Juicy Lucy Stuffed Cheeseburgers
Once you try a Juicy Lucy burger, stuffed with oozing melted cheese, you will never want a cheeseburger any other way. Ready in less than 30 minutes, these are quick, easy and absolutely delicious.
This recipe first appeared on Savory Experiments where I am a contributor.
If you’ve never had a juicy lucy burger, you don’t know what you’re missing.
What is a Juicy Lucy Burger?
The Juicy Lucy burger is a stuffed cheeseburger where the cheese is melted into the center of the burger patty instead of sitting on top of it. This creates an extra juicy meat patty as it absorbs some of the cheese as it cooks.
Then when you bite into the burger the cheese oozes out, perfectly melted. By placing the cheese in the middle of the meat it stays soft and gooey instead of hardening on the outside of the burger.
If you’ve ever had a cheeseburger where the cheese has dried out on the corners you know exactly what I mean.
Who created the First Juicy Lucy Burger?
The juicy lucy burger was born in a bar in Minneapolis in the 1950’s. There is an ongoing debate on exactly which bar started the trend of melting the cheese inside the patty. Some will tell you it’s a place called Matt’s Bar, and others will dispute that it was created at 5-8 Club.
Both bars continue to serve the burger with some minor differences in preparation. In addition, Matt’s bar spells it Jucy Lucy, while 5-8 spells it Juicy Lucy and they both argue that it’s their spelling of the burger that makes theirs the original.
While we may never know who created the first cheese stuffed burger, we do know it is delicious.
This is an easy recipe that uses simple and economical ingredients.
You don’t need any fancy gadgets to make these burgers and because you cook them on the stove, you don’t need to worry about firing up the grill and waiting for it to heat up.
The burgers have lots of flavour without requiring any fancy toppings and you can pair them with a simple side for a quick and easy meal any night of the week.
Ingredients & Substitutions
There are only three things that are a must in order to make these stuffed cheeseburgers.
- Ground Beef – I prefer 80-85% lean ground beef as it has good flavour and doesn’t dry out when cooked.
- Cheese – American cheese provides the best, melting experience, but you can use anything you like.
- Hamburger buns
If you would rather use a different cheese then cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Provolone are great choices.
Step by Step Instructions
One – Form the beef into 8 equal size balls
Two – Press each meatball flat, to about 1/4 of an inch thick
Three – Fold each cheese slice into fourths and place in the centre of 4 patties.
Four – Place the remaining patties on top of the patties with the cheese. Gently press the edges with your fingers and shape into rounds with your hands.
Five – Place the patties into a hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper
Six – Cook for about 6 minutes, then carefully flip, season with salt and pepper and cook an additional 6 minutes.
Expert Tip : In order to get the best crust on the patties, make sure your pan is nice and hot before dropping them into it and do not try to move them until you are ready to flip.
Remove from the pan and serve on toasted buns with topping of your choice.
How to Serve Stuffed Cheeseburgers
I like to keep things really simple with these burgers. As far as toppings I like to use some burger sauce, lettuce and a slice of tomato.
But there is nothing wrong with adding some sautéed mushrooms or onions, maybe some pickles, relish or a bit of mustard.
For sides we generally toss some fries in the air fryer in order to keep things simple and quick. But if you want something healthier then we sometimes like to serve these air fried asparagus spears.
I’ve even served them with something as easy as tortilla chips and black bean salsa!
Expert tip: Be sure to let these burgers rest for 5 minutes before cutting or biting into them. It will allow the juices to settle back into the meat and it will also allow the cheese to cool a bit so you don’t burn yourself on molten cheese.
FAQS
I recommend American cheese. This cheese is going to give you the best melty, oozy center. However, if you are opposed to American cheese other choices that melt well would be Monterey Jack, Gouda, cheddar, Swiss or Provolone.
I have come to love cooking my burgers on a heavy skillet on the stove. It produces a nice crust, it is easy, and you don’t have to wait for a grill to heat. But if you prefer, you can cook these burgers on an outdoor grill.
You do not need to add any binders to the beef. Burger patties will hold together perfectly fine without adding anything to them. The patties will also have a better texture when you don’t add a bunch of extra ingredients.
Related Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment or rating to let me know!
Juicy Lucy Stuffed Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
- 1.5 Pounds lean ground beef 80-85% lean
- 4 Slices American cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Form the ground beef into 8 equal sized balls.
- Press each ball flat, to about ¼ of an inch thick.
- Fold each slice of cheese into fourths, you will end up with a little square.
- Place the squares of folded cheese onto 4 of the patties, then cover with the remaining 4 patties. Gently press the edges of the burger to seal the top and bottom layer, then gently form into rounds with your hands.
- Place a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add the burger patties and season the top generously with salt and pepper. Leave to cook for about 6 mintues and then flip.
- After you flip your patties, season again with salt and pepper. Cook for another 6 minutes
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate. Allow the burgers to rest for 5 mintues before serving.
- If you want your buns toasted you can brush with butter and place them facedown on skillet, heating just until edges are brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
