10 Tips For Making An Authentic Juicy Lucy Burger At Home

In the United States, you'll encounter regional burger styles peppering distinct corners of the country. On of those must-try mouthwatering specialties is in Minnesota, the home of the Juicy Lucy. This is a hamburger that flouts norms and is proud of it. On the surface it looks like every average beef-and-bun deal, but plunging in for a bite unveils a neat surprise: neon liquified cheese, bursting geyser-like from the patty. They're everywhere in the Twin Cities, although to locals, Matt's Bar and 5-8 Club have perfected the recipe, what with the two restaurants engaging in a light-hearted battle over the burger's invention. 

By any margin, crafting a Juicy Lucy from scratch isn't too different from making a regular cheeseburger. The Midwestern version leans on the same ingredients, minus the stuffed interior, and entails smashing, searing, and flipping until it's time to be placed on the bun. Your home tribute will likely be tasty, but with some expert instruction, who says you can't sling something on an authentic level? Francis Burger Joint, which specializes in a vegan rendition in Minneapolis, joins P'unk Burger, an artisanal hamburger spot in Philadelphia, to trade tips, touching on the beef blend, how to cook it, and nailing a luxurious cheese pull. Concoct this legendary staple by heeding 10 trusted tricks. 

Traditionally speaking, the Juicy Lucy is a carnivore's indulgence, despite places like Francis Burger Joint demonstrating that plant-based riffs are popular (as they are incredibly delicious!). But in pursuing an authentic version, the default protein remains beef. However, downplaying the blend could render a parched hockey puck rather than a mouthwatering patty, so picking the correct meat in the first place is crucial. "Ground beef for a burger should be flavorful and juicy," explains Marlo Dilks of P'unk Burger. "This means you need to have fat." 

Strive for a ratio of 80% lean beef to 20% fat when shopping for your burger ingredients. The reason professional chefs laud this go-to ground beef combo involves texture. Beef on its own already packs a lot of flavor, but fat accomplishes the task of imbuing succulence as it sizzles on the grill. Factoring in the cheese, which also needs to melt alongside the beef, you'll need all the grease you can get.

The patty melting in your mouth upon the first bite is a sign that your hamburger is beyond delicious — it's otherworldly. Nothing about a burger bursting with melted cheddar screams "healthy," anyway, so choosing a lean cut of cow would be pointless, depriving the finished product of its hearty, mouthwatering strength.

Maybe this goes without saying, but a Juicy Lucy needs to ooze cheese. Plain and simple, the gooey core at the center of your burger should gush, trickling from a crevice in the patty and perhaps down your hands. American is viewed as the authentic choice in the Twin Cities; suspicious labeling aside, the "cheese product" is supreme at melting on command. But fondue-level textures can be found in other varieties too, adding flair to a time-honed hamburger style.

This area of burger craft allows for experimentation, often with endless abandon if you're a culinary professional. Purists might object to swapping the processed stuff, but as Marlo Dilks demonstrates to Chowhound, there's no downside to variety. A sharp cheddar functions well as a burger stuffing, the P'unk Burger pro says, since it's highly tasty with a favorable texture payoff. You can also try out Swiss for a savory filling, or perhaps a French brie or goat cheese to punch the complexity up. 

Cheesy spillage is certainly desirable in a Juicy Lucy, but it's worth abiding by some caution with smoother choices at hand. Some varieties, as Dilks asserts, "will escape easier" out of the patty. Be mindful, but don't be afraid to take chances.

Buns are anything but an afterthought to building a burger. The Juicy Lucy is notorious for its grease-riddled ways, so it's crucial to purchase hamburger buns offering some heft. To rein in the excess juiciness, try reaching for a brioche bun. The sweeter, springy roll is one of those fancy hamburger upgrades plenty of restaurants embrace these days, but what both of our experts told Chowhound differs from the song-and-dance of its trendy reputation. P'unk Burger's Marlo Dilks is particularly favorable to the French style of bread due to its wider circumference, finding that the larger proportions contribute to "a good beef to bun ratio." 

Grocery store bakeries are a great place to look. Whole Foods' Brioche Hamburger Buns are an example of the qualifications a great bun should offer. The golden buns are sturdy enough for the job, and boast a bit of plushness to prevent disintegration from the grease. If brioche isn't stocked at your supermarket, any buns with a bit of girth will work just fine for a Juicy Lucy. Standard-issue white buns, like the kind featured on most hamburgers, don't have to be fancy or artisanal; they just have to support the cheesy patty and toppings once it comes time to assemble it. 

An Ultra-Cheesy Juicy Lucy recipe usually entails one cheese slice per burger. And assuming your cheese is sliced, figuring out a way to jam them into the meat is a must. This leads us to our next burger-stuffing tip. You'll need to make sure you fold down the cheeses so they fit easily inside the Juicy Lucy burger patty. Squares can be creased into halves, thirds, or fourths using your hands. If you pick out a firmer cheese that's less bendable, carving the slices into smaller pieces with a knife is fine, too.

In addition to efficiently stuffing the burger, Francis Burger Joint's technique happens to serve as a proactive measure; the vegan eatery pre-stuffs burgers to get them onto the grill faster. "We flatten the burger, envelop a ball of cheese, then gently press into shape in advance of cooking them," instructs Lyndsey Johnston. In those circumstances, cutting down on the labor is definitely a plus, but novice chefs dallying at their own pace should find the step rewarding for that luscious gooey explosion to indulge in later on. 

Technically speaking, the Juicy Lucy requires two patties: one you'll layer on top of the other to fully cradle the cheese for melting. As such, pulling off a stuffed burger well means you'll need to pound the meat as thinly as you can. What is smashing the beef expected to accomplish? Think of it this way: a chunky burger takes longer to cook thoroughly. Needing to simultaneously melt the cheese and sear the meat until it's done (more on that topic later) will be an easier task to balance when the patties are thin. And without a proper smash, patties will harbor irregular lumps that are no good for a succulent texture. 

