Photo credit: Rachael Ray Show
Aired August 11, 2015
by Lisa Lozano
What’s not to love about a patty melt? A savory burger patty sandwiched between cheese and bread, with various accoutrements added on for bonus flavor – what could be bad about that? To prove our theory, we’re sharing four amazing patty melt recipes you need to try this week.
No. 1: Black and Blue Patty Melts with Oven Fries and Horseradish Dipper
Rachael Ray Show
Rach’s “black and blue” patty melts get their name from the “black” pumpernickel bread and blue cheese she uses. There is a layer of cheese on BOTH sides of the burger patty – yum!
Tip: When making patty melts (or grilled cheese for that matter) even butter distribution on your bread is key. You want a thin, even coat on the bread that faces out from the sandwich.
Rachael Ray Show
This delish melt starts with rye bread and features sautéed caramelized onions, sauerkraut, cheddar AND swiss cheese, and a pre-cooked sirloin patty.
Tip: When you put your melts onto the griddle, you want to cook it low and slow, so as not to toast your bread before the cheese melts.
No. 3: Reuben or Rachel Patty Melts
Rachael Ray Show
These sandwiches are inspired by the classic “Reuben” and “Rachel” deli sandwiches. (Don’t know the difference? Reuben’s are made with beef, while Rachels are made with turkey.) Rachael makes a homemade Russian dressing for this melt that features sour cream instead of mayo, and the somewhat unexpected additions of hot sauce and chives. The actual melt features Gruyere and Muenster cheeses, brown mustard, Russian dressing, sauerkraut and your pre-cooked turkey or beef patty.
No. 4: Reuben Patty Melt Casserole
Rachael Ray Show
So this isn’t exactly a classic patty melt, but it takes all the familiar patty melt flavors and puts them in a quick and easy casserole! The recipe features a Thousand Island béchamel sauce, pre-cooked burgers, corned beef, sauerkraut and bread.
Which of these recipes do you think you’ll try first? Tell us in the comments!