The Best Patty Melt!

4 patty melt halves stacked on each other on wooden chopping board

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Here I'll show you the most delicious way to make the classic Patty Melt!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: patty melts

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £5 / $6

Equipment

Large Heavy-Bottom/Cast-Iron Pan & Wooden Spoon
Spatula/Turner
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Small Pot (for sauce)

Ingredients

Sauce

2 tbsp Mayo
1 tbsp Ketchup
1/2 tbsp finely diced Gherkins/Pickles
1 tsp Yellow Mustard
1/2 tsp White Wine/Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 tsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

Patty Melt

9oz / 250g Minced/Ground Beef (see notes)
4 slices of Bread (see notes)
4 tbsp / 60g Butter, or as needed
4 slices of Swiss Cheese
3 slices of American-Style Cheese, one square sliced in half
1 large White Onion, peeled & thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper, as needed

Instructions

Combine the 'Sauce' ingredients in a small pot then place to one side.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry until they start to soften and turn golden, around 8-10mins. Lower heat and season the onions with a pinch of salt & pepper. Continue frying for another 15 mins, or until completely soft, deep golden and sticky/sweet. If they start to dry out/catch on the pan, just add water 1 tbsp at a time. Remove the onions from the pan and raise the heat to medium-high.
Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Place them butter-side-down in the pan and toast until crisp & golden. Remove and place them toast-side-up and turn off the heat. Place Swiss on half of them and American on the other half.
Divide the beef in two and flatten them each into the shape of the bread, making sure each patty is larger than the slice (they'll shrink a fair bit in the pan). Don't overwork the meat, just enough to mould it to shape. Generously season the top side with salt & pepper.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in the pan over medium-high heat then add the patties seasoned-side-down. Season the top, then leave to fry for a couple of mins, or until they build up a crust on the bottom. Flip them over and cook until you build a crust on the second side and they're just about cooked through. Remove them from the pan and turn off the heat.
Spread all 4 slices with sauce, then stack two of them with the patty and onions. Add the second slice on top to create two sandwiches (both with half American and half Swiss cheese).
Add the sandwiches to the pan and toast both sides over medium heat until deep golden & crisp on the outside, with the cheese starting to melt in the centre. You can use the leftover burger fat to do this, or clean out the pan and spread both sides of the sandwiches with butter.
Remove, slice each sandwich in half then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Beef - Important you're using high-fat beef for maximum flavour and juiciness! Don't squeeze and overwork the meat, just mould it enough to resemble large versions of the sliced bread. Overworked beef can come out tough and chewy.

b) Cheese - I believe the classic option is only Swiss, but I love the tangy flavour the American cheese brings. Yes, I'm talking about 'plastic cheese'. Trust me on this one!!

c) Bread - Although Rye bread is more traditional, I typically go for something like a White Bloomer. I recommend slicing it fairly thick (1/2 - 3/4" / 1.2 - 1.9cm) just so it keeps the sandwich nice and sturdy. I don't recommend using square slices, the patty never fits properly!

d) Sauce - I highly recommend adding this, or at least serving it on the side. You can make this ahead of time and tightly store in the fridge until needed. Garlic powder and sugar weren't filmed, but they're there - promise!

e) Serving - These are pretty indulgent and hearty by themselves, but you could always add some Wedges on the sides if you fancied.

f) Calories - Don't look!!

Nutrition