Try to smash them down about a quarter of an inch thick for ideal proportions. This is where a burger smasher works wonders in achieving a uniform flatness. If you've been in the market for a tool to add to your collection, this Cuisinart Cast Iron Burger Press will hone your grilling game in a pinch. However, there's no need to rush to the store if you don't own one. Repurposing a skillet or pan you already have in your kitchen delivers similar results. Here's what you need to do: tear off a sheet of parchment paper, spread it out onto your patties, and crush them down using the weight of your cookware. 

Locking in the gooey cheese is a bit of an obstacle with churning out a homemade Juicy Lucy. While the burger should ignite a gooey rush upon chomping down, the cheese shouldn't be spilling out into the skillet; that's supposed to occur when the feasting starts. Stop the mess in its tracks by adhering to another foolproof tidbit. Experienced burger chefs always crimp the patty's edges. This ensures the patty is fully cinched, preserving the runny goo for the mouthfuls you'll devour at the end. 

After placing your cheese at the center, grab the patty that'll cover the top. With your fingers, pinch down the sides and repeat until the two slabs of beef are molded together and have no cheese exposed from the outside. Explains P'unk Burger's Marlo Dilks, "I place our cheese inside that center" but "not all the way to the edges" of the bottom burger patty. Following that move, "I place the other patty on top and seal the edges." Pretend you're constructing an Instagram-worthy pie crust or ravioli with fresh pasta dough — the seams should be scrunched, leading to the edges fully glued in place. 

When Marlo Dilks assembles the cheese-stuffed delight at P'unk Burger, he marks an imprint in the middle of the meat. This technique is called "dimpling," and you'll find it's extremely helpful during cooking. Simply put, it prevents one of the biggest mistakes hamburger chefs are guilty of time after time. Ever notice how raw hamburger shrivels up in the skillet? This is an inevitable issue when meat merges with the heat, but with a divot, the patty retains its circular, flattened shape. Lightly pressing the center also garners efficient broiling, leading to a burger that's cooked to your liking with a juicily gooey interior.

Poke your fingers into the meat, and craft a hollow well that's not too large — the indent should be visible, but not deep enough to form an actual hole in the meat. "Leaving a little rim of meat that is not dimpled," says Dilks, will be necessary for a few reasons. As the patties sizzle, the meat's juices will rise up to the surface, keeping the beef moist in texture and round in circumference. Another benefit worth taking up this trick? It doesn't hurt that the center cavity also acts as a nest for the wadded cheese (yum).

Almost a decade behind the grill has empowered Marlo Dilks with some incredible burger expertise; churning out delicious grub every day is just part of the job. As a result, the question of how long to cook your burger is one he has opinions on. In his experience, he's found searing the burger to medium is the key to a truly delectable Juicy Lucy. What exactly does "medium" refer to here? On a scale from rare to well-done, this preparation is, as you might suspect, right in the middle: the beef is mostly browned on the outside, with the faintest trace of pink poking through.

Health organizations like the USDA instruct preparing red meat, especially ground beef, to total doneness; below the 160-degree Fahrenheit threshold, and diners can possibly get sick since bacteria thrives in the grinding process. This dilemma can be avoided assuming you obtain fresh, quality beef and adhere to proper safety measures. Temperature-wise, aiming for a target of 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit is your best bet for a succulent result — warns Dilks, "any higher you are definitely overcooking in my opinion and running the risk of the cheese escaping." 

When hot, dripping cheese is the centerpiece to a Juicy Lucy, what garnishes can be expected to stand out without stealing the burger's spotlight? Exhibiting restraint on the toppings wouldn't be wrong for a richer hamburger, but for experts, embracing tastefully chosen condiments boosts the burger exponentially. Marlo Dilks proposes an interesting tactic: "I choose my toppings based on the cheese I use," he says. 

Pairings are effective in playing off the aromas and textures percolating from your burger. Contrasting elements — for example, a milder cheese like American crossed with bacon and grilled onions — help elevate the flavor, and even complexity, of the simple ingredients at hand. This is a great opportunity to flex your creative muscles, so go ahead and identify the tastes and textures that get your mouth watering. 

Minnesotans will refer to the greats like Matt's Bar, which is famous for minimal accoutrements crowning its burgers (simply pickles and caramelized onions). On the other hand, Lyndsey Johnston of Francis Burger Joint adopts the drive-in model with cooling toppers such as lettuce, tomato, and a smear of tangy special sauce. Matching the extras to your filling is just another tweak to jazz things up. 

Juicy Lucys are a product of the dive bar. It's sloppy grub, from the rivulets of oil to the pool of ruptured, glistening cheese, all the way to a slightly damp bun hoisting it all in. Conjure this shambolic energy when whipping up a side dish to go with it. An order of french fries remains an all-star choice for any hamburger, much less Minnesota's specialty, but anything battered and deep-fried will seal the deal. 

At Francis Burger Joint, where taters are prepped in various forms, Lyndsey Johnston swears by a stack of shoestring fries to complement your homemade burger. They're lightweight with a crunchy snap, which is an irresistible combination set against the velvety filling. Marlo Dilks of P'unk Burger also suggests the "huge crowd-pleaser" springing for a rustic style, sprinkled in coarse sea salt for a blast of umami on the palate. Onion rings are equally delicious, as are a salty batch of kettle chips.

Legitimately crispy french fries take a lot of work to make from scratch. Frozen fries are handy when time is short, especially if you have an air fryer to channel the fast food feel. Gadgets like the 11-in-1 Air Fryer from Instant Pot are the ticket to greasy spoon sides.