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The Best Patty Melt

Ingredients

Butter
6 tablespoon Butter
Rye Bread
2 slice Rye Bread
American Cheese
4 slice American Cheese
torn into large pieces
Swiss Cheese
4 slice Swiss Cheese
torn into large pieces
Kosher Salt
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Freshly Ground Chuck
0.5 pound Freshly Ground Chuck
formed into two 4-ounce patties, roughly the size and shape of 1 slice bread
Onion
1 large Onion
split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
Water
0.5 cup Water

The Best Patty Melt

Serious Eats (J. Kenji López-Alt)

ServesPrepCookTotalShares
25 min30 min35 min4

Cheese, onions, and a juicy burger patty meet in this perfectly satisfying sandwich.

sandwichburgerentreesandwiches
Save this recipe to your personal collection, manage your grocery lists and access the step-by-step cooking assistant with the TastyBites app.
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Recommended Equipment

Cutting board

Cutting board

Spatula

Spatula

Skillet

Skillet

Plate

Plate

Instructions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add 2 slices bread and swirl around pan using hand or spatula. Cook, swirling occasionally until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board cooked-side up. Divide American cheese evenly between slices, layering them in the center and leaving a 1/4-inch gap around the edges.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 slice Rye Bread
  • 4 slice American Cheese
    torn into large pieces
Repeat step 1 with remaining bread slices and Swiss cheese.
  • 2 slice Rye Bread
  • 4 slice Swiss Cheese
    torn into large pieces
Season hamburger patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Return skillet to heat to high and melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet until light brown. Swirl to coat bottom of skillet and add both burger patties. Cook without moving until dark brown crust forms on first side, about 1 1/2 minutes, reducing heat to medium if butter begins to burn or smoke excessively. Flip burgers using spatula and cook on second side without moving until crust develops, 1 1/2 minutes longer.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 0.5 pound Freshly Ground Chuck
    formed into two 4-ounce patties, roughly the size and shape of 1 slice bread
Transfer burger patties to plate and reduce heat to medium. Add onions, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 tablespoons water to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet until water evaporates and onions start to fry and leave brown residue on bottom of pan. Add another 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook. Repeat 2 more times until water is used up and onions are soft and deep golden brown. Add collected juices from meat plate to onions and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Onions should be moist, but not dripping.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 large Onion
    split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
  • 0.5 cup Water
Divide onion mixture evenly between cheese-topped toast slices. Add burger patties to slices with American cheese and close sandwiches.
  • 4 slice American Cheese
    torn into large pieces
  • 1 large Onion
    split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Return to medium heat and cook until butter melts. Sprinkle with salt. Swirl to coat pan and add sandwiches. Cook, swirling sandwiches around pan frequently until deep golden brown on bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove sandwiches from skillet, melt remaining tablespoon butter in pan and sprinkle with salt. Return sandwiches to skillet and cook, swirling frequently until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt
The Best Patty Melt

The Best Patty Melt

Serious Eats (J. Kenji López-Alt)

ServesPrepCookTotalShares
25 min30 min35 min4

Cheese, onions, and a juicy burger patty meet in this perfectly satisfying sandwich.

sandwichburgerentreesandwiches
Save this recipe to your personal collection, manage your grocery lists and access the step-by-step cooking assistant with the TastyBites app.
Login to Continue

Recommended Equipment

Cutting board

Cutting board

Spatula

Spatula

Skillet

Skillet

Plate

Plate


Ingredients

Butter
6 tablespoon Butter
Rye Bread
2 slice Rye Bread
American Cheese
4 slice American Cheese
torn into large pieces
Swiss Cheese
4 slice Swiss Cheese
torn into large pieces
Kosher Salt
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Freshly Ground Chuck
0.5 pound Freshly Ground Chuck
formed into two 4-ounce patties, roughly the size and shape of 1 slice bread
Onion
1 large Onion
split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
Water
0.5 cup Water

Instructions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add 2 slices bread and swirl around pan using hand or spatula. Cook, swirling occasionally until pale golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board cooked-side up. Divide American cheese evenly between slices, layering them in the center and leaving a 1/4-inch gap around the edges.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 slice Rye Bread
  • 4 slice American Cheese
    torn into large pieces
Repeat step 1 with remaining bread slices and Swiss cheese.
  • 2 slice Rye Bread
  • 4 slice Swiss Cheese
    torn into large pieces
Season hamburger patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Return skillet to heat to high and melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet until light brown. Swirl to coat bottom of skillet and add both burger patties. Cook without moving until dark brown crust forms on first side, about 1 1/2 minutes, reducing heat to medium if butter begins to burn or smoke excessively. Flip burgers using spatula and cook on second side without moving until crust develops, 1 1/2 minutes longer.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 0.5 pound Freshly Ground Chuck
    formed into two 4-ounce patties, roughly the size and shape of 1 slice bread
Transfer burger patties to plate and reduce heat to medium. Add onions, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 tablespoons water to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet until water evaporates and onions start to fry and leave brown residue on bottom of pan. Add another 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook. Repeat 2 more times until water is used up and onions are soft and deep golden brown. Add collected juices from meat plate to onions and continue to cook for 30 seconds. Onions should be moist, but not dripping.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 large Onion
    split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
  • 0.5 cup Water
Divide onion mixture evenly between cheese-topped toast slices. Add burger patties to slices with American cheese and close sandwiches.
  • 4 slice American Cheese
    torn into large pieces
  • 1 large Onion
    split in half, sliced thin from pole to pole (about 2 cups)
Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Return to medium heat and cook until butter melts. Sprinkle with salt. Swirl to coat pan and add sandwiches. Cook, swirling sandwiches around pan frequently until deep golden brown on bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove sandwiches from skillet, melt remaining tablespoon butter in pan and sprinkle with salt. Return sandwiches to skillet and cook, swirling frequently until second side is golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
  • 6 tablespoon Butter
  • Kosher Salt