Best way to toast cheap french bread for Po boys

Haha. Some mornings. Just didn't know if people split the bread. Toast whole? Don't want to over toast or under toast. I love soft middle and light crunch in top. Oven toast too long and it all get crunchy.

Split it down the middle
Butter it
Put under broiler until edges are light brown

You got the wrong bread.

Since it's cheap french bread, I'd leave it whole. Butter the outside lightly, then pop into a 350 oven for just 5 minutes or so. You want to warm it & re-crisp the crust, but not really brown it.

Cheap french bread, when toasted, shatters like safety glass into a billion frizzy pieces. If you split it & toast it, it won't stand up to the fried shrimp. It will crumble into dust as you bite into it.

you can also "LIGHTLY| grease a black pot,
wrap a brick in foil and use it as a weight ... this will work if you want to toast and iron the bread.
works for panninis and Cuban sandwiches.