Pork and Bacon Patty Melt

Recipe from Cristen Clark, Food & Swine

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ pound (8 slices) regular sliced smoked bacon
  • 1½ pounds ground pork
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon bacon grease, reserved from cooking bacon
  • 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 8 slices of country white bread
  • ¼ cup room temperature butter, for frying sandwiches
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices farmer’s cheese or mozzarella cheese

 

FOR THE CARAMELIZED ONIONS

• 1 large sweet onion

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 teaspoon sugar

 

FOR THE BACON

• ½ pound (8 slices) regular sliced smoked bacon

 

FOR THE PORK PATTY

• 1½ pounds ground pork

• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tablespoon bacon grease, reserved from cooking bacon

• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt

 

TO COMPLETE THE SANDWICH

• 8 slices of country white bread

• ¼ cup room temperature butter, for frying sandwiches

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 8 slices farmer’s cheese or mozzarella cheese

 

Cut onion into ¼-inch thick slices. Add 2 tablespoons butter, onions and sugar to a medium-sized skillet over medium-low heat. Cook onions for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and caramelized. Remove caramelized onions from heat and transfer to a glass baking dish to hold warm.

Cook bacon to chewy-crisp and reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease for frying pork patties.

Combine ground pork, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Fluff mixture with a fork, don’t overmix. Shape pork mixture into 4 patties mirroring the shape of country bread slices.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add reserved bacon grease to the skillet and fry patties until cooked to medium-well doneness or 160 degrees F on a digital instant-read thermometer. Remove from heat and add patties to a glass baking dish with onions to hold warm.

Preheat an electric griddle to medium heat. Spread butter generously and equally on one side of each bread slice. Spread Dijon mustard to the opposite side. Add patties, caramelized onions, 2 slices of bacon and 2 slices of cheese to the mustard side of bread slices. Cook sandwiches over medium heat until the outside turns golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve immediately. 

Makes 4 large sandwiches.