Patty Melts for Dinner
I have a sandwich guy – women actually. She works in the sandwich shop just around the corner. I like to pop in and have a bit of conversation – you know sandwich chat. Having a sandwich person is like having a fish monger, butcher, or cheese expert. An expert who can you rely on for help with the ins and outs of particular issues, someone to point you in the direction of something new in the field or a person who can help you source the odd cut of meat or rare stinky cheese. Last time I was there she made me a tuna sandwich on a baguette – lots of capers, red pepper, that kinda dark meat tuna from the can and just enough mayo to bring the whole thing together. The bread was fresh. She recommended sliced hard boiled egg. She was right. She knows what she is doing. I appreciate that! I like a hearty sandwich. Sandwiches are a powerful magic. I always find that sandwiches seem to beget more sandwiches. Once I have a good one, I seem to hunt for more. This tuna sandwich was no exception. Somehow I was led to believe that the evenings dinner idea should include a sandwich and then the vision of a Patty Melt hit me. Yum! Mmmmm…Patty Melts!
Patty Melt – A Missing Link?
But is the Patty Melt a sandwich or a burger? I won’t dwell on such a questions. Patty Melts are so good that even if we think that the Patty Melt is the missing link between sandwich and burger (or on some side of this spectrum) it is superfluous. When the crunch and crumb of the crunchy, buttery bread give way revealing to the tongue the sweetness of the caramelized onion, gooeyness of the cheese, tanginess of the ketchup (or other topping) and juiciness of melt in your mouth, high quality beef the decadence, satisfaction and sheer joy of the Patty Melt comes alive making any sort of debate nothing but a bunch of hoooo haaaah that only talking heads would engage in while serious eaters would simply go back for another lip smacking bite, hoping for seconds. We should not debate such things. We should just eat Patty Melts. They are powerful magic.
Not only are they delicious, they are easy to make. Heres how to do it!
- 2 TBSP Butter
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 slices of cheddar or your favorite cheese
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 lb ground chuck or ground sirloin
- 8 slices of quality white or rye bread
- More butter
- Salt and Pepper
- Ketchup (optional)
- Mustard (optional)
- Mayonnaise (optional)
- Thousand Island Dressing (1 part ketchup, 1 part mayo, big dollop of sweet or sour cucumber relish, to taste)(optional)
- Over medium low heat, melt the 2 tbsp butter in a medium sautee pan. Add sliced onion and a little salt. Slowly cook until soft and caramelised, stirring occasionally – about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- In the same pan, cook the bacon slices until golden and crispy. Set aside on paper towel.
- Place meat in a bowl. Salt and pepper the beef well and gently mix. Make 4 beef patties about the size of the bread slices. Cook the patties in the same skillet as the bacon. When cooked, set aside. Let rest.
- Spread the extra butter in a thin layer on one side of each slice of bread.
- To construct the Patty Melt place a slice of bread butter side down on a plate. Place a cooked beef patty on the bread. Add a nice layer of caramelised onion on top of the beef. Place 2 slices of bacon on top of the onions. Place a slice of cheese on top of the bacon. On the butterless side of a slice of bread, spread liberally with ketchup, mustard, mayo, or 1000 Island dressing or the dressing of your choice. Place the slice of bread, butter side up- dressing side down, on top of the cheese. Repeat to create 4 Patty Melts. The dressing can also be served on the side to dip the Patty Melt in!
- Heat a skillet or griddle pan over medium heat. Place the patty melts in the pan. Cook until the bread is golden. Flip and cook the other side until the bread is golden and cheese is melted
- Serve hot!
…the decadence, satisfaction and sheer joy of the Patty Melt comes alive making any sort of debate nothing but a bunch of hoooo haaaah that only talking heads would engage in while serious eaters would simply go back for another lip smacking bite, hoping for seconds. We should not debate such things. We should just eat Patty Melts.
Sandwich or not, the Patty Melt is worth the effort. So powerfully delicious! There are tons of varieties that can be made, too. It is a great starting point for new WOW moments. Put your innovative hat on and create something new with the Patty Melt in mind!
Keep Eating! Keep Innovating!
How do you make your Patty Melts? What tips and tricks do you have to share with us? Do you think it is a sandwich or a burger? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
The Culinary Exchange can also be found on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube.
Come On! Follow Along!
