Southern Classic Patty Melt

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds of ground chuck
1 large Vidalia or yellow onion, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, plus additional softened butter for the bread slices
4 slices of Swiss cheese, or your favorite sliced cheese
8 slices of rye bread
Special Sauce, optional {recipe below}
Garlic salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Shape the meat into four oval shaped patties, place on the pan and put into the freezer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a cast iron skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium high, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring regularly, until caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion; set aside.

Sprinkle the meat patties with the garlic salt and pepper. Place into the same skillet, seasoning side down, and turn the heat back up to medium high. Cook until the patties are well browned on the underside, and mostly cooked through. Flip, scatter onions on top and place a slice of cheese on top of the onions. Cover with a lid and move off of the heat source to let the cast iron finish cooking through.

If you are not using cast iron, you'll need to keep the burgers over direct heat until cooked through.

Generously butter one side of all of the bread slices. Place, butter side down into a fresh large non-stick skillet and place a slice of cheese on top of each slice of bread. Cook the bread until well browned on the underside. Top each bread slice with one of the meat patties and add some of the special sauce, if using. Top with a slice of buttered bread, butter side out, and carefully turn over to
brown the other side, gently pressing down. Cook until well browned, transfer to serving plates and cut on a slight diagonal. Serve immediately.

Special Sauce (aka Thousand Island Dressing)

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1/2 tablespoon of sweet pickle relish
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Combine and refrigerate until needed.

Source: Kitchen of Deep South Dish