Patty Melt Recipe

Mix and form

Place the ground beef in a bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, and black pepper. Gently mix just until combined — do not overwork. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into thin oval patties slightly larger than your bread (about 1/2 inch thick).

Cook patties

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Add a light film of oil or nonstick spray if needed. Cook the patties 2-3 minutes per side for medium doneness (longer if you prefer well done). Transfer cooked patties to a plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.

Slice onions

Halve and thinly slice the yellow onion into rings or half-rings so they separate easily.

Caramelize onions

Wipe out the skillet used for patties and return to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil. When butter melts, add sliced onions and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 12-18 minutes. If using, sprinkle brown sugar after 8 minutes to encourage deeper caramelization. Reduce heat as needed to prevent burning. Remove onions to a bowl when deeply golden and set aside.

Prepare bread and spread

Butter one side of each bread slice evenly with the room-temperature butter. If using the optional spread, mix Dijon, mayonnaise, and ketchup and spread a thin layer on the unbuttered side of 4 slices (these will be the inner sides that contact the filling).

Assemble sandwiches

Place 4 slices of bread butter-side-down on a cutting board. On each slice, layer: 1 cooked beef patty (centered), about 2 slices Swiss cheese (or 1 Swiss + 1 American if you like extra melt), a generous handful of caramelized onions, and optional pickle slices. Top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side-up. Press gently to compact.

Grill until melty

Heat the skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet and cook 3-5 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula or a weight, until the bread is deep golden brown and cheese is fully melted. If bread browns before cheese melts, cover the pan with a lid for 1-2 minutes to trap heat.

Rest and serve

Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal and serve immediately.