Takes patience
Diner Patty Melt
A griddled burger on buttered rye with Swiss cheese and sweet caramelized onions.
The short version. Caramelize sliced onions slowly in butter, cook two thin seasoned beef patties to 160°F, stack them with Swiss and onions between buttered rye slices, and griddle the sandwich over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Scaling is exact math. For a fraction of an egg, beat the egg and measure out that fraction.
Ingredients
Onions
- 1 large yellow onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp salt
Patties and bread
- 12 oz ground beef (80 percent lean, shaped into two thin patties)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 slices rye bread
- 2 tbsp soft butter (for the outside of the bread)
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
Directions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and salt and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden and sweet. Set aside.
- Mix the beef with the salt, pepper and Worcestershire, and shape two thin patties a little wider than the bread. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each.
- Cook the patties in a skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until cooked through to 160°F. Remove them.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the unbuttered side of two slices, layer Swiss, a patty, onions, another slice of Swiss, and the top slice, buttered side out.
- Griddle the sandwiches over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese has melted. Slice in half and serve hot.
Tips
- Low heat is the whole trick with onions. They are done when they are jammy and golden, not crisp.
- Check the patties with an instant-read thermometer. Ground beef is done at 160°F.
Technique guides
- How do you caramelize onions?
- How do you sear meat properly?
- What are safe internal cooking temperatures?
Questions
What is the difference between a patty melt and a burger?
A patty melt is served on griddled rye bread, not a bun, with melted Swiss cheese and caramelized onions.
Cooking involves heat and sharp tools. Kids cook with an adult. Times and temperatures are guides, so use your own judgment and a thermometer, and watch for allergens.