Patty Melt

Beef

Mains

Western

Easy Level:

Easy

Cook Time:

1 Hr 30 Mins

Servings:

2-3 pax

This patty melt recipe is an easy way to make a diner classic at home: a juicy beef patty, sweet caramelised onions and gooey burger cheese, pressed between two slices of butter-crisped sourdough. It’s part burger, part grilled cheese, and every bite is rich, savoury and a little tangy from the homemade burger sauce.

What you’ll learn in this recipe

How to caramelise red onions properly (13–15 minutes, then a splash of balsamic vinegar for sweetness)
How to shape a beef patty to fit your bread, and why you shouldn’t knead the mince
How to make a creamy burger sauce with gherkins, mustard, roasted garlic and paprika
How to get a crispy, golden sourdough crust with molten cheese in the middle

Why this patty melt works
Using 30% fat minced beef (single grind only) gives you a juicy patty that doesn’t dry out. Shaping the patties slightly larger than the bread allows for shrinkage as they cook. Spreading a 50-50 mix of mayo and butter on the inside of the sourdough and pre-toasting it keeps the bread from going soggy under the sauce and onions. The final butter-fry on the outside gives that crunchy, golden finish.

Tips

Buy single-grind mince with a 30/70 fat-to-meat ratio if you can.
Season the patty only just before it hits the pan.
Cover the pan while the sandwich browns so the cheese melts fully.
Press the sandwich down gently for even contact with the pan.
Make the burger sauce ahead. It keeps well in the fridge and is great with fries.

Serve it hot, sliced in half, with extra burger sauce on the side.

Steps

1

Combine burger sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well.

Mark as completed

2

To make your caramelised onions, saute sliced onions in oil, in a frying pan over medium heat for 13-15 minutes, until soft and light brown. Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to season, then cook for an additional 5 minutes until caramelised and sweet. 

Mark as completed

3

Next, thinly coat one side of each piece of sourdough bread with a 50-50 mix of mayo and butter, then brown this in a frying pan for 3 minutes on medium heat, till slightly browned. This will be the interior of your sandwich. Set the bread aside.  

Mark as completed

4

To make your patties, divide the minced beef and form them into the shape of each piece of bread, but make them slightly larger - the patties will shrink in size as you cook them. Do not knead the patties. Season one side with salt and pepper, then place seasoned side down into a preheated frying pan on medium-high heat - cooking for 2 minutes until browned. Season the upward facing side, then flip the patty and cook again till browned.

Mark as completed

5

To assemble your sandwich, place cheese slices on the previously prepared surface of each piece of bread. Place beef patty down on the cheese, add a tablespoon of burger sauce, then top with caramelised onions and another piece of bread. 

Mark as completed

6

In a frying pan, heat butter till gently foaming, then place each sandwich into the pan to brown for 2 minutes. Your goal is a crispy, golden brown surface with molten cheese. Use a cover to assist with trapping heat to melt the cheese, and gently press each sandwich down to provide optimum contact with the pan. 

Mark as completed