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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Juicy Lucy Burgers

    By: Jessica · Posted: Feb 27, 2022 · Updated: Dec 20, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 6 comments
    5 from 4 votes
    Juicy Lucy Burgers stacked on top of each other

    Juicy Lucy Burgers: Juicy burger patties are stuffed with a slice of cheese to create an easy homemade version of the classic “Juicy Lucy” (or Jucy Lucy) burger!

    We are HUGE fans of burger recipes around here. No matter if it’s beef patties, baked turkey burgers, crispy chicken burgers, or something wild like a donut burger! Plus, you’ll find out about our most popular burger here on the blog, below, when we talk about baking these in the oven!

    A juicy Lucy burger cut in half and stacked so we see the cheese inside. There are tater tots on the plate as well.

     

    What is a Lucy Burger? Why is it called a Juicy Lucy?

    A Juicy Lucy burger is basically the ultimate cheeseburger- unlike a regular cheeseburger that has the cheese on top of the patty, a Juicy Lucy burger has a cheese slice stuffed in the center of the patty!

    As it cooks, the fat in the burger patty combines with the melted cheese to create a delicious, molten cheese sauce on the inside. It’s a juicy hamburger, for sure!

    Jump to:
    • What is a Lucy Burger? Why is it called a Juicy Lucy?
    • Where are Juicy Lucy Burgers From?
    • Ingredients for Juicy Lucy Burgers
    • How to Make This Juicy Lucy Burger Recipe
    • How to Make Juicy Lucy Burgers in the Oven
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Expert Tips and FAQs
    • What to Serve with Juicy Lucy Burgers
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Where are Juicy Lucy Burgers From?

    Juicy Lucy burgers originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and are touted as “Minnesota’s favorite pan-seared burgers busting at the seams with melty cheese!”

    There are actually two different bars that both claim to have created these extra cheesy burgers, Matt’s bar and the 5-8 Club.

    No matter who created it, it’s a delicious burger and I think you’re going to love it!

    Ingredients for Juicy Lucy Burgers

    This is one of those easy recipes that use simple ingredients (as all great recipes do) to create something delicious!

    To make Juicy Lucy burgers, you’ll need:

    • 6 hamburger buns
    • 2 pounds ground beef – 80/20 ground beef or regular ground beef- not lean beef. (Or, try these other ground beef recipes, or if you have ground venison in the freezer, you could make these as directed but make a venison burger recipe instead!)
    • 12 slices of American or cheddar cheese
    • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper

    You can jump straight to the recipe card or keep reading for step-by-step instructions on how to make this Juicy Lucy burgers recipe.

    The ingredients for making juicy Lucy Burgers, laid out on a wood cutting board.

    How to Make This Juicy Lucy Burger Recipe

    1. Place the ground beef in a large bowl and lightly break it apart.
    2. Combine ground beef with the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce and mix it all together (I find using your hands works best for this). 
    3. Divide the meat into 6 equal portions.
    Ground beef and seasonings in a bowl sitting on a cutting board with cheese, buns and other spices sitting next to it.
    Add spices to beef.
    Ground beef combined with spices in a bowl.
    Combine beef and spices well.
    1. Split each of those 6 portions of beef into 2 pieces. Flatten both pieces into thin patties slightly larger than the hamburger bun.
    Thin patties sitting on the cutting board next to butter, spices and buns.
    Split each portion into two and flatten.
    1. Take 2 slices of the cheese and break it apart into small pieces, placing the pieces into the center of the burger patty.
    2. Put the second patty on top of the cheese and crimp the edges together, making sure you make a tight seal. Flip the burger over, gently press the burger down and crimp again. 

    Note: The best way to form the patties is to take your time. You want to be sure they are sturdy and have no cracks or holes that the cheese will melt through.

    Pieces of cheddar cheese on top of one of the thin burger patties with a second, plain patty beside it.
    Place pieces of cheese on one patty.
    The assembled burger patty (bottom patty, cheese, top patty).
    Top with second patty, seal.
    1. Take the back of a large spoon and press a small dimple into the middle of the burger. By doing this you will help the burger to stay flat while cooking and not become rounded.
    A spoon making a diet in the top of the burger patty.
    1. Once all of the burger patties have been made, melt the butter and olive oil in a cast iron pan/cast iron skillet/grill pan (whatever you want to call it) over medium heat.
    A stack of three Juicy Lucy burger patties with wax paper between them.
    Make all 6 patties.
    A skillet with melted butter bubbling inside of it.
    Melt butter and oil in skillet.
    1. Once the oil is hot, carefully place patties in the pan and cook for approximately 4 minutes on each side. While you are cooking the first set of patties, put the remaining patties in the fridge to keep them cool.
    Three raw burger patties in a large skillet.
    Cook burgers in hot grill pan.
    Three cooked burger patties in a large skillet.
    Flip after 4 mins.
    1. These burgers are best served immediately. Serve on a hamburger bun with your favorite toppings. The Juicy Lucy is traditionally served with only dill pickles, but you can get creative and add the toppings of your choice! (Or, you can top it with items that we topped our Cowboy Burger recipe with, too!)
    A Juicy Lucy burger on a plate cut in half to reveal the cheese inside.

    How to Make Juicy Lucy Burgers in the Oven

    Did you know you can make great burgers in the oven, too? You sure can!

