Diner Style Patty Melt Recipes

Steps:

• Begin by seasoning the burgers with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium heat until hot. Sear off the burger patties to medium rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the patties to a sheet pan and cool to room temperature.
• Assemble the sandwiches with the Swiss cheese and Cheddar slices divided among half of the bread slices and the Caramelized Onions and beef patties divided among the other half of the slices. Combine 1 slice of each kind to create a sandwich.
• Heat a 12-inch skillet to medium and melt 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) of the butter into the pan per sandwich. Add in a sandwich and press with a steak weight or another pan to press all the ingredients together and warm and melt the cheese. Flip the sandwich and repeat until golden brown and the cheeses are melting. Repeat with each sandwich until complete.
• Cut in half and serve with salad or French fries.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and toss to coat with butter. Cover and slowly cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until a golden Color is reached. Turn heat up to medium high and begin to brown the onions, stirring constantly about 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper
• Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper; divide into 4 patties. Form each patty into a thin oval that is slightly larger than a slice of bread you're using.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet or griddle, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook onion slices in a single layer, being careful not to let rings separate, until softened and charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and divide into individual rings.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet. Working in batches if needed, cook patties, pressing flat with a spatula, until browned but still pink in the center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe out skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Top each slice of bread with 1 cheese slice, 1 patty, one-quarter of the onions, another slice of cheese, then a second slice of bread. Spread tops of each sandwich with 1 tsp. mayonnaise. Working in batches if needed, cook sandwiches, mayo side down, spreading the top of each sandwich with 1 tsp. mayonnaise, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, cook, stirring continually, for 3 minutes. Cover with a lid and allow onions to caramelize, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine ground beef, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Shape ground beef into 4 rectangular patties.
• Cook patties in a skillet over medium-high heat, flipping once, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add a slice of Swiss cheese to each patty and top each with an equal amount of caramelized onions.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Spread 1 teaspoon butter over each slice of bread. Broil until lightly golden and toasted. Assemble patty melts and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, caraway, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat a 2-burner griddle over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over the surface of the griddle. Add the onions and peppers and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Push to one side of the griddle and Scrape the griddle clean.
• Combine the beef, Worcestershire and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and mix with your hands to combine. Form into 2 oval patties about 1/2 inch thick each, slightly larger than the size of the slices of toast (they will shrink a little as they cook). Season both sides of the patties with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a couple cranks of black pepper.
• Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter on the grill over medium to medium-high heat. Add the patties on one side of the griddle and press to flatten with a metal spatula. Cook, flipping once, until browned and almost cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, lay the Texas toast down on the other side of the griddle. Toast one side, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove to your cutting board.
• To assemble, spread the toasted side of 2 pieces of bread with half of the mayo mixture. Add a slice of Swiss cheese to each, then a burger patty. Top with the onion mixture and the American cheese. Spread the remaining mayo mixture on the toasted sides of the last 2 pieces of Texas Toast and top the sandwiches mayo-side down.
• Set the sandwiches on the griddle over medium low heat. Toast, flipping once, until the cheese is melted and the bread is crisp and toasty, about 3 minutes per side. Cut in half to serve, with ketchup on the side.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Add the onions, stir briefly to coat with oil and cook without stirring for 10-12 minutes.
• Flip so that the onions on the bottom of the pot are now on top, and cook for another 10-12 minutes. Flip one more time, lower heat and allow onions to caramelized until completely brown, about 15 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. These can be reheated before you put the burgers together.
• In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, salt and pepper until just combined. Do not over mix or your patties will be tough.
• Divide into four portions and form patties, configure to that the burger fits the bread. Make these right before you grill them, so they stay at room temperature.
• Preheat your grill, grill pan or cast-iron skillet to high heat and add burger patties. If using a grill, cover with the lid.
• Cook until the crust that forms on the bottom of the burger releases it from the pan or grate, about 2 minutes. Gently test, but don't flip it until it gets to this point. When burgers lift up easily, flip and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes for medium to medium rare, then transfer to a plate and allow to rest.
• Assemble the patty melts: spread both slices of bread for each sandwich with thousand island dressing, then add a patty, two slices of cheese and top with caramelized onions.
• Preheat a cast-iron skillet and melt half a tablespoon of butter for each sandwich. Drop a sandwich in, press down with a spatula and grill until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and grill on the other side.
• Slice down the middle and serve with extra thousand island dressing on the side for dipping.