Empire Diner Patty Melt Food

CLASSIC PATTY MELT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Mix the ground meat with the ketchup, Worcestershire, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Form the meat into 4 oblong patties in the approximate size and shape of the bread (they should be a little less than 1/2-inch-thick).
• Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until the foam subsides. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until cooked to medium doneness, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe the skillet clean. Butter one side of half of the bread slices, then place them butter-side down in the skillet. Add a slice of cheese on top of each slice of bread, then add the patties and onions. Lay one more slice of cheese on top of the onions, then add the top slices of bread. Butter the top of the bread. Flip the sandwiches and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Cook the remaining sandwiches with the remaining butter in the same manner.
• Cut the patty melts in half and serve immediately.

DINER-STYLE PATTY MELT

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.

THE GREATEST AMERICAN PATTY MELT IN THE COUNTRY

Steps:

• For the caramelized onions: Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the onions begin to caramelize, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir once, then cook for another 5 minutes, undisturbed, until golden. Deglaze with the sherry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the patty melts: Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Form the meat into 4 balls with your hands. Season both sides with the garlic salt and some pepper. Smash to the desired size (matching up with the size of your bread). Griddle each side until crusty, very seared and about medium/medium rare in the interior (about 130 degrees F), 5 to 6 minutes a side. Thoroughly wipe clean the skillet and reduce the heat to medium low.
• On each of 4 slices of rye, place 2 slices of cheese, then a patty, then some onions, then 2 more slices of cheese and finally another slice of rye. Butter both sides of each sandwich (crust to crust is a must) and griddle until the bread is slightly golden and the cheese is gooey, 2 to 3 minutes per side (dome with a metal bowl if necessary to ensure the cheese melts). Serve with your favorite yellow mustard if desired.

DINER-STYLE PATTY MELT

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.

PATTY MELTS

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Throw in the sliced onions and cook slowly until the onions are golden brown and soft, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, Worcestershire and some salt and pepper. Form into 4 patties.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties on both sides until totally done in the middle.
• Assemble the patty melts this way: Slice of bread, slice of cheese, hamburger patty, a quarter of the cooked onions, another slice of cheese and another slice of bread.
• On a clean griddle or in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and grill the sandwiches until golden brown. Remove the sandwiches and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Return the sandwiches to the skillet, flipping them to the other side. Cook until golden brown and crisp, and until the cheese is melted. Slice in half and serve immediately!

DINER-STYLE PATTY MELT

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.