Juicy Lucy burgers
Minneapolis-style cheese-stuffed burgers: two thin beef patties sealed around American cheese, cooked through until the center is molten.
- Prep
- 7 min
- Cook
- 13 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serve
- 800 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Divide the beef into 4 equal pieces and press each into a thin round, about 4 1/2 inches across, on a sheet of parchment paper.
Fold 2 slices of cheese in half twice to make a small, thick square. Set it in the center of one patty, leaving a clear 1/2-inch border. Lay a second patty on top and pinch and press the edges all the way around until there are no gaps, then cup it in your hands to round off the seam. Repeat to make 2 burgers. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast the buns cut side down until golden. Set aside.
Add the oil and the burgers. Cook over medium heat, without pressing them, until well browned underneath.
Flip, then poke a small hole in the top of each with a skewer or toothpick so steam can escape without bursting the seam. Cook until the burgers are well browned and an instant-read thermometer pushed into the meat (not the cheese) reads 160°F.
Put the burgers on the buns and top with pickles, onion and mustard. Wait a minute before biting in: the cheese inside is molten and can burn.
Tips
- Seal the edges really well and keep the cheese away from them. A leak is the most common Juicy Lucy failure.
- The molten cheese can squirt out when you bite in, so warn everyone, especially kids, and let the burgers sit for a minute first.
- If the outside is browning too fast before the burger hits 160°F, turn the heat to medium-low and cover the pan for the last 2 minutes.
