Juicy Lucy Burger Recipe (2024)

Juicy Lucy Burgers Recipe | Summer is just around the corner. We are already living by the pool every minute we can and grilling out at every opportunity. Today I’m going to introduce you to a Juicy Lucy burger that’s revolutionized our grilling game.

If you think you’re a cheeseburger fan, you’re in for a treat. This a Cheeseburger 2.0. The extended edition. The expansion pack.

Hearty, filling, and delicious, the Juicy Lucy burger lives up to its name and then some. It can be prepared on the grill in the summer or in your kitchen with a foot of snow on the ground outside. I’m telling you, it’s delicious all the time.

What’s a Juicy Lucy Burger?

What makes this burger distinguishable is the fact that the cheese isn’t between the bun and the burger like in most cheeseburgers. The cheese is INSIDE the actual patty, giving it a molten core of deliciousness.

You fold the cheese of your choice — the meltier the better — into tasty, seasoned beef and cook it. The resulting bite is a flavorful explosion of gooey cheese, tender beef, and savory seasonings. Because the cheese isn’t touching the bun, the texture of the burger is different. And it’s better, in my opinion.

The idea originated at a bar in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Others have since taken the original stuffed cheese preparation and put their own spin on it with unique flavor variations. Here’s how I make mine.

Juicy Lucy ingredients

• ground beef (80/20% fat content will be perfect)
• Velveeta cheese
• salt and pepper
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• brioche buns
• butter
• onions
• pickles

I went with a simple but mouthwatering combination of seasonings you’ll probably already have on your spice rack — not even Worcestershire sauce.

As for cheese, the quicker it melts, the better. I went with Velveeta, and you might judge me now. But the moment you bite into this burger, you won’t be laughing anymore! You can also use cheddar cubes or slices, American cheese, mozzarella, or even a blue cheese.

For toppings, I have to have pickles, onions, and a brioche bun. If I’m cooking for a crowd, I usually lay out a cutting board with a variety of toppings and serving options.

But now that I’ve tasted a brioche bun, I can’t go back to any other kind. Especially with a substantial, savory burger like this one.

How to make the Juicy Lucy patty

You are probably wondering how the cheese gets in the patty. So I’m going to show you exactly how easy it is.

First, in a large bowl, combine ground beef, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, just until everything’s mixed together well.

Then divide the beef into four portions and slice the cheese into four cubes. If you’re using a food scale, the beef portions will come out to about 5 oz each and the cheese pieces 1.5 oz each. But the people you’re feeding probably won’t notice if you’re off a smidge.

Take each portion of beef and separate them into about ¾ and ¼ of the mixture, flattening them into two thin patties.

Press 1.5 oz portions of Velveeta cheese into small patties. Place a cheese patty on top of the bigger beef patty and place the smaller patty on top like a little burger lid.

Now, pinch the edges together, and you’ve made yourself a Juicy Lucy patty! Give yourself a high five, maybe after you wash your hands, though.

How to cook the burger

Once you’ve prepared your Juicy Lucy patties, you can grill them outside over medium-high heat or cook them on a grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or another sturdy pan.

Cook the patties for about 3 minutes per side or until the cheese is gloriously melted and they’ve reached your desired doneness. I must mention that, because of the cheese, it might be hard to get these burgers medium-well or well-done.

Now, let the Juicy Lucy burger patties rest for a few minutes to avoid a literal flavor explosion. The cheese needs to cool just a bit or your burger will go from Juicy Lucy to Messy Bessy.

It’s the perfect time to brush some melted butter on the buns and toast them up while you wait.

Top the burger with the condiments of your dreams, and it’s ready! I’m an onions and pickles kind of person because I like to complement that juicy burger flavor with a little tang and crunch. But you can do bacon, ketchup, lettuce, tomato—the sky’s the limit!

An adventurous burger

You know I can get pretty adventurous with my burgers, and that’s how I like it. If you’re like me and would like your burger rotation to never get dull, you can try my chorizo and pimento cheese burgers, this Thai burger with peanut butter and bacon, a portobello take on a Philly cheesesteak, or a southwest burger with green chili and goat cheese.

If you don’t do red meat, try this lamb burger with a Mediterranean twist, this Asian-inspired turkey burger, Skinnytaste’s turkey burger with zucchini, or Baked Bree’s tandoori chicken burgers.

So many options, so little time. But I might keep this cheese-stuffed Juicy Lucy burger recipe at the top of the list for repeat cooking. All-year-round.

more sandwich love

• spicy malta pulled pork
• Bahn mi bratwurst
• fancy BLTs
• chicken bacon and avocado panini
• cuban sandwich