A Juicy Lucy Burger is a fantastic cheese stuffed burger, perfectly seasoned and filled with gooey American cheese. These are a guaranteed hit for a weeknight dinner or at your next summer cookout with friends!
The Best Juicy Cheeseburger Recipe
Once you make a Juicy Lucy burger, you might never make them any other way. It’s basically the best kind of cheeseburger, where the cheese is on the inside not on top.
Ground chuck is seasoned with Worcestershire, garlic powder, and onion powder and then stuffed with gooey American cheese and cooked to perfection. These are the kind of burgers you make when you are craving the perfect indulgent bar burger.
What Is a Juicy Lucy Burger?
Juicy Lucy burgers are a Midwest classic, said to have originated in Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis around 1954, though they spell it as “Jucy Lucy”.
The burger is a twist on a classic cheeseburger, with cheese stuffed between two thin patties, instead of on top. There’s nothing fancy about the patties, either – they’re simply ground chuck with a few basic seasonings – but combined with the gooey, melty American cheese inside, the end result is a pretty epic burger. (A juicy one, of course!)
Ingredients Needed
You don’t need a ton of ingredients to make these juicy, flavorful burgers. Simple is better here.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete measurement details and instruction.)
- Ground beef – I recommend 80/20 ground chuck. Ground chuck contains lots of fat, which makes the burger extra juicy. Leaner cuts will yield a more dry burger.
- Worcestershire sauce – A must for added flavor in the burger.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder are the only seasonings needed for these juicy burgers.
- American cheese – I recommend not using the pre-packaged “singles” as they don’t melt as well. You can also use other types of cheese, like cheddar, but yellow American is the standard for Juicy Lucy burgers.
- Dill pickle chips – The standard topping for these burgers.
- Hamburger buns
Topping Ideas
A Juicy Lucy burger is traditionally served simply with pickles on a bun, as the ground chuck and cheese provide all the flavor you need, but these are also great topped with any of your favorite burger condiments. Here are a few ideas:
- Caramelized onions
- Pickled red onions
- Cooked bacon
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Candied jalapenos
- Tomato jam
- Other condiments like mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc.
How to Make Juicy Lucy Burgers
Making these cheese stuffed burgers is quick and easy. You’ll never go back to making basic burgers again.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for complete measurement details and instruction.)
- Season the beef. Mix the ground beef with the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.
- Form the patties. Divide the meat into 8 thin patties, slightly bigger than the burger buns.
- Add the cheese. Place two slices of cheese, folded into quarters, in the middle of half of the patties. Place another patty on top, then pinch and seal the two patties together.
- Chill. Chilling the cheese stuffed burgers for an hour will keep them together on the grill.
- Grill. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Flip as needed, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let the grilled burgers rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making the best Juicy Lucy burgers.
- Chill the burger patties. Chilling the burgers after you make the patties will help to keep them together and keep the cheese from oozing out.
- Cook until well done. This burger is traditionally served well done. For food safety purposes, this is recommended. Don’t worry – they won’t be dry!
- Make sure the cheese is in the center. You want to leave an edge around the burger patty with no cheese, so that it’s easy to seal. Otherwise, the cheese will just leak out.
- Don’t overmix the burger meat. Use your hands to mix in the seasonings just until combined.
- Rest before serving. Give the burgers 5 minutes or so to rest on a plate before serving. This gives the juices and the cheese a chance to settle.
How Do I Know When My Cheese Stuffed Burger Is Done?
Towards the end of cooking some cheese may start to ooze out of the sides of the burger. This is an indication that the burgers are close to being done. Test with a thermometer to make sure the meat has reached 160F.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your juicy grilled burgers on a bun with pickles or your favorite condiments, as suggested above. For a low carb option, you can always use a lettuce wrap instead of a burger bun.
These Juicy Lucy burgers are always a hit for dinner or at cookouts – I love to serve them with a few classic sides, like coleslaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, or baked beans. Of course you can never go wrong with simple potato chips or fries, either.
Prep and Proper Storage
- Prep ahead. You can make the patties ahead of time and keep them wrapped in plastic in the fridge until ready to use, or up to 2 days. Uncooked patties can also be frozen. Wrap them in parchment paper, then plastic wrap. Store wrapped patties in a ziploc freezer bag.
- Fridge. Juicy Lucy burgers are best served immediately after cooking. However, if you have leftovers, keep the burgers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
- Reheat. Leftover cooked patties can be reheated in a covered sauté pan on medium heat, with a splash of water to create steam, and gently reheat the burger.
More Burger Recipes:
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Juicy Lucy Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (ground chuck)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 8 slices American cheese
- dill pickle chips , for serving
- caramelized onions , for serving
- hamburger buns , for serving
Instructions
- Place the ground beef, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the meat into 8 thin patties, just bigger than the size of your burger buns. Place on a large sheet pan or cutting board.
- Place two slices of cheese, folded into 1/4 in the middle of 4 of the patties, making sure to leave an edge around the bottom patty. Place another patty on top, and use your fingers to pinch and seal the two patties together, sandwiching the cheese between them.(Chilling the stuffed patties for at least 1 hour after you make the patties will help to keep them together and keep the cheese from oozing out.)
- Heat a grill or cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Grill the burgers, flipping as needed, until the burgers are cooked through to 160F, typically 4 to 5 minutes per side. Allow burgers to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
YUMMY!!