Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 tbsp. butter, divided, plus more as needed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
Preparation
Step 1Form beef into 4 slightly oblong patties and season each one with salt and pepper.Step 2In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook until deeply golden, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer onions to a plate. Step 3To same skillet, melt another 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add patties and cook until desired doneness is reached, about 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer patties to plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Drain fat. Step 4Return skillet to medium heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Working in batches, toast slices of bread until golden, 2 minutes per side. Add more butter, as necessary. Step 5To assemble sandwiches, place one slice of Swiss cheese on a piece of bread, then a patty, caramelized onions, another slice of cheese, and top with a second piece of bread. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
What’s the difference between a patty melt and a burger? A patty melt is basically a better version of the humble burger. While the round burger sits on top of a soft bun, the patty melt’s patty is shaped into more of an oblong rectangle to fit toasted rye bread before being topped with plenty of Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. How to make a patty melt: • The bread Rye bread is the classic choice here. Toasted in plenty of butter until golden, we don’t think a patty melt is a patty melt without this bread. While toasting your bread, the slices of Swiss cheese will get irresistibly gooey, ready to be topped with your patty and onions. • The patty We form our ground beef patties into more of a rectangular shape to fit our slices of rye bread, but shape your patties to fit whatever bread you’re using! We cooked our patties for 3 minutes on each side to reach medium, but feel free to cook to your desired doneness. • The onions One of the signature aspects of a patty melt is the sweet caramelized onions. You’re going to want to cook until deeply golden, around 20 minutes. Follow our caramelized onions guide if this is your first time! What should I serve with patty melts? Any of your favorite classic diner sounds would pair perfectly with this melty sandwich. Serve up homemade fries, potato chips or pasta salad for a perfect lunch. Have leftover rye bread? Make our classic Rueben to keep the classic sandwiches comin’. Made this melt? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
