The Jucy Lucy, intentionally spelled incorrectly, is a cheese-stuffed burger that originated in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The classic features American cheese, griddled onions and pickles, with the option to add condiments if you’d like. The burgers come to you fresh off the grill, creating a lava-like cheesy center that, if you’re not careful, could potentially burn the areas in and around your mouth.
Make the onions. Add chopped onions to a saute pan over medium/medium-low heat with your butter, sugar and pinch of salt. Once the onions start to brown and caramelize, add a couple tbsp of water to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any brown bits, give it a stir, and let sizzle until the water is evaporated and the onions start to brown and caramelize again. Repeat 3-4 more times until the onions are soft and a beautiful caramel color. After the last caramelization, let the onions go a little further to give them a little char, then turn off the heat and set aside.
Form your patties. Cut 8 long rectangles of parchment paper, then divide your beef into 8 equal balls. Set 2 balls onto either side of 4 of the parchment rectangles, then set the other 4 parchment rectangles overtop and press the patties down until they’re about 4-5 inches in diameter. I used a frying pan for this, but use whatever wide, flat surface you’d like. Remove the top pieces of parchment, then shape and smooth the edges by pressing into your hand, making sure the patties are the same thickness all over.
Seal your Jucy Lucy’s. Fold your slices of American cheese in half twice so that 4 equal pieces are stacked on top of each other, then place each stack into the center of 4 of the patties, one patty per parchment. Then, lift the side of the parchment that has a patty with no cheese, and gently lay into onto the cheese topped patty. Make sure the patties are matched up with each other, then remove any air bubbles between the patties and press the edges down to seal. Make sure you seal well to prevent any leakage!
Cook your Jucy Lucy’s. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium high heat until smoking hot, then gently add your patties and *leave them alone*! Avoid moving the patties or pressing down on them, as it could cause them to break and leak the cheesy center. Cook till caramelized, about 3-5 minutes per side. Then set aside to rest while you toast your buns.
Assemble your Jucy Lucy’s. To your toasted bottom bun, add special sauce if using, then griddled onions, pickle slices, and your Jucy Lucy patty. Then top with your special-sauce smeared top bun and enjoy! Again you don’t have to use special sauce, but it was super delicious.
Notes
Special sauce is not a typical add, but I’m a special sauce girl and loved it here. This is the recipe I used https://www.browneyedbaker.com/classic-burger-sauce/.You cooktop will vary in heat based on how many patties you cook at once. The more patties you cook at the same time, the lower the heat will be brought down once they’re added. You can manage this but adjusting the heat a bit higher for more patties. Ideally you want the patties to be a nice medium cook throughout. This might take a bit of practice (it did for me), again depending on how many burgers you’re cooking at once and how you manage the heat.
I'm a big eater, a huge fan of pasta (and mac n cheese), and I'm on a mission to prove that indulgence and balance can exist well together without silly restrictions or dieting. Life's too short to eat bad food!
