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Central New Yorker here who has never even heard of a juicy Lucy! I made your recipe tonight and wow it was SO delicious! Will make them again!
Caitlin
What Is a Juicy Lucy Burger?
A Juicy Lucy is a delicious cheeseburger stuffed with molten, bubbly, waterfalling cheese.
That’s it. A burger stuffed with cheese.
Origins Of The Juicy Lucy
The Juicy Lucy is the creation of South Minneapolis in Minnesota, though it’s HIGHLY contested who did it first: Matt’s Bar or the 5-8 Club, both oddly on the same street (Cedar Avenue).
The story told about how it first came to be is said to be a little bit of a happy accident, but it depends on who you ask, so in reality, it’s all a little murky. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the heated history of a single humble (but delicious) cheeseburger than you ever thought, there is a major deep dive ready for your burger-loving consumption.
And if you are Minnesotan born and raised, you FOR SURE have eaten enough classic Juicy Lucys to have an opinion on all fronts: what kind of cheese should be used, should they be grilled or pan-fried, and which dive bar does it best.
I am, conveniently, from Minnesota! And I have opinions:
What Makes A Great Juicy Lucy
What’s the Best Kind of Cheese?
Straight-up American. YOU NEED A SMOOTH MELT. Yes, you can use sliced cheddar or pepperjack in a pinch (or throw some jalapeños in with your American for a hybrid). A lot of people also like to use blue cheese, which makes it a Blucy. But the essence of a Juicy Lucy, in my opinion, is a creamy, smooth-melt, almost-liquid-like center of cheese. This isn’t the time for Mozzarella cheese pulls, okay?
Grilled or Pan-Fried?
We do both in our house. Just depends on the day. A cast-iron skillet or flat-top pan is my choice for pan-frying.
Which Minneapolis Dive Bar Does It Best?
I vote for The Nook, actually. It’s in our little neighborhood corner of St. Paul and the dingy ambiance is everything a good dive bar should be. Plus, bowling alley in the basement. Seriously.
Juicy Lucy Ingredients
You don’t need much! Simple is best here (but really, a molten-cheese bursting burger is nothing simple).
Here’s what you need for the burgers themselves:
- Beef (85/15 preferably)
- Spice mix (burger seasoning or Lowry’s seasoned salt)
- Cheese (American cheese only)
- Buns (brioche please!)
How Do You Stuff It With Cheese?
It’s zero percent hard.
Make one smallerish patty, and one largerish patty.
Put the little hunks of cheese on the largerish one.
Put the smallerish one on top, and pinch up the edges.
Yadidit.
How To Cook a Juicy Lucy
Your meat is mixed, your cheese is stuffed, and it’s time to make molten magic happen.
To cook this up, you can use a traditional grill, a flat-top grill, or do it on your stovetop in a skillet (preferably cast-iron). I actually prefer the stovetop method!
I prefer to cook mine on medium heat vs. the traditional medium-high, and here’s why:
I find it very difficult if not impossible to go for a medium-done Juicy Lucy because if you limit the cook time on the burger, it’s hard to get the cheese hot enough to melt. Plus you don’t want to be sticking a meat thermometer into these because you’ll lose your delicious melty cheese.
We usually just go for a more well-done burger by cooking it over medium heat for a little longer than you usually would (the patties on either side are thin so this happens relatively quickly) since we are chasing that delicious melty cheese center.
What To Put On A Juicy Lucy
Whatever the heck you want!
I prefer a simple burger:
- bun
- burger
- pickled jalapeño
- sometimes tomato
- always ketchup
- maybe mayo
- and often ranch because, yes, I really am that Minnesotan.
Happy summer BBQ-ing!
Juicy Lucy: Frequently Asked Questions
Hands down, classic American Cheese. It works well for a Juicy Lucy because it’s perfectly melty, gooey, not stringy, and has that classic cheesy flavor.
Yep! There’s such a thing called a “blucy” and it is also delicious.
Classically, a Juicy Lucy is cooked to medium doneness. BUT I find it nearly impossible to accomplish this (kudos to you, dive bars!) because the cheese is never melty enough when it reaches that level of doneness. So instead, I cook it over medium heat (instead of medium-high) so that the cheese is melted perfectly but the meat isn’t overdone. This does mean that the burger itself is more medium-well in doneness.
Either works and both are delicious! Traditionally, Juicy Lucys are made on a flat-top grill, which we also have at home and loveeeee, or you could get a flat-top griddle for the stove. (affiliate links)
Depends on where you eat it / where you pay homage to it! At Matt’s Bar it’s spelled “Jucy Lucy” and at the 5-8 Club it’s spelled “Juicy Lucy.” Not confusing at all, right? I love this weird little burger.
Juicy Lucy
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 burgers 1x
Description
JUICY LUCY! A delicious hamburger stuffed with molten, bubbly, waterfalling cheese, all piled on a buttery toasted bun with all the fixings. The BEST.
Ingredients
Juicy Lucy Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 2 tablespoons burger seasoning
- 6–12 slices American cheese
Juicy Lucy Extras:
- 6 brioche buns
- Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles
- Sauces: Ketchup, mustard, mayo
Instructions
- Mix the spices into the ground beef (I just mix by hand). Divide the beef into 6 even sections.
- Form each section into two thin patties (a smaller top patty, and a larger bottom patty). Place 1-2 folded pieces of cheese on the bottom patty, and place the smaller top patty over it, pinching up the edges to seal.
