The results are in, and the 4th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdown was one for the books! Thanks to all the folks who participated and brought their A-Game ("A" being for "appetite", of course). Pair any of the following with beer and tomato soup (because thats what we did) and we'll see you next year for the 5th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdown!

Winner of the 2016 Golden Spatula Award:

Das Bier Belly Grilled Cheese, Team Toad&Co

Sandwich Ingredients: Pretzel bun, Honey stone ground mustard (mix honey with your favorite stone ground mustard), Kerrygold butter (or other European style butter), beer cheese (make your own, because why not?)

Make it: Cut off edges of pretzel bun so it is a square shape. Slice bun in half, spread ample butter on outside top and bottom, spread mustard on one side inside and add sliced cheese. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook one side until nicely browned, flip and cook other side until cheese is melted. Enjoy with a side of Popcorn and bread & butter pickles (and again, make your own because why not?)

Beer Cheese:

• 7 oz. (1 package) Kerrygold reserve cheddar
• 3.5 oz. fontina cheese
• 4 Tbs Kerrygold butter
• 6 Tbs flour
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 2 dashes hot sauce
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce
• 1/4 cup brown ale

In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium high heat until melted. Add flour in portions whisking vigorously. Continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute. Add milk until well blended and reaches a consistency that coats the back of a spoon without running off. Slowly add beer until incorporated, then add Worcester and hot sauce. Add cheese and keep whisking until melted with no cheese lumps. Remove from heat. Decant into a parchment paper lined storage container and refrigerate until cool.

Bread & Butter Pickles:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cup water
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs rainbow peppercorns
• 1 shallot sliced
• 2 sprigs dill
• 2 cucumbers sliced in 1/8” thick rounds on a mandolin
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except cucumbers and shallots. Bring to boil, remove from heat. Put cucumbers and shallots in large mason jar, pour liquid over, let cool and refrigerate 24 hrs. Eat within 2 weeks (which won't be a problem). 

Bren Bahn Mi, Team UCSB Bren School Sustainable Fisheries Group The 2016 "People's Choice" Award Sandwich Ingredients: Bread, butter, shredded gouda cheese, caramel pork (make it yourself, it's better), pickled carrots and daikon radish (squeezed of excess liquid), thinly sliced cucumber, thinly sliced jalapeno, cilantro Make it: Liberally butter the outside of two slices of bread. Sprinkle half of the cheese on the inside of one slice and top with a scoop of caramelized pork, pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, then top with remaining cheese. Sandwich with the other slice of bread, buttered side up. Grill on medium heat until golden brown and cheesy. DIY Carmel Pork: 2 Tbs sugar 2 Tbs water 1 Tbs oil 1 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced 1 Tbs fish sauce 1 Tbs lime juice 2 Tbs sriracha Heat sugar and water in a pan over medium-high heat until it caramelizes, carefully adding the water until the sugar dissolves, then set aside. Heat oil over medium-high heat, add shallots and garlic, cook until the shallot is tender. Add pork, caramel sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and sriracha. Cook about 3-5 minutes.

Bristol Bay-ngin Sockeye Sliders,Team Salty Girl Seafood Winner of the 2016 "Fish Outta Water" Award Ingredients: Avocados, whipped cream cheese, chives (green onions), peppadew peppers, french bread, salt, butter, Smoked Sockeye Salmon (from Bristol Bay, of course) Make it: Mash avocados, add salt to taste. Chop chives, add to whipped cream cheese. Cut peppers into strips. Butter outsides of bread (for grilling). Add avocado to one side, cream cheese and chives to the other. Place salmon on one side, add peppers, close it up, and throw it on the press! Goudalicious, Team Santa Barbara City Firefighters Winner of the "Make America Grate Again" Award Ingredients: Ethnic Breads Sourdough, fig jam, applewood smoked bacon, bacon smoked gouda cheese, butter, caramelized onions (with a splash of fig jam in the saucepan) Make it: Grate at least two blocks of bacon smoked gouda. Liberally spread room temp butter on the outside of fresh sourdough bread. Spread a large dollop of fig jam on the inside of the bread. Layer a large handful of cheese, 2 strips of bacon, caramelized onions, more cheese. Twice. Grill until crunchy and cheesy.

Eat, Cheese, Love, Team Santa Barbara Symphony Ingredients: Kalamata olive bread, butter, fresh sliced mozzarella, grated parmesan, olive tapenade, capers, caramelized shallots, balsamic reduction. Make it: Butter both sides of kalamata olive bread. Place two thick slices of fresh mozzarella and lots of grated parmesan on one slice of bread. Spread tapenade on the other slice of bread and drop a few capers onto the tapenade. Combine and grill with lots of butter. When grilled cheese is hot off the press, top with caramelized shallots, shaved parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

The Filthy Leprechaun, Team UGG Ingredients: Rustic white bread, corn beef, caramelized onions soaked in Makers Mark Whiskey, garlic aioli mustard, Irish cheddar, swiss cheese, smoked sharp cheddar, garlic mayonnaise Make it: Spread a healthy spoonful of garlic mayo on the outside of rustic bread (this is the side you grill). On the inside of the bread, spread garlic aioli mustard then layer with a handful each of shredded Irish cheddar, swiss cheese, shredded corn beef, caramelized onions, smoked sharp cheddar. Grill until crunchy on the outside.