Patty Melt with Secret Sauce on Rye
Rye bread, a seasoned beef patty, a heap of caramelized onions and two cheeses go into this diner-style sandwich: Swiss for flavor and American for the smooth melt that holds the stack together. A homemade sauce spread on the bread ties it all up.
That sauce takes a minute to stir together from mayonnaise, ketchup and yellow mustard, with Worcestershire, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder and a spoonful of pickle relish. The 80/20 ground beef is seasoned with salt, pepper and Worcestershire, then shaped into four patties roughly the size of the bread slices.
Onions go into the skillet first, in butter over medium heat for about ten minutes, until sweet and golden; rushed onions stay sharp and pale, and everything else cooks in the same pan after them. The patties brown in the same pan until they reach 160°F in the center, and the assembled sandwiches go back in with the remaining butter until the rye crisps on both sides.
Spreading mayonnaise on the outside of the bread instead of cooking it in butter gives an even crunchier crust, and a dash of hot sauce in the sauce adds a kick. For the rest of the week, the weeknight dinner recipes cover plenty of easy mains.
PrintPatty Melt with Secret Sauce
Seasoned beef patties, caramelized onions and two cheeses on rye spread with a homemade burger sauce, griddled in butter until crisp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Ingredients
For the patties
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 8 slices rye bread
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices American cheese
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon pickle relish
Instructions
- Make the sauce: stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and pickle relish.
- In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Divide into 4 patties.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook the patties in the same skillet for 3-4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through (160°F in the center).
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of sauce over the slices of rye bread for each sandwich.
- On 4 slices, layer the Swiss cheese, a patty, the caramelized onions and the American cheese. Top with the remaining bread and press down gently.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet and cook the sandwiches for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.
- Cut in half and serve right away.
Notes
For a crisper crust, spread the outside of the bread with mayonnaise instead of cooking it in butter. A dash of hot sauce in the sauce adds a little kick.
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