This Jucy Lucy Recipe is my take on Minnesota's most famous burger. Basically, it's an inside-out cheeseburger. You put the cheese on the inside of two burger patties that form one and have an oozing cheese explosion when you cut or bite into it. They're easy to make and are a fun twist on a classic cheeseburger.
And who doesn't love regional sandwiches and burgers that are easy to make and have oozing cheese? For example, you may want to check out one of Nebraska's claims to fame, The Cheese Frenchee! It's basically like a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I love a great burger, just like the next guy. But sometimes, you have to switch things up a bit. Not only is this recipe easy to make, it's also easy to tweak and make your own.
Try different flavors and types of cheese, season the meat the way you like, etc.
Plus, I will say, it is nice having the gooey cheese on the inside as opposed to dripping off the top. It adds a whole new element.
Step-by-Step Instructions
I am using 80/20 ground beef for this Jucy Lucy Recipe.
Start by forming four 4 oz patties with a wall around them. This will make it easier to place the cheese and seal the other patties in a moment.
Now, make four more slightly smaller 4 oz patties.
Next, on the patties with the walls, place one slice of American Cheese folded in fours on top of them.
Finally, place the non-walled patties onto the others and begin to pinch and roll the edges together, forming one burger patty.
Salt and pepper the top of the patty with coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place your four burger patties in the skillet and cook on each side for about 10 minutes or until it begins to brown and caramelize.
Now, remove the burgers and reduce the heat to medium. Add in some butter and onions, stirring to coat the onions in the beef lard and butter. Sprinkle with a little salt to bring the moisture out.
Allow these onions to cook for 10 minutes or until browned but not caramelized. Pour these into a fine strainer and set aside as a garnish.
Next, place the hamburger buns into the same skillet and toast to your liking.
This is all pretty simple. Place a burger on a bun, put your onions on top of that, and garnish with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, Mayo, Pickle, and what have you.
Expert Tips
- Be sure not to make each patty too thick; otherwise, your burger will take forever to cook.
- I don't recommend cooking this on a grill, as you could lose your cheese due to the extreme heat. Use a cast iron skillet or flattop to get these burgers done.
- While American cheese is the classic, don't be afraid to experiment with cheese such as smoked gouda, pepper jack, jalapeño, hatch chile cheddar, etc.
Recipe FAQs
Matt Bristol, the owner of Matt's Bar and Grill in Minneapolis, Minnesota, created this recipe when a customer requested a burger with two patties and a slice of cheese in the middle. The customer said, "That's one Juicy Lucy." and a legend was born.
The Jucy Lucy Cheeseburger originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at Matt's Bar and Grill in 1954.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you made this Jucy Lucy Cheeseburger recipe or any other of my recipes, please leave a Star Rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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📖 Recipe
Recipe for Juicy Lucy
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 Lbs Ground Beef 80/20
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion
- 4 American Cheese Slices
- 4 Brioche Hamburger Buns
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by forming four 4 oz patties with a wall around them.
- Make four more slightly smaller 4 oz patties.
- On the patties with the walls, place one slice of American Cheese folded in fours on top of them.
- Place the non-walled patties onto the others and begin to pinch and roll the edges together forming one burger patty.
- Salt and pepper the top of the patty with coarse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place your four burger patties in the skillet and cook on each side for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the burgers and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add some butter and onions stirring to coat the onions in the beef lard and butter. Sprinkle with a little salt bring the moisture out.
- Allow the onions to cook for about 10 minutes but not caramelize. Pour these into a fine strainer and set aside as a garnish.
- Assemble burgers and Serve.
- ENJOY!
Video
Notes
- Be sure not to make each patty too thick; otherwise, your burger will take forever to cook.
- I don't recommend cooking this on a grill, as you could lose your cheese due to the extreme heat. Use a cast iron skillet or flattop to get these burgers done.
- While American cheese is the classic, don't be afraid to experiment with cheese such as smoked gouda, pepper jack, jalapeño, hatch chile cheddar, etc.
Krystal says
Just my opinion, 5-8 juicy Lucy is better than Matts. ??
Jeremy says
I really wish I could give my opinion on this! But I've never personally had either one! One day I will make the trip and come back to chime in again! LOL!