Super Special Patty Melt

Name: Super Special Patty Melt
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 9 min
Total time: 1 h 24 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter; 2 large onions, thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon Sherry wine or balsamic vinegar; ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; ¼ small onion, finely chopped; 1 pound ground beef chuck (20% fat); 1 tablespoon ketchup; 1 tablespoon Super Special Prime seasoning; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 8 slices marble rye or seeded rye bread; 4 ounces aged sharp cheddar, thinly sliced; 4 ounces Swiss cheese (such as Emmenthal), thinly sliced; 8 teaspoons mayo (preferably Duke’s)

The perfect patty melt is a recipe that should be in every sandwich lover’s repertoire. In this recipe, Super Special Prime seasoning gives the ground beef patties a leg up on flavor. The secret to getting the perfect, diner-style melding of ingredients is weighing the sandwich down with another skillet as it cooks. Giving each bread slice a slather of mayo and toasting the sandwich in a skillet (preferably cast iron) produces a spectacularly crispy, golden-brown crust.

Super Special Patty Melt

Rated 5.0 stars by 3 users

Servings

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour 15 minutes

The sticky sweet, caramelized onions take a bit of time to prepare, but most of the cooking is unattended and the results are definitely worth it. The onions can be prepared a couple days in advance and refrigerated until needed; the beef patties can be formed and refrigerated 8 hours ahead.

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions

2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Sherry wine or balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Patties and Sandwich Assembly

¼ small onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef chuck (20% fat)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Super Special Prime seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 slices marble rye or seeded rye bread
4 ounces aged sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
4 ounces Swiss cheese (such as Emmenthal), thinly sliced
8 teaspoons mayo (preferably Duke’s)

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Directions

Melt the butter in a medium skillet and add the onions. Toss to coat, cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, tossing the onions a couple times during the cooking.
Remove the lid from the skillet and continue to cook for another 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the sugar, vinegar, and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, an additional 10 minutes, or until the onions are dark and jammy.
To make the patties, gently mix the onion, beef, ketchup, and Super Special Prime in a medium bowl. Divide the meat into equal 4 portions and press each round between 2 pieces of parchment or waxed paper until about ¼” thick (you want them roughly the same dimensions as the bread you're using.)
Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook patties, pressing gently, until browned but still pink in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Use a paper towel to wipe out the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Top 4 slices of bread with cheddar, then beef patties, a pile of caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese. Close up sandwiches and spread each top with 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Place in pan, mayo-side down, and top the sandwiches with a sheet of foil.
Place a heavy skillet on top of the sandwiches to weigh them down, and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove the weighted pan and spread the top of each sandwich with 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Flip and weight again. Cook until the other side is golden brown, and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.