Bacon-Boosted Patty Melt Recipe From Our Test Kitchen | Tasting T
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Servings:
2 sandwiches
Ingredients
  • 2 bacon strips, sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
  • 1½ teaspoons caraway seeds
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • ¾ pound 85% lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 4 slices rye bread
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
Directions
  1. On a small plate, freeze the sliced bacon for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, toast the caraway seeds: To a large skillet set over medium heat, add the caraway seeds and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate and set aside. To the skillet, add 1½ tablespoons of the butter. Increase the heat to medium-high and once the butter is melted, add the onion and cook until it is slightly browned and soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1¼ teaspoons of salt, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook until the onion is caramelized and very soft, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer the onion to a medium plate.
  3. Remove the bacon from the freezer and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Process the bacon until it is finely ground and crumbly, 5 to 6 seconds. In a medium bowl, add the ground bacon, toasted caraway seeds, ground beef, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper and mix to combine.
  4. Shape the beef mixture into two ½-inch-thick patties, each about the size of the sliced rye bread. Set the large skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter and once melted, add the beef patties. Cook until browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes total, then transfer to a plate. Clean out the skillet and return it to the stovetop.
  5. Spread the mayonnaise over 1 side of all 4 bread slices, then turn the slices over. Top each of the 4 bread slices with a cheese slice. Add a burger patty to 2 of the cheese-topped bread slices. Divide the onions over the burger patties and flip the remaining 2 bread slices onto the onions so the mayonnaise-coated side faces up.
  6. Set the clean skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet and cook until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully turn the sandwiches over and brown the other side, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer the patty melts to a cutting board, slice on a bias and serve.