All American Patty Melts Recipes

THE GREATEST AMERICAN PATTY MELT IN THE COUNTRY

Steps:

• For the caramelized onions: Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the onions begin to caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir once, then cook for another 5 minutes, undisturbed, until golden. Deglaze with the sherry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the patty melts: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Form the meat into 4 balls with your hands. Season both sides with the garlic salt and some pepper. Smash to the desired size (matching up with the size of your bread). Griddle each side until crusty, very seared and about medium/medium rare in the interior (about 130 degrees F), 5 to 6 minutes a side. Thoroughly wipe clean the skillet and reduce the heat to medium low.
• On each of 4 slices of rye, place 2 slices of cheese, then a patty, then some onions, then 2 more slices of cheese and finally another slice of rye. Butter both sides of each sandwich (crust to crust is a must) and griddle until the bread is slightly golden and the cheese is gooey, 2 to 3 minutes per side (dome with a metal bowl if necessary to ensure the cheese melts). Serve with your favorite yellow mustard if desired.

CLASSIC PATTY MELT

Steps:

• Season ground beef with salt and pepper and divide into 3 equal-sized balls. Shape each ball as close as possible to the shape of the bread. Make an indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onion until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and divide into 3 equal portions. Place beef patties into the same skillet and cook until desired doneness, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoons mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread.
• Place bread mayonnaise side-down in the skillet. Top with 1 slice of cheese, 1 beef patty, 1/3 of the onions, a second slice of cheese, and another slice of bread, mayonnaise side up. Cook bread until golden brown and cheese has started to melt, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip each sandwich over and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

DINER-STYLE PATTY MELT

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring continually, for 3 minutes. Cover with a lid and allow onions to caramelize, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine ground beef, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Shape ground beef into 4 rectangular patties.
• Cook patties in a skillet over medium-high heat, flipping once, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add a slice of Swiss cheese to each patty and top each with an equal amount of caramelized onions.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Spread 1 teaspoon butter over each slice of bread. Broil until lightly golden and toasted. Assemble patty melts and serve immediately.