A Midwestern favorite. the Juicy Lucy burger's patty has a secret: molten cheese inside!
Have you ever been to a restaurant that served Juicy Lucies? I haven't, unfortunately; but that's because I've never been to the midwest. They are all the rage there, according to the Travel Channel, haha.
A Juicy Lucy, if you don't know, is a burger with the cheese on the inside of the patty. Boom. That's it; but it's somehow just so amazingly delicious even though it's so simple. A big pinch of cheese is placed in the middle of half the burger patty, then the top of the patty is placed on top and pinched around all sides so there aren't any holes for the cheese to ooze out, and cook!. I don't think it gets any better than that, honestly.
So while I can't attest to the deliciousness of an authentic Juicy Lucy, I can attest to the deliciousness of homemade ones. I love a good cheeseburger. Five Guys, Shake Shack, any burger joint that's known for being a burger joint and has a good burger, I am so here for it.
But for some reason, homemade just always tastes better. Nothing beats a medium-cooked burger that's super juicy and flavorful because you took love, care, and time into making it, you know?
I like my burger patty well seasoned, but I know some just like a little salt and pepper. I love using grated colby jack cheese because it melts very easily, mixed with sharp cheddar for flavor. You can use any type of cheese you want, but I will always suggest using a 80%-85% lean/fat ratio ground chuck/sirloin for the patties for the best flavor and texture. And potato buns. Because, well, there's just something magical about potato buns...
For a full meal, serve these Juicy Lucy burgers with:
Crispy Fries
Everything Cheese Sauce
Sparkling Ginger Strawberry Lemonade
Spiced Peach Shortcakes
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📖 Recipe

Juicy Lucy Burger
A Midwestern favorite. the Juicy Lucy burger's patty has a secret: molten cheese inside!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef (I used 50/50 mix of ground sirloin and, 80/20 chuck), rested for 30 mins
- ¼ cup colby jack cheese, shredded
- Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Toppings and Potato Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- Season the ground beef with salt and pepper well, use about 1 teaspoon salt and pepper each and mix well with your hands. Take about ⅓ lb of raw ground beef and split into two. Flatten the beef into thin patties, then take a big pinch of cheese and put it into the middle of one. Cover the cheese with the other patty and seal the edges of the two patties together with a fork's prongs. Repeat for the rest of the meat and cheese.
- Heat a grill pan on high heat and sear for a minute each on both sides. Turn temperature to medium and allow to cook to preferred temperature.For medium, about 5 minutes; medium-well, 6-7 minutes.
- Let the burger rest for 3 minutes, cheese will be burning hot otherwise. Then serve with your favorite toppings on buns.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 486Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 47g

Eden Westbrook is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Sweet Tea and Thyme. A classically trained chef, Eden has inspired home cooks into the kitchen with cultural comfort foods, easy family-friendly eats and sweets, and glorious spreads for date night and entertaining since 2015.
Rasmus says
I just ate a burger today for lunch but i would have prefier eat that one!
Make it for dinner! It's super easy! Thanks for the comment ?