The Jucy Lucy Burger

The Juicy Lucy, or Jucy Lucy burger, is Minneapolis' contribution to world cuisine.  It's a cheeseburger with the cheese inside the meat, such that the cheese melts into a molten core when cooked, and served with a warning against scalding yourself with liquid cheese.

The Juicy Lucy burger was invented in a south Minneapolis bar sometime in the 1950s and depending on who you talk to, that was either The 5-8 Club, who serve the Juicy Lucy, or Matt's Bar who make the Jucy Lucy, and let customers know that "if it's spelled correctly, you're at the wrong place".

The Jucy Lucy Burger

• 2 slices bread
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• A few shakes of Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1-1/2 lbs. 85% ground sirloin
• 4- 1/2" thick slices deli American Cheese, cut into quarters 
• 2 Tbsp. beef broth

Using a potato masher, mash bread, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth.  Add beef and combine.

Portion into 8 even patties, about 1/4" thick.  Pat until they are a thin round patty slightly larger than the cheese slice.  Turn the 8 patties into 4 by sandwiching the quartered cheese slices in the center.  Pile the quarters of cheese one on top of the other.  This will make a 2" center pile of cheese.

  Press tightly around edges to seal.  Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan* to medium high heat, or cook them on your outdoor grill.

The burger may puff up due to steam from melting cheese.  Flip, and using toothpick, prick top of burger to allow for steam escape.  Cook 3-4 minutes per side.
*If cooking burger in a pan, add beef broth at the end of cooking time and cover for a minute or so to steam.
Let burger cool a bit before eating.  The cheese will be very hot and you might burn your mouth! 
Serve with condiments of your choice - I love a nice thick slice of raw Vidalia onion!

Double click on the pic to enlarge