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This Grilled Pork Patty Melt has a ground pork burger smothered in caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese, and served on toasted marbled rye. It’s fantastic!
Tired of the same old burgers on the grill? Give our delicious Grilled Pork Patty Melt a try instead!
Everyone is familiar with a patty melt – a super juicy burger smothered in melted cheese and cooked onions. This is just like it, except we swapped in ground pork for the ground beef for a delicious change of pace.
How do you make a Grilled Pork Patty Melt?
We started off by sauteing sliced, sweet Vidalia onions in butter until soft and slightly caramelized. You can do this step in advance, or do the rest of the recipe prep while the onions cook.
Next, we mixed up our pork burgers. They are made with ground pork mixed with milk-softened bread and a seasoned bacon, onion, garlic, and thyme blend – which adds really fantastic flavor to the pork burger.
Form the ground pork mixture into patties and chill for a bit while your grill heats up. Slather softened butter over slices of rye or pumpernickel bread, and have slices of Swiss cheese ready as well.
Now – you are ready to get cooking! Start by toasting the buttered rye bread on the grill until golden brown. Next, cook your pork burgers on each side, then place slices of Swiss cheese on top to melt. Once the pork burgers reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees F – remove from the grill, then let them rest off the heat where they will reach a safe 160 degrees F internal temperature. (Use an instant read probe thermometer like this to check.)
Finally, assemble your Grilled Pork Patty Melts – spooning hot onions on one slice of toasted rye, then place the cheese-covered pork burger over that. Place another grilled slice of bread on top – then dig in! (Don’t forget the napkins.)
You may enjoy these other pork recipes:
- Scallion Noodles with Pork
- Pork and Apple Skewers With Orange Balsamic Glaze
- Chinese BBQ Pork
- Grilled Porterhouse Pork Chops
- Guinness Barbecued Pork Tips
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Grilled Pork Patty Melt
Ingredients
2 pounds sweet onion, such as Vidalia (2-3 large onions)
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pork mixture
2 slices soft bread
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 pound bacon (4 slices usually), cut up small
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
Sandwich
8 large slices marble or rye bread
4 tablespoons softened butter
8 full slices Swiss cheese
Instructions
Slice the whole onions into half-inch thick slices.
In a large skillet or saute pan with high sides, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
Add the onions, salt and pepper and toss to coat then reduce the flame to low to medium low.
Toss occasionally while they slowly cook for about one hour. Set aside and drain and discard any liquid.
In a large bowl, tear the bread into small pieces then pour in the milk and mash with a fork. The bread and milk are not a binder but instead will help keep the mixture moist while cooking.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the raw bacon, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and the soaked bread and process until smooth.
Pour this back into the large bowl along with the ground pork and mix by hand.
Form into four patties the shape of the bread you are using and line up on a parchment covered tray that has been sprayed with kitchen pan spray.
Press your thumb into the center of each to make a large divot. When you cook these, the divot will stop the burger from mounding up in the middle and will cook flat. Place the patties in the refrigerator while you wait for the onions to cook.
When ready, heat one side of your grill to high and the other to medium.
Heat the cooked onions to hot.
Butter the bread on one side with the butter.
Clean then oil your grill and place the burgers, divot side down, on the hot side and the bread on the cooler side, butter down.
Cover each slice of bread with a slice of swiss cheese which will melt while the bottom browns and cover four of the slices with the drained onions.
Cook the burgers a few minutes on each side to an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. They will rise to 160 degrees F off heat.
If the bread has browned before the burgers are cooked, remove the bread to a sheet tray so they do not burn.
Place one burger over each pile of onions then top with the other slice of bread and serve.
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I add a dash of Russian dressing to mine. Great taste just like downtown. Tater tots on the side with hot ketchup.
Great suggestion John!