Description
Classic Patty Melts with a twist of secret sauce, featuring juicy ground beef patties, caramelized onions, melted Swiss and cheddar cheese between crispy buttered rye bread slices. This hearty sandwich is perfect for a comforting meal any time of day.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Patty Melts
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 8 slices rye bread
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 tbsp butter, for grilling
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Secret Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Secret Sauce: In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Caramelize the Onions: In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes until they turn a delicious golden brown and are caramelized. Once done, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Form and Season Patties: Divide the ground beef into four thin patties, making them slightly larger than your bread slices as they will shrink when cooked. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Cook the Patties: In the same skillet used for the onions, cook the beef patties over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until they are fully cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Prepare the Bread: Butter one side of each slice of rye bread evenly.
- Assemble the Patty Melts: Place four slices of the bread, buttered side down, on a clean skillet or griddle heated over medium heat. On each slice, layer 1 slice of Swiss cheese, one cooked beef patty, a generous portion of caramelized onions, then 1 slice of cheddar cheese. Top each with another slice of rye bread, butter-side up.
- Grill the Sandwiches: Cook each sandwich for 2-3 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and crispy and the cheese inside has melted beautifully. Be careful to flip gently to maintain structure.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and let them rest for one minute to allow juices to redistribute. Slice each sandwich in half and serve warm with the secret sauce either on the side for dipping or drizzled on top.
Notes
- Caramelizing the onions low and slow develops a rich, sweet flavor essential for the perfect patty melt experience.
- You can adjust the thickness of the patties based on your preference, but thinner patties work best for melting cheese evenly.
- Using rye bread adds a classic tangy flavor, but you may substitute with sourdough if desired.
- Leftover secret sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
- For extra crispiness, consider pressing the sandwiches gently with a spatula during grilling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sandwiches
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