    We have some tips to create the best burger in the oven (it will melt in your melt). Go check out our recipe for the best hamburgers in the oven!

    A Juicy Lucy burger patty on a plain burger bun with tater tots in the background.

    Variations

    This burger is a nicely seasoned base that can be jazzed up with your favorite cheese and toppings!

    • Cheese – any cheese that melts well will work for this recipe. Get creative! You could even get real wild and stuff these with blue cheese, if that’s your style. Just be sure to watch how much cheese you use (you don’t want gooey cheese leaking out of your burger).
    • Bun – by changing the hamburger bun you use, you can create a totally different burger experience! You could use a soft bun like brioche buns, a crusty roll, a chewy pretzel bun, or a sweet Hawaiian roll!
    • Spicy – use a spicy cheese like a pepper jack or jalapeño havarti and add some banana peppers or other spicy peppers to your burger!
    • Classic – for a more classic burger, top your Juicy Lucy patty with tomato slices, lettuce, dill pickles, red onion, and your favorite condiments!
    A hand holding half of a Juicy Lucy burger with the cheese visible in the middle.

    Storage

    Store any leftover burger patties in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for 3-4 days (be sure to store your patties, buns, and toppings separately to keep everything as fresh as possible).

    You could also freeze these patties in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months.

    Expert Tips and FAQs

    Can I make these in the air fryer?

    We haven’t tried this yet, but I bet you could! We have a post on air fryer burgers that you could follow if you want to try it out (and if you do, pretty please leave us a comment and let us know how it goes).

    How is a Juicy Lucy burger different from a regular hamburger?

    A Juicy Lucy burger has the cheese in the middle of the burger instead of on top of the burger!

    Could I cook these on an outdoor grill (gas grill or charcoal grill)?

    Absolutely, although the end result will be a bit different than if you cook them in a pan. But if you like that smokey BBQ flavor and those dark grill marks from hot grill grates on your burger, you can definitely cook these on your BBQ the same as you would any other homemade burger.

    What to Serve with Juicy Lucy Burgers

    Serve these burgers with a side of air fryer sweet potato fries or baked fiesta ranch potato wedges for a meal the whole family will enjoy!

    Related Recipes

    If you enjoyed these Juicy Lucy Burgers then you should definitely try some of our other cheeseburger recipes like Hawaiian Burgers, our buttery glazed donut burger (I know, what?!) and our air fryer turkey burgers!

    Recipe

    A juicy Lucy burger cut in half so we can see the cheese inside and stacked one half on top of the other.

    Juicy Lucy Burgers

    Jessica Burgess
    Juicy Lucy Burgers: Juicy burger patties are stuffed with a slice of cheese to create an easy homemade version of the classic "Juicy Lucy" (or Jucy Lucy) burger! 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 burgers
    Calories 685 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 6 hamburger buns
    • 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 ground beef or regular ground beef- not lean)
    • 12 slices of American or cheddar cheese
    • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Place the ground beef in a large bowl and lightly break it apart.
    • Season the beef with the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce and mix it all together (I find using your hands works best for this).
    • Divide the meat into 6 equal portions.
    • Split each of those 6 portions of beef into 2 pieces. Flatten both pieces into patties slightly larger than the hamburger bun.
    • Take 2 slices of the cheese and break it apart into small pieces, placing the pieces into the center of the burger patty.
    • Put the second patty on top of the cheese and crimp the edges together, making sure there are no cracks. Flip the burger over, gently press the burger down and crimp again.
      Note: The best way to form the patties is to take your time. You want to be sure they are sturdy and have no cracks or holes that the cheese will melt through.
    • Take the back of a large spoon and press a small dimple into the middle of the burger. By doing this you will help the burger to stay flat while cooking and not become rounded.
    • Once all of the burger patties have been made, melt the butter and olive oil in a cast iron pan/cast iron skillet/grill pan (whatever you want to call it) over medium heat.
    • Once the oil is hot, carefully transfer a couple patties to the pan and cook for approximately 4 minutes on each side.
    • These burgers are best served immediately. Serve on a hamburger bun with your favorite toppings. The Juicy Lucy is traditionally served with only dill pickles, but you can get creative and add whatever toppings you like!

    Notes

    STORAGE: Store any leftover burger patties in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days (be sure to store your patties, buns, and toppings separately to keep everything as fresh as possible).
    You could also freeze these patties in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1burger | Calories: 685kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1015mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 5mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords burgers frying pan, burgers in a skillet, burgers on the stove top, jucy lucy burgers, juicy lucy burgers
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Jennifer says

      March 01, 2022 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      These burgers are DELICIOUS. They truly are juicy! Amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 01, 2022 at 9:12 pm

        Oh good! Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them!!

        Reply
    2. Jessica Rugerio says

      March 01, 2022 at 5:52 am

      5 stars
      My kids said these were the best burgers they’ve ever had! Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 01, 2022 at 9:12 pm

        Excellent! They’re a kid-favorite here too!

        Reply
    3. Katie says

      March 01, 2022 at 12:22 am

      5 stars
      These are so fun to switch up how we normally do burgers. Of course, the meltier and gooier the cheese, the better!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 01, 2022 at 9:12 pm

        Oh yes!! I totally agree on the cheese!

        Reply

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