Author: Mike

My wife and I had lunch at a burger pub the other day. She ordered their patty melt. It looked (and was) delicious. She said it was the best patty melt she’d ever had. “A challenge!” I thought. Time for me to get to making something even better. At home. And I did. These smash burger patty melts are now the best patty melts she’s ever had. They’re tastier. Juicier. And less messy. And made with our favorite, smash burgers instead of overly-thick patties.

Griddled To Perfection

To make smash burger patty melts, you’ll need some sort of griddle or grill pan or even cast iron skillet for your grill. I use a big ole cast iron griddle. Yes, I have one for most of my grills because they’re great for more than just burgers. I find myself using them all of the time. They don’t take up the entire grill surface so I can still cook on the grates too if I need.

Lodge LDP3 Cast Iron Rectangular Reversible Grill/Griddle, 9.5-inch x 16.75-inch, Black

I don’t go crazy nuts obsessing about it, but I like to keep my griddle pretty clean. Especially if I’m toasting bread. No one wants yesterday’s chicken on today’s Texas toast. I use these scrubby pads attached to a long handle holder that prevents me from burning myself.

3M Scotch-Brite Multi-Purpose Pad Holder 405-R, 4.7 in x 2.8 in x 16 in, 1/Case

3M Scotch-Brite Griddle Cleaning, Quick Clean Heavy Duty Scour Pad, 4 in x 5.25 in, 6 Pads/Pack, For Baked On Food and Cooking Oils, Use on Hot or Cool Griddle

Last, I gotta get my patties thin and spread out. I use a burger press. I wrap the bottom in foil for easy clean up. This press makes for fantastic smash burgers with the right thickness so I get that little crunch around the edges. Perfect!

Cuisinart CGPR-221 Cast Iron Grill Press (Wood Handle), Weighs 2.1-pounds

Also try my not-so-plain plain ole smash burgers and my pub sauce smash burgers!

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5 from 1 vote

Smash Burger Patty Melts

Flavor-packed patty melts that never disappoint!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword burgers

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 787kcal

Author Inspired by a recipe from Kent Rollins

Equipment

• Grill Brush for getting that griddle good and clean!
• Grill Scouring Pads keep several on hand for those greasy messes!
• Grill Press or large cast iron pan
• Burger Press or small cast iron pan
• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

For the sauce

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon spicy mustard
• 1 tablespoon your favorite BBQ sauce I recommend a smoky sauce.
• 1 tablespoon Ketchup
• 1 jalapeno grated, You can substitute finely minced pickled jalapeno.

For the burgers

• mayonnaise
• 8 pieces Texas Toast
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into squares, divided
• 1 large sweet onion sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 20 ounces ground beef I prefer 5 ounce patties for this. You don't have to be super accurate with the weight.
• your favorite burger seasoning to taste. Salt and pepper works great too
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese

Instructions

For the sauce

• Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the burgers

• Fire up your grill with a griddle or grill pan over direct medium-high heat.
• Clean your griddle well. I use a brush and water, it works better than a scraper. Just be careful adding water to a hot griddle. DO NOT have any body parts near the griddle when you add the water as it will instantly create a cloud of very hot steam. Then scrub, scrub, scrub. Repeat as necessary. You want the griddle clean to toast the bread.
• Lightly spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread. Working in batches if necessary, lay the bread mayo-side down on the hot griddle and toast for 2-3 minutes or until lightly brown and crunchy.
• Flip and lightly brown the non-mayo sides too. Remove to a plate for the final assembly step.
• Once the griddle is hot add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted add the onion and cook for 20 minutes or longer, until they are golden brown and caramelized. Stir and flip often with a spatula or tongs. If they start to burn reduce the heat. If they get too dry add a bit more butter.
• Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1 more minute. Remove to a bowl and cover with foil or a plate to keep warm.
• Form burger into 4 5-ounce patties. Don't pack them tightly, just get them lightly shaped.
• Season beef on both sides. Don't be shy with it.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the griddle. Add the burgers. Let them cook for 3 minutes then smash out as thinly as possible using a burger press.
• Continue cooking burgers until you see a bit of a crunchy edge. Flip.
• Cook burgers another 3 minutes. Add 1 slice of Swiss and 1 slice of pepper jack to each patty.
• Divide the onion between the patties. Grill another minute or two to melt the cheese.
• Divide sauce between the non-mayonnaise sides of the bread. Use a little or a lot, it's up to you.
• Add the cooked patties and top bread slices and serve!

Notes

This recipe is best made using a griddle on a gas or charcoal grill. You can also use a griddle grill. If you don’t have a griddle you can use a large cast iron skillet, but you’ll have to cook the burgers in batches.

Nutrition

Calories: 787kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 66g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 742IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 369mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush