Custom Blend Beef Patty Melt With Pimento Cheese

• ground sirloin↗10 ounces
• ground beef short ribs↗6 ounces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• vegetable oil↗1⁄4 cup
• Spanish onions, thinly sliced↗2

  thinly sliced

• eight 1/2-inch-thick slices rye bread, buttered on one side

  buttered on one side

• homemade pimento cheese, recipe follows

  recipe follows

• Homemade Pimento Cheese
• sharp cheddar cheese↗8 ounces

  coarsely shredded

• mayonnaise↗1⁄2 cup
• finely chopped vidalia onion1⁄2 cup
• diced jarred pimientos, drained3 1⁄2 ounces

  drained

• garlic clove, grated↗1

  grated

• hot sauce↗1 dash

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Blend together the sirloin and short ribs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Loosely form the meat into 4 equal 4-ounce patties about 1/2-inch thick. I like to shape my patties into either squares or circles depending on the shape of my bread. That way every bite will have burger in it! Create a small well in the center of each beef patty, using your thumb (this will help your burger cook evenly).

2. 2

   Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Cook the onions, sprinkling with salt and stirring occasionally, until caramelized, brown and soft, 25 to30 minutes.

3. 3

   Season beef patties generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle pan over high heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil. Cook the burgers well-side up (the burger well collects the juices while cooking, letting your burger marinate) until browned on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

4. 4

   Spread the Homemade Pimiento Cheese on the non-buttered side of each slice of bread. Top half of the bread slices with a pile of onions, then add the burger patties and top with the remaining bread slices.

5. 5

   Place the sandwiches back on the griddle and toast until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is beginning to melt, 2 minutes per side.

6. 6

   Blend the Cheddar, mayonnaise, onions, pimientos, garlic and hot sauce in a food processor until well combined. Transfer the pimento cheese to a glass jar or bowl and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.