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Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day (or maybe the day after, if you’re nursing a heckuva hangover), this smash-burger-patty-melt mashup is a gosh darn gastronomic delight with a punch of <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/corned-beef-spice-blend">corned beef flavor</a> and the satisfying texture of a smash burger. The trick to smash burgers is an enriched patty, the right lean-to-fat ratio, and a screaming hot cooking surface. A higher percentage of fat creates a super moist patty and helps with the searing so you get a perfect crisp crust. 80:20 lean-to-fat is a good standard; our favorite for <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-ultimate-smash-burger">smash burgers</a> is actually 60:40. You can dial it in to your perfect percentage by buying the fattiest ground beef you can find or by <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-ultimate-burger-patty-guide-for-purists">grinding your own</a>. This patty melt is a choose-your-own-adventure recipe. Save time by using store-bought ingredients: your favorite rye bread, a jar of sauerkraut, sliced Swiss cheese, and ground beef. Or level it up and make some (or all) of the components from scratch: pillowy <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/marbled-rye-milk-bread">marbled rye bread</a>, homemade <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/quick-style-krauts">quick-style kraut</a>, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/melty-cheese-slices">melty cheese slices</a>, and an easy Thousand Island dressing.Whatever path you pursue, you’ll end up with a seriously satisfying patty melt.