now even my husband, who once thought this sandwich was "weird", loves when these are for dinner. We live very rural, so we use raspberry jam, heated, for the dipping sauce most of the time.

Great recipe! Very tasty, and easy to make. I used thick bread...and more turkey, ham, and cheese. Soooo good. Thanks!

This recipe was wonderful. It came out just the way i had hoped; thick and delicious!!!

Mine turned out great! I used milk instead of water though...and olive oil for cooking and it was greasy at all!

This is what I was craving....a Monte Cristo that tasted like the Bennigan's version. You really do have to watch your frying tempeture and time though. I used King's Hawiiaan Bread for this and they were delicious.

An unusual recipe for us to try but we were so glad we did! Dipped our sandwich in strawberry jam... fantastic!

Yummy! Even my 7 yr old son loved this! This is a keeper!

Delicious! I was alone with my grandma and we wanted something a little more interesting than plain pasta or pizza. When I suggested this my grandma was like cheering. This was so easy to make! The ingredients are ones that you usually have around the house, so you don't have to make a special trip to the grocery store for ingredients. If you want to try something new and interesting for lunch or dinner I suggest this!

I know it sounds nasty, but if you want to avoid a "fried" flavor, fry the sandwiches in shortening. There won't be any trace of oily/fried taste (and it won't stink up your house). We made two sandwiches and needed more batter than the recipe made, so we had to whip up more while the second batch of sandwich quarters were frying. I was a little concerned that the bread or batter would absorb a lot of oil, but they barely absorbed any as long as the temperature was maintained (we fried ours at around 380 degrees). This was AWESOME as an occasional treat, really close to the restaurant version.

It brought me right back my favorite NY deli. Perfection in a sandwich!

Simple to make, make sure the oil is hot enough or they will hold oil

I love this sandwich! Easy to make, a bit messy, but definitely worth it :)

LOVED it, but i would but 2 slices of each meat on it. it was a bit enpty on the edges.

Delicious! There's no need to deep fat fry. ^_~ I used 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet and dipped the sandwiches in the batter with my fingers instead of using toothpicks.

Oh these were marvelous! I truly enjoyed them, and the flavor reminded me of the Bennigans Restaurant Monti Cristos but smaller!!

My husband loved this so much he begged me to make more, wrapped them in tin foil and baked them for lunches the next 2 days!

excellent sandwich. not too heavy and greasy. i used texas toast and i also put a little vanilla in batter. my kids loved and i will make again. thanks

Reminded me of the Monte Cristos I would have at the Northstar Hotel in downtown Minneapolis many decades ago. Next time I do them, though, I will keep the sandwich whole and cut after frying....the quartered pieces had a tendency to fall apart even though I used 2 toothpicks in some of the quarters. Otherwise, the flavor was there...the consistency was good...all in all a wonderful Monte Cristo. Am OK with the grease since it is not something I eat (lot of grease in anything) on a regular basis. Once a year is not going to cause a heart attack:)

Yes. That is pretty much the one you get at Bennigans. Excellent. I used a deep fryer and followed the recipe. This is a deep fryed sandwich severed with jelly and powdered sugar. It is going to be high in calories. Its a once a year food but really great.

Yummy! Made these for a quick lunch today. My fiance and I had no errands to run (we were both off on Friday and have the Labor Day holiday to get things done). Because we weren't "out and about," I made a home cooked meal. My fiance never tried a Monte Cristo before, so he didn't know what to expect.... Leary of the traditional powdered sugar "dusting" and jam / dipping sauce, I served his plain, but for me, I went all out lol! This reminds me EXACTLY of Bennigan's Monte Cristo sandwich (I am SOOO happy to find this recipe on here, especially since all of the Bennigan's around me closed). Since I was only cooking for two, I made one sandwich, cut into quarters (these deep fry better when they're smaller). A half sandwich is the perfect serving size for one person. Because of the heavy batter, these fry up BIG and fill you up very quickly! I pretty much followed SEAWAKIM's directions to the letter except for adding more meat and an extra slice of Swiss cheese (you just can't have enough, IMHO!). I also lightly spread a mixture of dijon mustard / mayo on each slice of bread (be careful tho, too much will make your bread soggy). I think next time, I'll use Hawaiian or egg bread since my fiance wasn't crazy about plain 'ol white bread. Served with heated raspberry preserves and T's sweet potato fries, this hit the spot. Due to the mess factor, I'm not sure how often I'll make these, but I will on occasion for sure. Thanks SEAWAKIM! :-)

My son said this is the best food he has ever eaten. My husband wanted it twice in one day--once for lunch and once for dinner. Absolutely heavenly.

