Classic Patty Melt Recipe
This Patty Melt Recipe is jam-packed with caramelized onions, cheese, and a seared hamburger patty on tasty bread for the perfect sandwich.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 peeled and thinly sliced large yellow onions
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 teaspoons avoado oil
- 1 pound 80/20 ground chuck
- 6 ounces shredded swiss cheese
- 6 thick slices of rye bread
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter to a rondeau or a large cast iron skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the onions, gently season with salt, and mix to combine.
- Cover and let the onions stand untouched for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid, and stir the onions for 1 to 2 minutes. They should start to turn light brown.
- Turn the heat to low-to-low medium and stir every 6 to 8 minutes for the next 30 to 35 minutes or until very dark brown. Deglaze with the vinegar, season with salt, and stir to combine. Cover and set them aside.
- Form the ground beef into 3 large patties and place them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Slice the bread and shred the cheese.
- Heat a griddle or a large cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat, about 375° to 400°.
- Generously season the burgers on the top side with coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Drizzle 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil or unsalted butter onto the griddle or pan.
- Place the patties seasoning side down onto the oil and then generously season the top side with coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Cook the burger for 3 minutes untouched and then flip them over.
- Once the burger is flipped, spread 2 teaspoons of softened unsalted butter on each side of the rye bread slices.
- Place the bread onto the griddle or in the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted and flip it over.
- Once flipped sprinkle on 1/3 of the shredded Swiss cheese on each bread slice and then top off with 1/3 of the caramelized onions.
- Place on the burger patty and, add the other toasted sliced rye on top.
- Slice and serve. Try using different cheeses or sauces like I did in my video below.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This patty melt is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. However, if you keep the bread, cheese, cooked hamburger patty, and caramelized onions separate, you can make it up to two days ahead.
How to Store: It’s best to cover the cooked hamburger patty, cheese, bread, and caramelized onions separately. Cover it with plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days if assembled. This recipe will not freeze well.
How to Reheat: Place the desired number of patty melts on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake them in the oven at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until warm. If you kept the main components of the dish separate, follow the reheating procedures in the recipe.
It’s best to season the burger right before cooking it. Do not pre-season it.
Do not overwork the burger patties, as they can become tough. Instead of rolling them into a ball and pressing them, I recommend gently pressing a handful of ground meat into patties.
Once the patties are made, press the center down slightly to prevent the patty from popping up in the middle as it cooks.
It’s good to keep the ground beef in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before handling it so it doesn’t heat up and get overly sticky.
Feel free to use a non-stick skillet to make the sandwich as well.
You may need to move the bread in the pan or the griddle to brown it evenly.
Depending on the size of your pan or griddle, you’ll most likely need to do this in batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 849kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 42gFat: 71gSaturated Fat: 34gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 224mgPotassium: 567mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1.055IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 556mgIron: 3mg