With a hidden center of melted American cheese wrapped in grilled beef patties, it’s the cheeseburger that lives up to its name: The Juicy Lucy.
BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:
I’m a big fan of cheeseburgers. When I grill hamburgers, there is definitely cheese. I usually add cheese to the burger towards the end of the cooking time, but that’s not the only option.
The traditional cheeseburger was turned on its head sometime in the 1950s when a Minneapolis bar put cheese IN the burger and dubbed it Jucy Lucy. On the outside it looks like a regular hamburger, but a single bite gives way to a stream of gooey, melted American cheese. Mind you, that’s not a modest amount of cheese. This is a melted cheese center.
Two bars, Matt’s Bar and the 5-8 Club both claim to have created the world-famous burger, even President Barack Obama has tasted it, and while the origins of the cheese-laden burger are hotly debated, it’s its delicious burger appeal Not.
How to make a juicy Lucy burger
Constructing a Juicy Lucy is a little more work than an ordinary cheeseburger. For starters, we need two beef patties per Juicy Lucy. To “fill” the burger, the cheese is placed on top of one patty, while the other patty is then placed on top of the cheese and then sealed, enclosing the cheese.
For the beef, use ground beef with an 80/20 lean meat-to-fat ratio. The extra fat only adds to the “juiciness” of the burger. For the cheese, American cheese is a must. These squares of rectangular goodness make the perfect cheese bombs when nestled into the patties.
A perfect Juicy Lucy requires some perfected tips. let me help you
- We’ll need 12 equal-sized beef patties, about 2.6 ounces each, to start the assembly process for 6 burgers.
- The best way to hide the cheese inside the burger is to make the slice of cheese as small as possible and fold it on itself three times. This creates a tall stack but requires less area in the center of the patty to remain hidden.
- To help set the cheese in place, use the tips of two fingers to make an indentation in the bottom half of the patties. Place the cheese in the well and then place the other patty on top. Start by squeezing the two patties together in the palm of your hand, as the cheese will make the patty a little thicker in the middle. Then use your fingers to curl the edges of the perimeter of the burger.
- Place the burgers back in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
- When ready to grill, generously season the patties with kosher salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic. This rub helps form an incredibly flavorful crust.
How to grill the Juicy Lucy Burgers
Grilling is the most important part of the process, so here are my tips to get on top.
- Grill the burgers over medium heat, 400°F to 500°F. This will encourage the aforementioned crust formation and help keep the two patties intact.
- Make sure to keep the grill lid down. This helps the burger cook faster by using radiant heat instead of just direct heat conduction underneath the burger.
- Use a timer to keep your grilling on track.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the burgers are cooking at an internal temperature of 155°F or a medium temperature.
- Some cheese may spill out during the grilling process. Don’t let that discourage you, because there’s still a lot of cheese hidden inside the burger.
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Juicy Lucy Burger toppings and variations
The burger itself is important, but so is the bun. A formal cheeseburger may call for brioche, but there’s no better choice than the buttered bun when it comes to mopping up cheese and meat. They are usually slightly larger than a plain hamburger bun and have split down the center of the top bun.
The Juicy Lucy is a messy affair, which is why I like to use a buttery soft hamburger bun that’s strengthened by toasting. Taking just seconds on the grill to mark these buns with their jagged top crust crusts, they’re the perfect pairing to a cheese-stuffed burger. However, don’t let the availability of butter buns dictate your burger preparation. Any burger bun will do. Butter rolls are my favorite.
Now for the burger toppings. I prefer to keep it simple, which is why I decided to just use dill pickles. Apart from that, the Juicy Lucy can be dressed up or down as the mood takes you. Lettuce, tomato, and a variety of traditional spices work well. My favorite ingredient might be pickled jalapenos. A spicy Juicy Lucy is a magical treat.
While American Cheese is the traditional Juicy Lucy fit, any amount of melty cheeses like mozzarella, cheddar, or even fontina will work here. Not only should you make the Juicy Lucy, you should make her your own.
Need more burger recipes?
- Blue Cheese Burger
- Swiss burger with grilled mushrooms
- Greek lamb burgers with tzatziki sauce
- Nacho Burger
- Bacon Cheeseburger
Juicy Lucy hamburger
ingredients
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6 slices american cheese
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2 lb 80/20 bottom lining
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2 teaspoon granulated garlic
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1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
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6 Hamburger butter pastries
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24 dill pickle slices
method
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Prepare cheese:
Fold each slice of American cheese on itself three times.
When finished, you should have eight layers of cheese. Forming a large pile will help keep the cheese in the patty while grilling. Set aside stacks of cheese until ready to fill the patties.
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Divide bottom lining and form patties:
Divide the ground lining evenly into 12 equal sized balls. Each ball should weigh about 2.6 ounces. If you don’t have a scale to weigh the meat, it’s fine to eye measure 12 equal-sized patties.
Place each ball between your outstretched fingers and flatten. Place each patty on a baking sheet and use your fingers to flatten the patties. When finished, each patty should be about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
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Fill the patties with cheese:
Use two fingers to make a well in the center of the patty. Place the folded pieces of cheese in each of the indentations.
Add the top patty and seal by squeezing the patties in the palm of your hand.
When the patties are together, use your fingers to curve the perimeter of the patties to ensure they stay tight on the grill. When it’s done, there shouldn’t be any cheese showing.
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Place the burgers in the fridge to serve:
Place the patties in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
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Prepare the grill:
Prepare a grill for 2-zone heat. You want one side of the grill to be cooler than the other.
If using a gas grill, leave one burner off or on low while the other side is on medium heat, 400°F to 500°F. If you use charcoal you will have a side with no burning coals.
This gives you more flexibility when grilling. If you get flare-ups or feel the burgers are cooking too quickly, you can shift them to the cool side.
Preheat 10 to 15 minutes before placing burgers over direct heat.
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Season burgers:
Remove the patties from the fridge and season both sides of the patties with the granulated garlic, salt and pepper.
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Grill burgers:
Grill the patties over direct heat, turning once halfway through cooking, until the internal temperature reaches 155°F with an instant-read thermometer, about 9 to 11 minutes total for a medium-sized burger. Remove from the grill.
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Grill burger buns:
Grill the buns, cut-side down, over direct heat until marked, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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Assemble Burger:
Add 4 pickles to each bottom bun, add the burger, then the top bun. Surcharge.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 630 | calories |
| 33g | Fat |
| 30g | carbohydrates |
| 50g | protein |