These were delicious. My 7 year old twins loved them so much, that they wanted me to send them some for lunch at school the next day! I used turkey and beef bolony instead, and cheddar cheese. Added a bit of water to loosen up the batter a little. I shallow fried them and placed the fried pieces on paper towels to drain excess oil. Came out awesome!

Yep- YUMM! I prefer Provolone to swiss though. Strawberry jelly on the side is a must.

These were just like the sandwiches at the famous eatery that I go to. I made them for a family get together and served with raspberry chipolte sauce!

This was so rich but so delicious! Thanks for sharing SEAWAKIM :)

I love Monte Cristos! Like the others, I just used cooking spray rather than the oil. Also, I like them much better with muenster cheese.

I ALWAYS use the box of Tempura batter to make my Monte Cristo's and it is much better than basic batter!

Yummy! Family of 5 enjoyed them, however; they were HUGE and too much grease. Made the serving for 8 and our family of 5 only ate 1/4 of the sandwich. Will make like the grill cheese way next time to see who the family likes them. Would make again, but not anytime soon...gotta work these off first. :o)

I made this for my sweetheart 2 months into our relationship. It was incredibly easy & so delicious!! Preparing it together was so much fun - it was like foreplay! It was the 1st time for both of us......wink, wink!

Pretty tasty. I pan fried the sandwiches. Next time, I think I will double bread the sandwiches. Also, served with Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Plum Preserve, and Lingonberry Preserve. Lingonberry tasted the best. Also, I might try a Currant sauce next time.

Our first Monte Cristo Sandwich so it wouldn't be fair to comparatvely rate this, but for the first one we've had it was okay, not bad at all. Not a true family favorite for all the members of my family, but enjoyed by most and easy to prepare. I wonder how much better this would taste if you spiced up the flour batter a bit and/or used seasoned (flour based) fry (like cajun chicken fry by zatarains)..We might try it like this one day. :-)

I thought it was delicious just as written

Perfect! Just like the one I order at Cheddar's. Like others have said you do need to double the batter.

This was awesome! My kids loved it and have already requested I make it again. I doubled the batter recipe and doubled the meat in the sandwich. I also used cheddar because that is what I had on hand. Will try with Swiss next time. We ate it with red currant jam on the side.

great recipe! my husband loves and misses the monte cristo he used to order at bennigans and was so excited when he saw i was making this. he said it tasted JUST like the original...maybe even better because i made it. ; ) next time i will double the meat and cheese just to making it more filling. other than that it was amazing!! i don't have a deep fryer so i just cooked it in vegetable oil on the stove top. i used about an inch or so of oil and turned it every couple seconds. yummmmmmmy!!!

This is not the most healthiest recipe I have ever had but it is good an will be great a little smaller as appitizer. Made a cherry puree to go with it. Delich

making this was easy my whole family loved it only a few minutes to fry it so easy used lots of powdered sugar and you need to make more batter ran out of batter too soon will use over and over

My family likes this battered monte cristo so much more than the traditional french toast style ones. My 10 year old requests it almost every week!

This recipe is great! My family loved it. It was a fantastic way to make a quick, easy, great-tasting supper that tasted 'company special'. I think I will be making these for our holiday parties this year.

very easy to assemble and it just gets easier and more tempting from there :o) make sure oil is at or very cloese to recommended temp, want the center warm and cheese to 'ooze' but you don't want it to burn

It was fun to find this recipe! My husband loves these. We affectionately call this the Monte Crisco. Using regular sandwich bread, I basically combined 2 sandwiches (bread, turkey, cheese, ham, bread, repeat). To help keep the sandwiches together I pressed them flat and put them in the fridge under a heavy plate for an hour. Then inserted toothpicks at a 45 degree angle. We serve ours with honey, and we really enjoy these as a rare treat.

I had no idea what to expect when I made this: first off it was really messy!! but once I got the hang of frying a battered sandwich...It was sooo worth it!! Freaking delicious!!!!

I've never really liked Monte Cristo Sandwiches from restaurants, my mom and brother always loved them. However I absolutely love this recipe. These sandwiches are devine! We deep fried them in our fry daddy and they came out wonderfully.

These were great! Used Potato bread instead of white bread, and served w/ a side of raspberry jam for dipping, Yum!

I gave this 3 stars because despite my great love for them the nutritional information given with the recipe is completely off... I used three other calorie counters and the total calories were around 1,100 with barely any nutritional value... don't be fooled this sandwich packs a punch!

Sinfully good! Easy to make too. I will make again, and change the meat/cheese combination. I imagine anything would be good.

Eh, pretty bland. It was better after adding strawberry jam, but not good enough to make again