A good patty melt marks off a lot of boxes for a satisfying and tasty meal. It has toast for flavor and crunch, caramelized onions for sweetness, ooey-gooey melted cheese, because that’s awesome. But, at the heart of it is a flavorful, seared patty that sends that satisfying signal to all of your taste buds. I wanted to do a twist on an average patty melt, so I came up with my Woo Woo Turkey Melt with Worcestershire aioli, and it is sooo good. 

WHAT IN THE HECK IS WOO WOO? Well, let me tell you, I’m awfully proud of my new Woo Woo Sauce. Why do I call it Woo Woo Sauce? Well, because it’s Worcestershire sauce based, but so much more. Think Worcestershire on delicious, tasty, garlic and herb steroids. And frankly, doesn’t Woo Woo Sauce sound so much more fun to say? My new sauce has hints of sweetness and a full-on blast of umami. It’s really amazing in tons of dishes. Add a splash to any soup or stew to deepen the flavor, use in a marinade, or just drizzle on any steak or chop. I’ll be posting some more recipes using it and my Cajun Garlic Sauce soon, so keep tuned. 

THE COMPONENTS OF A GREAT PATTY MELT 

Any great patty melt has a few ingredients that in common. First, the star of the matter, the patty itself. Generally, this is going to be a ground beef patty, seasoned, then seared on a griddle or in a skillet. Secondly, you’ll look for some onions. Some people think simple sautéed onions will do, but if you want a real, honest-to-goodness patty melt, spend the time to caramelize your onions. Next, cheese. One slice is never enough, you’ll need two slices of good cheese (don’t even think about using those “singles” slices.) I like provolone, pepper jack, or a good cheddar slice for these, but use your favorite. A bit of sauce to add some flavor and moisture, and finally toast. Some people claim it must be rye bread, but I prefer a good Texas toast. 

MAKING THE WOO WOO TURKEY MELT

As I said, patty melts are mainly made with ground beef, but I wanted to change things up a bit. Ground turkey is a really good protein and takes on lots of added flavor, so I used it. When cooking turkey or chicken, it is imperative you have a good instant read thermometer and make sure the patty gets over 165 degrees internal temperature to ensure food safety. Making the melt is super easy, just mix the ingredients thoroughly, then form into patties. I like to semi-smash them on a hot griddle or cast iron skillet. Don’t flatten as much as you would for a smash burger, but definitely press to get good sear on them as well as pushing them thin enough to cook to 165 degrees without overcooking the exterior. Start the onions ahead of time. If you’ve ever cooked caramelized onions, they are not a fast cook item. Medium-low heat is needed, and a slow cook of around 30 minutes if you slice them thinly. Thicker slices will take 45 minutes to an hour. Time well spent for the amazing flavor.

PUTTING THE WOO WOO TURKEY MELT TOGETHER WITH WORCESTERSHIRE AIOLI

To properly make an amazing Woo Woo Turkey melt with Worcestershire aioli takes a bit of timing, but it’s no problem. First, you’ll want to make caramelized onions. As I said, this could take 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the amount of onions and the thickness of the slices. Here’s an old restaurant practice- make way more than you need ahead of time. They’ll keep, refrigerated, for up to a week. Use them to make an awesome French Onion soup, onion jam, top a variety of sandwiches, or even place over cream cheese for a super easy snack served with crackers. Next, mix the ingredients for the melt, and sear your patties. Remove them to rest while you wipe out the skillet or griddle, then add butter for the bread and start toasting. Put a slice of cheese on each slice, add some onions to one slice and some aioli to the other, add a patty, put together and finish cooking until the cheese is melted. Remove and serve. So good, so easy, and so amazing. And you’ll make the Woo Woo aioli for other dishes as well, it’s that good!

As always, I hope you enjoy!

WOO WOO TURKEY MELT WITH WORCESTERSHIRE AIOLI

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes  |  Yield: 4 Patty Melts

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 3 TBS Melissa's Woo Woo Sauce
• 2 TBS finely diced onions
• 2 TBS finely diced red bell pepper
• 1 TBS Melissa's Cajun Garlic Sauce
• 1/2 cup panko break crumbs
• 8 slices of your favorite cheese - we recommend cheddar, provolone, or pepper jack
• 8 slices of thick cut bread or Texas toast

For the caramelized onions:

• 2-3 medium onions, sliced into rings
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 tsp Melissa's Garlic Blend seasoning, or your favorite all-purpose seasoning
• 1/2 TBS brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt

For the Woo Woo Aioli:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 3 TBS Melissa's Woo Woo Sauce
• 1 tsp Grillin' Shake, or salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

For the onions:

Cut onions in half, then slice in half rings. Heat butter in a skillet, then add onions and cook, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, sprinkle on salt and brown sugar. Continue to cook for up to 30-45 minutes, adding water a tsp at a time if necessary to keep them from drying out. Finished onions will look golden, transparent, and will taste sweet. This can be done up to a week in advance if they are refrigerated.

For the Worcestershire Aioli:

In a small mixing bowl, add mayo, Woo Woo Sauce, and Grilling Shake. Stir and set aside. May be done 2 days in advance if refrigerated.

For the Turkey Melt:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Form into 4 balls, roll tightly, then hand press out into a burger shape. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet to medium high. Add just a dash of high heat oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil. Place patties on skillet and press down to form about 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick patties. Sear 3-4 minutes, then flip over. Remove when they reach 165 degrees. Wipe out skillet, add 2 TBS salted butter, then place down toast slices 4 at a time. put a slice of cheese on each piece of bread, add approximately 1/4 cup of onions to two of the slices, and a TBS of the aioli to the other two slices. Place patties on the slices with onions, then put the slices with aioli on them on top of them. Press a bit with a spatula. Cook until both sides are toasted, turning when necessary. Remove and repeat for remaining patties and toast. Serve and enjoy!