Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain Patty Melt With Secret Sauce Is Packed With Decades Of Nostalgia

Step back in time to the golden era of soda fountain shops, where the sizzle of the grill and the aroma of freshly cooked burgers mingled with the sweets in the shop. Among the classic menu items that defined this golden era, the patty melt stood out—a perfect blend of a burger and a grilled cheese sandwich, dripping with nostalgia.

Grandpa's storePhoto byRichelleg

Today, we’re bringing that old-fashioned charm back with a recipe straight from my grandfather, who actually made these patty melts in a real soda shop. His secret sauce recipe was tweaked in his very own kitchen until he found something not even Grandma could resist.

DinerPhoto byRichelleg

Let's go over some expert tips:

1. The best beef to use is 85%; this allows the patties, which are smashed thin, to remain juicy.
2. The sauce is so fantastic, you'll want to put it on everything.
3. DON'T SKIP THE CARMELIZING OF THE ONIONS! The trick is to get them to a "jammy" state, meaning soft, sticky, and sweet.
4. You can use any bread, but pumpernickel or rye adds a touch of fancy that you can actually taste.

Patty melt, secret saucePhoto byRichelleg

Secret Sauce Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain Patty Melt

Ingredients:

For the beef:

• One pound 80/20 ground beef
• Sprinkle of kosher salt
• One tablespoon Worstishire sauce
• Cracked black pepper

For the Secret Sauce:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• Splash of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon good, chunky dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon pickle juice (or relish)
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, and garlic powder

Patty meltPhoto byRichelleg

For The Sandwich:

• Thick bread, like rye or pumpernickel (or whatever you want)
• Fresh swiss cheese, sliced
• American cheese slices
• Mayo- to spread on the bread for toasting
• Butter to carmelize the onions in
• One sweet onion

Directions:

Combine the pickle juice, mustard, ketchup, paprika, and garlic powder in a bowl. Blend until well combined. Put aside.

Add butter to a skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Add the onions and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until they are tender and deeply golden brown. The secret here is dark brown, sweet, jammy onions. A true caramelization. (If onions start to get dry or seem like they might burn, add a little water to the pan and turn down the heat a bit.) Take them out of the pan and set aside.

Soda fountainPhoto byRichelleg

Combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. After combining, shape into four thin, oblong patties (make sure the patties are the same shape as your bread). Place patties in the pan you used to cook the onions over medium heat and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over. Take off the heat and place aside. Remove any extra oil by wiping the pan.

Spread mayo on one side of every bread slice. Place the sandwiches in that same skillet over medium heat in this order: bread- mayo side down, a slice of Swiss cheese, a beef patty, caramelized onions, secret sauce, a slice of cheddar cheese, and a second slice of mayo covered bread (mayo side up). Allow the food to get golden brown on one side for one to two minutes, then turn it over and continue cooking until the other side also turns golden brown. Serve immediately.

Delicious!Photo byRichelleg