- Grill or pan fry for about 5 minutes on medium heat, or until cooked to your desired doneness and cheese is melted. We usually sacrifice one Juicy Lucy and cut into it to test the doneness of both the beef and cheese.
- Let the Juicy Lucys rest for a minute or two. This is essential, otherwise the cheese will be so hot that it will literally come exploding out all over the place. I’m very serious.
- Serve on buns with your favorite toppings!
Notes
I find it very difficult if not impossible to go for a medium-done Juicy Lucy because if you limit the cook time on the burger, it’s hard to get the cheese hot enough to melt. Plus you don’t want to be sticking a meat thermometer into these because you’ll lose your delicious melty cheese. We usually just go for a more well-done burger (the patties on either side are thin so this happens relatively quickly) since we are chasing that delicious melty cheese center.
Definitely recommend toasting the buns! Just spread them with a little butter and either pop in the oven for a few minutes at 350, or place on the upper rack of a grill while the burgers finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition Facts
- Daily value: 35% Total Fat 27.4g
- Daily value: 37% Cholesterol 110.3mg
- Daily value: 26% Sodium 599.9mg
- Daily value: 9% Total Carbohydrate 25.5g
- Daily value: 3% Dietary Fiber 1g
- Sugars 4.9g
- Daily value: 72% Protein 36g
- Daily value: 5% Vitamin A 44.7µg
- Daily value: 1% Vitamin C 0.7mg
- Daily value: 29% Iron 5.3mg
- Daily value: 12% Potassium 560.3mg
- Daily value: 36% Phosphorus 454.9mg
Keywords: juicy lucy, burger stuffed with cheese, minnesota juicy lucy
More Favorite Burger Recipes
- Smash Burgers with House Sauce (a delicious cheesy burger classic!)
- The Ultimate Wild Rice Burgers (another Minnesota-born burger)
- Yummy Salmon Burgers with Slaw (one of the most popular burger recipes on the site!)
- Chipotle Quinoa Burgers (perfectly spicy and packed with protein)
- Spicy Cauliflower Burgers (texture-perfection and slathered with Magic Green Sauce!)
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our easy summer dinners page. Check it out!
Can you tell me where to find the Burger Seasoning?
Hi Julie! In the spice section of most large grocery stores, you’ll find burger seasoning.
Easy and delicious—just the way I like it! 👌
What does burger seasoning consist of?
Hi Mary! Here’s a recipe for burger seasoning. You can also find a pre-made blend like this one in some grocery stores.
My mom was fixing pattys like this 60+ years ago and we never had any family anywhere near Minnesota! We all hail from Pennsylvania, and a tiny bit in Arizona. So Minnesota had to get it from somewhere else to begin with.
Tried this recipe and it’s too good
I have used many of your recipes in the past and been pleased with them. Having said that, I’ve noticed two recipes for burgers that you have american cheese as an ingredient. Is that even real cheese? I would make the burgers for my family but certainly not use that cheese. And what exactly is burger seasoning?
I am a Matt’s loyalist. The technique used worked better than others, so thanks for that tip.
What is Bjork’s favorite recipe?
good
How can I make these in the oven?
As I’m making them for a crowd!
We haven’t actually made these in the oven to know exact temp and time, but a large griddle might work better if you’re making them for a lot of people. Enjoy!
Do you flip the burger?
Omg!! I follow you blog and didn’t even realize you were in the Twin Cities!!
It seems like your blog always comes up when I search for certain recipe inspiration. Like exactly what I type in… Boom you have a blog post for it. We must be in sync. 😆
I will be making these for my S. Mpls born and raised hubby on Valentine’s because we both grew up eating them. We are 5-8 clubbers though. 😜
My husband go to gym and always asked me how can I get more protein how how how… Answer is on this website you are amazing and It’s delicious. Thank you!!
Melty cheese inside a delicious burger, is there anything better? No. No there is not. This is heaven.
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Sooo good. I made a siracha mayo for this and it was unreal
Sriracha mayo! YUM!
As a Minnesotan and visitor or Matt’s the home of the Original Juicy Lucy. I’ve tried many unsuccessful ways to make this juicy burger (if the juice and cheese doesn’t burn your chin then it’s not a Lucy!!! The way I’ve figured it out is to roll up a big meatball, the bigger the ball the more cheese you can add stick your finger in the center of the burger about 2 inches from the bottom. Then fill the hole with your cheese it can be block or shredded easier to melt but you have to use a lot. Then seal the hole roll back into a meatball. I recommend stove top because you’re going to gradually flatten the meatball making sure there’s enough burger to keep the cheese in the center.
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I live in south Minneapolis and had a good time choosing Matt’s over 5-8. This all changed after going to The Nook. Easily the best. They season their meat really well and the cheese is perfect. Add grilled jalapenos and onions with a side of waffle fries!
Minneapolis and had a good time choosing Matt’s over 5-8. This all changed after going to The Nook. Easily the best. They
Nice information provided by you, it really helped me to understand this topic.
This looks so yum! Thank you for sharing the nice recipe. It’s so easy to understand with the instructions.
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I made this tonight for my family and they loved it. I’m from MN, and 5-8 club is always my fav.
I’m vegetarian, so I used a Beyond Meat patty and reformed it and put the cheese in the center (it worked out way better than I had anticipated!).
My Father-In-Law said this burger was definitely top 5 he’s ever had, which is a major compliment coming from him.
I will definitely be making these again!
Glad to hear it, Emily!
I love it… except you’re wrong about the best jucy lucy is Matt’s Bar.