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Whenever I’m traveling in Big Sky Country and find myself in a diner, tavern or kitchen-equipped hole-in-the-wall, there’s one dish I’ll order every time I see it on the menu: the patty melt. And after eating dozens of patty melts all around the state and identifying their essential elements and my personal preferences, I’ve decided I don’t need to wait for a road trip to enjoy this classic, and neither do you. 

The simplest way to describe a patty melt is as a combo between a cheeseburger and a grilled cheese sandwich. Toasted bread — not a bun — serves as the framework to hold together the contents. Rye bread is the go-to, as it brings a fun caraway flavor and a hearty texture. My personal favorite is Wheat Montana’s rye swirl. I use that in this recipe, but I’ve been known to cheat and use thick white bread when that’s the only thing handy. 

The hamburger patty that gives the dish its name is usually substantial (1/3 to 1/2 pound), making this sandwich a real meal. The cheese — also essential to the name — functions as a gooey glue binding meat to bread. I usually use Swiss or provolone, but American cheese is a totally legitimate substitution that hearkens back to the grilled cheese sandwiches of youth. 

Missing are the traditional toppings you’d expect to find in a burger, like lettuce, tomato and pickles. In their place are slowly caramelized onions that bring both sweet and savory flavors to the equation. I also never add sauces like ketchup, mustard, ranch or fry sauce to the interior of the sandwich — I prefer to dip.  

Is a patty melt really worthy of a recipe? Yes. You could absolutely make a bad one with over-toasted bread, inadequately melty cheese and overcooked meat. And those caramelized onions can usually benefit from a bit of culinary coaching. The steps I provide here will ensure you end up with a tasty and filling patty melt that just might ruin you for traditional cheeseburgers. You’ve been warned.

Once you’ve made the basic version a few times, you can work on developing your own signature version. Add a few slices of cooked bacon? Yes. Thin slices of ham? Absolutely. My most common add-on is sauteed mushrooms, which add umami to the mix. 

One word of warning: patty melts are tough to do well for a big group. This recipe is dialed for two, and can be easily doubled to make four, but I don’t recommend planning on a patty melt party. Save this delicacy for a family meal when you can put in the extra time and attention to carefully caramelize those onions, toast the bread to perfection, and add the meat at the very last second, just before serving.  

PATTY MELT RECIPE
Makes 2-3 large patty melts 

1 lb hamburger (I use 80/20 or 85/15 blend)
12-14 oz. yellow onion
4-6 slices of rye bread
6 oz. Swiss cheese
Worcestershire sauce
salted butter
optional: 4-6 oz. mushrooms
dipping sauce: ketchup, mustard, fry sauce, or ranch 

You can make two 1/2-pound patty melts or three 1/3-pound ones. Divide the meat accordingly and form into balls. Pat the exterior dry with paper towels. Place them on a plate in the fridge while you work on the rest of the dish. 

Slice your onion(s) in half and peel the exteriors. With the cut side down, slice into pieces no more than 1/2-inch. Preheat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add two tbsps butter and the onions. Stir to coat and spread evenly in the pan. Place some foil or a lid over the pan and cook 4-5 minutes. You should start to see a little browning on the edges. Add 1/4 cup water and stir until it evaporates. This starts to mix any browned bits from the pan into the onions. 

Repeat this process 4-5 times, but after the first round start checking the onions after three minutes to prevent burning. With each step you’ll notice the onions shrinking and getting browner. 

After your last round of reducing, the final flavor-boosting step is to add 4-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the onions, stir, and turn off the heat. Remove the onions from the pan and set them aside while you prep the other ingredients. 

If you’re taking the mushroom route (totally optional), slice them 1/4-inch thick and place them in the large saute pan over medium heat with 2 tbsp of butter. Cover with the foil and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir, season with salt and pepper, and add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce before cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the mushrooms from the pan. 

Now preheat the same sauté pan on medium-low. Using 1/4 tbsp butter for each side of each slice of bread, gently toast both sides. They don’t need to be 100% toasted since they’ll continue toasting in the oven. 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking tray with foil and place your slightly toasted bread on it. Slice the cheese and put it on all the pieces of toast. Evenly distribute the caramelized onions on at least half of the bread slices, or all of them. If you’ve sauteed mushrooms, place those on the toast now as well. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes to melt the cheese, reheat the onions, and continue toasting the bread while you cook your burger patties. 

Remove the meat from the fridge. You can cook it any way you like, but my preference is a preheated cast iron or stainless steel pan on medium heat. Make sure the pan has plenty of time to preheat. I take one of the balls and place a small piece of parchment over the top before I smash it with a metal spatula or burger press. The surface area should be at least the size of your bread or larger, as the patty will shrink a bit. The meat should stick to the pan some, creating a smashburger with a bit of crust. 

Season the side facing you with plenty of salt and pepper. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Using a metal spatula to get under the burger and separate the crust from the pan, flip and then season the cooked side with salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Remove the baking tray from the oven and place a patty on one piece of toast with the cheese and onions/mushrooms. Top it with another piece of toast with cheese and onions/mushrooms. Slice diagonally down the middle with a large sharp knife. Serve immediately while hot, melty, and juicy. Use your favorite sauce on the side for dipping.