Juicy Lucy Burgers, also known as cheddar stuffed burgers are the perfect burgers to share when grilling season comes around. 

The Juicy Lucy Burgers on a plate

Discovering Juicy Lucy Burgers

How can someone resist a burger that comes with a warning disclaimer? That was exactly our predicament a little over two years ago and we soon found our burger world rocked. In the middle of a whirlwind trip we found ourselves in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, affectionately dubbed the twin cites. We were one set of the speakers on slate for the Creative Connection, which in a twist of fate was perfect timing to meet up with the lovely, talented, and ever so sweet Zoe of Zoe Bakes to film her and the charismatic Jeff Hertzberg for their Pizza in 5 cookbook promo. And as an added bonus, Gina of TheShabbyChicCottage.com told us about an amazing event, Junk Bonanza which in another twist of fate happened to be going on in that same 3 day window. Holy cow this was a luck permeated trip.

And amidst all this loveliness, someone told us we needed to try Juicy Lucy Burgers, or Jucy Lucy Burgers, or Juicy Cheddar stuffed burgers, depending on who is serving it. “A what?!?” was our immediate reaction.

The Juicy Lucy Burgers are cheddar stuffed burgers with melted cheese oozing from the center of the patty. @whiteonrice White On Rice Couple

Watch the video for making the Juicy Lucy Burgers:


What is a Juicy Lucy Burger?

It was described as the twin cities culinary claim to fame. A juicy lucy burger has the cheese stuffed inside of then then cooked up, encompassing a molten lava of melted cheese. When you first bite into the juicy patty, the deliciousness of the inner melted cheese siren calls you past the fear of fuzzy tongue and you plunge head first into a great, oozy, juicy burger.

Um, heck  yes. Obviously, or else we wouldn’t be telling this story, we hunted down one of best spots to try them, waited in line, got a seat, and upon eating were rocked by the Juicy Lucy. I’ve dreamt about this burger since then. Yet some how in a fit of early brain degeneration, we didn’t ever think of making them at home. One thought comes to mind, “well that was stupid.”

These are only one of the most amazing ways to have a burger. So this grilling season, the reminiscence of the Juicy Lucy has sprung to mind and we’ve gotten wiser in our old age. Juicy Lucy’s are now blessing our grills and finding their way to our friends and families buns.

The Juicy Lucy Burgers step by step photos
The Juicy Lucy Burgers on a serving plate

Burger Party with Juicy Lucy

I must say, they are even better than what we remember. Maybe it is because we are using our umami burger recipe as the base for the patties, or maybe it is just the magic of friends, family and the garden. Either way, the burgers were a hit with everyone at the table for our Juicy Lucy party. For some, it was hard to just eat one burger and after the second one, we had to coax everyone to get out of their chairz and walk a few rounds around the garden to aid in digestion. The brisk walks helped, a little.

It was awesome to see at the party everyone’s excitement over the fact that there’s melted cheese in the middle of the burger. Biting into a fat burger that’s oozing with hidden, melted cheese, that’s exciting. The calorie and carb count on these burgers didn’t see to phase anyone from eating their second burger. When you get together a group of people who are excited about food, particularly burgers, there’s just no end to the fun conversations throughout the night.

The juicy lucy party was a hit and it’s not going to be our last. With Summer on the cusp, burger parties like these are a staple to the warm weather. That’s what Summer is all about: bbq, burgers, beer and lots of great friends to devour it all with.

The Juicy Lucy Burgers step by step photos
The Juicy Lucy Burgers step by step photos
The Juicy Lucy Burgers on a plate

The Juicy Lucy Burger with melted cheese oozing from the center of the patty. Recipe from White On Rice Couple

Check out a Few of our Favorite BBQs & Tools:

Some tools, grills, and smokers make BBQ and grilling all the more enjoyable. Here’s some of the favorites:

The Ultimate BBQ Tongs
Avoid BBQ Tool Sets. We’ve yet to find a set where we love everything in it. Either the spatula or the tongs or the brush is wonky. Or there is stuff in there that is never needed. Do yourself a favor and just buy what you need a la carte. For grilling tongs, these bad boys are awesome.
Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling
Have a grilling or BBQ question, you’ll most likely find an answer here. The most comprehensive grilling & BBQ book we’ve ever found, by far. He breaks down the science and myths, the tools, solid recipes, perfecting techniques, what’s BBQ competition tricks aren’t worth the extra time at home, and much more. You will be grill & BBQ enlightened.
Oasity BBQ Light
Grilling should never be confined to the daylight. Love this BBQ light. Good brightness, solid magnets plus clamp option. We’ve gone through 1/2 dozen different grilling lights before falling in love with this one. Be ready to grill all night long.
Oklahoma Joe’s Reverse Flow Offset Smoker –
Love this offset smoker. Solid construction. Isn’t perfect, but with a couple easy modifications it will smoke as well as the $1k + smokers. Can use the main chamber also as a regular charcoal grill. Love using it as a regular grill using lump charcoal or briquettes. Huge cooking surface.
Charbroil 4-burner Gas Grill –
One of the best for the money. Solid gas grill! Nothing like the quick convenience of a good gas grill.
Flying Lion Fish Sauce
This is our go-to fish sauce that we’ve been using for decades. Great stuff! We’ll use it to make our dipping sauces as well as marinades.

Juicy Lucy Burger Recipe – with an Umami Burger Base

Choose what ever cheese you like. We grated the cheese because it’ll melt better, especially if you like your burger medium/rare or rare. If you don’t cook your patty for long, the cheese will at least be melted. If you like your patties well done, then slicing the cheese will melt well. !! Warning, the cheese will be like molten lava just after the burgers have finished cooking. Eat with caution.
5 from 5 votes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. (907 g) ground Beef
  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Fish Sauce or Worcestershire sauce (don’t be afraid of the fish sauce, it’s awesome!)
  • 2 cloves (2 cloves) Garlic , minced
  • fresh cracked Black Pepper , to taste
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Sugar
  • 1/2 lb. (227 g) grated Aged or Regular Cheddar Cheese or cheese of your choice (traditionally it’s made with American cheese)
  • 6-8 (6) Hamburger Buns
  • condiments of choice

Instructions 

  • Combine the ground beef, fish sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), garlic, pepper, and sugar in a bowl. Mix together well.
    Meat mixture in a bowl
  • Roll the beef into 6-8 balls. Split each beef ball in half and flatten out to your preferred patty size. Place about 2-3 tablespoons cheese in the center of one patty, then top with the other patty and seal the edges by pinching and smoothing with your fingers.
    Raw beef with cheese in the center
  • Gently press flat, double checking there are no opening for the cheese to escape when the burgers cook.
    Sealing the cheese stuffed burger patty
  • Cook on a grill or skillet over medium high heat until cooked to your liking (usually about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare).
    Burgers cooking on a grill
  • Toast the buns then assemble the burgers and serve with your desired condiments.
    Outdoor tablescape with burgers in the center

Video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 991kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 59g, Fat: 66g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Cholesterol: 220mg, Sodium: 1180mg, Potassium: 762mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 570IU, Vitamin C: 1.3mg, Calcium: 564mg, Iron: 7mg