BBQ Melt
intro
A gooey, smoky grilled sandwich loaded with sauced BBQ beef, melted sharp cheddar, and caramelized onions, pressed to crispy golden buttery perfection.
Ingredients
Steps
Caramelize sliced onions
Heat 1 tbsp (15g) of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat (300°F/150°C). Add 150g thinly sliced yellow onion, stir to coat, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until onions are soft, deep golden brown, and sweet. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Cook sauced BBQ beef
In the same skillet, increase heat to medium (350°F/175°C). Add 450g lean ground beef, break apart into fine crumbles with a heatproof spatula, and cook for 7 minutes until fully browned with no pink remaining. Drain excess rendered grease, then stir in 180ml hickory BBQ sauce, 2g smoked paprika, 1.5g garlic powder, 3g kosher salt, and 1g black pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes to let flavors meld, then remove from heat.
Assemble sandwich layers
Lay 8 thick-cut sourdough slices (480g total) on a clean wooden cutting board. Spread 1 tsp (approx 5.6g) of the remaining softened butter on one outer side of each slice. Flip 4 slices butter-side down, then layer each with 1 slice (27.5g) of sharp cheddar, 1/4 of the sauced BBQ beef mixture, 1/4 of the caramelized onions, a second 27.5g cheddar slice, then top with the remaining bread slices so the buttered side faces outward.
Preheat cooking surface
Heat a large cast iron grill pan or flat griddle over medium-low heat (325°F/160°C). Let the pan preheat for 3 full minutes to ensure even heat distribution, which prevents burnt bread before the cheese fully melts.
Grill sandwiches to crisp
Place 2 assembled melts on the preheated pan at a time to avoid overcrowding, which causes steaming instead of crisping. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, until the bread is deep golden with dark, defined grill marks, then carefully flip with a wide spatula. Cook the second side for another 3-4 minutes, until the cheddar is fully melted and oozing slightly from the sandwich edges, and the second side is equally golden and crispy.
Rest and serve melts
Transfer cooked melts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet for 2 minutes to let the cheese set slightly, which prevents runny cheese when slicing. Cut each melt diagonally into two even triangles, and serve warm.
Tips
2.Only butter the outer sides of the bread: this creates a shatteringly crisp golden crust without making the sandwich interior soggy as it cooks.
3.Avoid overcrowding the pan: cooking 2 melts at a time ensures the bread crisps instead of steaming, and helps the cheese melt evenly all the way through.
OMG this BBQ melt is a total game changer! I made it for my family dinner earlier this week and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. The smoky flavor is perfect, not too overpowering, and it came together so fast on a busy weeknight. 10/10 will be adding this to our regular rotation!
Threw this together for a quick backyard cookout pre-game last weekend and all the guys raved about it. I added a little extra crispy bacon on top because why not, and it slapped. Super easy even for someone who mostly just burns burgers on the grill, tbh.
This was pretty good! I used a honey BBQ sauce instead of the regular smoky one because that’s all I had in the fridge, and it was still really tasty. Next time I’ll follow the recipe exactly to get that full smoky vibe, though.
Made these for our neighborhood potluck last week and they were gone in 10 minutes flat! I cut them into smaller slider-sized portions so people could grab them easy, and so many neighbors asked for the recipe. Total crowd pleaser.
Wait this is perfect for meal prep?! I made a big batch on Sunday, wrapped them individually, and they heat up so well in the toaster oven at work all week. No soggy bread, the cheese stays melty, the BBQ flavor doesn’t get weird when reheated. Obsessed.
Tasted great but my bread got a little too toasty when I followed the broil time exactly. Maybe my oven runs hot? Still ate the whole thing though, no regrets, the flavor was 10/10.
SO good. I added pickled jalapeños on mine for a little heat kick and it was chef’s kiss. The smoky BBQ and tangy spice go so well together, I can’t stop thinking about it.
My teen son has been begging me to make copycat versions of the BBQ melts from that fast food place we go to after his soccer games, and this recipe is way better. He said it’s “actually fire” which is the highest possible praise from a 16 year old, lmao.
I’ve been making BBQ melts for my grandkids for 40 years, and this recipe is the best one I’ve tried in ages! The smoky seasoning blend is perfectly balanced, not too salty, and the layers of cheese and caramelized onions are just dreamy. My oldest grandson is bringing his fiancée over next month and already requested I make these for her.
I’m literally just learning to cook and I was so nervous this would be too hard, but it was so easy! All the steps were straightforward, I didn’t burn anything, and my roommate thought I ordered takeout lmao. 10/10 for beginner cooks.
Good, but I wish the smoky flavor was a little stronger. I stirred a dash of liquid smoke into my BBQ sauce and that fixed it right up for my taste. Still a super solid base recipe, though.
I swapped the chicken for grilled portobello slices to make this vegetarian and it was INCREDIBLE. The smoky BBQ sauce coats the mushrooms so well, and the melted cheese is just *chef’s kiss*. My meat-eating husband didn’t even miss the meat!
Made these for our college football watch party last weekend and they were an absolute hit. Served them with a side of coleslaw and potato chips, everyone was going back for seconds and thirds. Way better than ordering pizza for the group.
Three kinds of cheese? Are you KIDDING me? That melty, stretchy cheese pull when I took my first bite was absolute perfection. I’d eat this every single day if my cholesterol would let me lmao.
I used sourdough bread instead of the regular white sandwich bread the recipe calls for and it was so good! The tang of the sourdough cuts through the rich BBQ and cheese so nicely, highly recommend that swap if you have it on hand.
30 minute cook time is no joke! I got home from work, helped the kids with homework, and still got this on the table by 6pm with zero stress. Will be making this on every busy weeknight from now on.
I made this with gluten free sourdough and dairy free cheese for my dietary restrictions, and it still turned out SO good! I was worried the dairy free cheese wouldn’t melt right, but it got all bubbly and perfect just like regular cheese. So happy to have an easy, customizable BBQ melt recipe that fits my diet.