“Diner-Style Patty Melts”

Since we are staying at home and trying to sync working from home and kid’s doing school work, meal planning is a little daunting. Whether you enjoy cooking or not, celebrate the family time, embrace it. This is a time to plan meals when making your grocery store run. make a list of family favorites especially those recipes you never seem to have time to prepare. So, I was flipping through a local restaurant menu and saw a favorite sandwich. Next trip to the market, I bought ingredients for Diner-Style Patty Melts. The melts were delicious and reminded me of those burgers I ate as a kid at a diner.

Diner-Style Patty Melts

Love a good burger? Lord knows I do and so does the hubs. Seems like there is something to be said when you prepare burgers at home. Get your cast iron skillet hot, place burgers in skillet and leave them alone for 2 – minutes then flip. You’ll notice the burgers get a crust which is delicious just like ones cooked on a flat-top grill. That’s how you cook burgers for patty melts.

Diner-Style Patty Melts

Two other ingredients added to a patty melt is caramelized onions and what some call a “special secret sauce“. Not sure why it’s considered a secret sauce yet I know no patty melt can be made without it. It’s crucial this sauce is on a melt.

I try to use sourdough bread but any white bread can be used. Because the sandwiches are grilled or toasted in a skillet with butter, just make sure the sandwiches are toasted. I like the inside of my bread toasted for sandwiches of any type. So place bread in the toaster on low setting just to get a toasty feel before spreading sauce on.

Diner-Style Patty Melts

I love making foods from my childhood. That’s why I love cooking and celebrating days gone by along with making new memories. With each day comes uncertainty while we live each day in hope the next day is better, people get better. No patty melts are not the most healthy of foods but they’ll make the heart and soul feel good and it’s a fun meal to share with your family. Let’s stay at home, stay healthy, and celebrate family together.

Diner-Style Patty Melts

 

Diner-Style Patty Melts

Patties:

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

3/4 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. black pepper

Patty Sauce:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 T. ketchup

1 t. hot sauce

1 large Vidalia onion, cut into thin slices

4 T. unsalted butter, divided

4 slices American or Cheddar cheese

8 slices Sourdough bread

 

Using a large mixing bowl, mix together ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. Form beef into 4 oblong patties to fit bread slices; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine Dijon, mayonnaise, ketchup, and hot sauce until thoroughly mixed. Set aside until ready to use.

In a medium skillet, melt 2 T. over medium heat. Add in onions and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook beef patties 2 – 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove skillet from heat and place patties on a plate. Wipe out skillet and add in 1 T. butter over medium heat.

To make patty melts, smear one side of bread slices generously with sauce. Divide onions on top of 4 slices of bread, top onions with cheese slice then one patty. Top each with other bread slice. You will have 4 patty melts.

Cook 2 patty melts at a time in butter until golden brown on one side then flip and brown other side and heat through. This will take approximately 3 minutes per side. Add in remaining 1 T. butter and repeat with 2 remaining melts.

 

Makes 4 servings.