Patty melts are as quintessential as American diner classics get—and for good reason: they're delicious. They’re pretty much the best of a grilled cheese plus a good, old-fashioned burger. From bottom to top, a patty melt's anatomy usually consists of: a slice of rye bread, a slice of cheese (usually Swiss), a thin beef patty, caramelized onions, another slice of cheese, and a final slice of rye bread. In this version of a patty melt, I keep to the traditional structure while making a few distinct changes and paying extra attention to some details.
First, I swap out the caramelized onions for caramelized kimchi—meaning, kimchi that’s been sautéed with a touch of butter and sugar to both encourage caramelization and evaporate any excess kimchi juice. The key here is to use ripe kimchi, if possible. Kimchi will ripen on its own in the refrigerator after several weeks; you'll know it's ready when the flavor (and smell!) is more sour and pungent, and when the texture has softened (though it will still be a bit crunchy).
Second, when it comes to the meat, juicy is key. One way to ensure the thin patties don't dry out is by starting with an 80/20 blend of ground beef (that just means that it's 80% lean, 20% fat). We're giving the meat a good mix with Worcestershire sauce before shaping it into patties the same size as the sandwich bread. Before they meet the pan, give the patties a good press on a cutting board so that they're thin (aim for the same height as the slice of bread), and don't forget to season well with kosher salt and pepper. They'll cook quickly—just a minute or so on each side—so don't walk away!
Third, instead of Swiss cheese, I use a punchy Pepper Jack cheese, a derivative of a semi-hard American Jack cheese with the addition of spicy chile peppers (and sometimes other herbs and spices). Pepper Jack melts very well and complements the spicy kimchi nicely.
Fourth, I spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outside of each slice of bread. Unlike butter, it doesn't burn as easily because of its higher smoke point, and creates a nice, even browning of the bread. It also creates an additional layer of flavor on the sandwich’s crust. (If you don’t believe me, take it from Gabrielle Hamilton and Ruth Reichl—they’re both fans of mayonnaise on the exterior of grilled cheese sandwiches.)
Finally (we're almost there, I promise!), I take a page from my friend Lindsay-Jean Hard and her husband with a game-changing ingredient: garlic salt. With a very light hand, I sprinkle garlic salt on the outside of just one slice of mayonnaise-laced bread for that little extra oomph. It will be hard to go back to the "normal" way after this. —Hana Asbrink
Weeknight Wonders is a column by Hana Asbrink, our Resident Dinner Wrangler. —The Editors
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