How to Make a Juicy Lucy (Cheese-Stuffed Burger)

The trick is not the cheese but the seal, and the cooking temperature, because a single thin spot lets the filling blow out into the pan.

Two things make it work. Thin patties keep the center from taking forever to heat, and a cheese that melts smoothly keeps it from turning greasy. American cheese does both, which is why the best cheese for burgers ranking puts it first.

Juicy lucy at a glance

This juicy lucy table gives the numbers you need before you start.

How to make a juicy lucy

A juicy lucy takes four moves: fold the cheese small, seal two thin patties around it, cook gently, and let it rest.

Ingredients for juicy lucy

These ingredients for a juicy lucy make four burgers, with the cheese as the only filling.

• 1.5 lb (680 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 slices (about 3 oz, 85 g) American cheese, each folded into a small square
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, for the pan
• 4 hamburger buns, toasted
• 1 tablespoon butter, for the buns
• Dill pickle slices, thinly sliced onion and ketchup or mustard, to serve

Steps for making a juicy lucy

These steps for making a juicy lucy go from raw beef to rested burger.

1. Divide the beef into 8 equal portions of about 3 oz (85 g) and press each into a thin round about 4.5 inches wide. Season one side of each lightly with the salt and pepper.
2. Fold each cheese slice in half twice so it is a compact square, then set one square in the center of 4 of the rounds, leaving at least 1 inch of bare meat all the way around.
3. Lay a second round over each, seasoned side up, and pinch the edges together all the way around. Roll the edge between your fingers until the seam disappears, with no cracks and no thin spots.
4. Press a shallow dimple in the top of each patty with your thumb, then chill the patties on a plate for 15 minutes so the beef firms up.
5. Heat a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes, add the oil, and lay in the patties. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes without pressing or poking them, until the underside is deep brown.
6. Flip once and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, until the center reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer slid in from the side, and the patty feels firm and puffed.
7. Move the burgers to a plate and rest them for 2 minutes so the cheese thickens slightly. Butter and toast the buns while they rest.
8. Serve on the toasted buns with pickles, onion and your sauce. Warn everyone that the center is very hot, and cut each burger in half before the first bite to let steam escape.

The best cheese for juicy lucy

The best cheese for a juicy lucy is American cheese, because it is made with emulsifying salts that keep it smooth when it melts, so it turns into a glossy, flowing center instead of separating into oil and curd. Folded slices also pack into a tight, even square that is easy to seal.

Good second choices are young cheddar, Monterey Jack and pepper jack, all moist cheeses that melt at burger temperatures. Cut them into a thin 1/2 inch cube or a small flat piece. Aged, dry cheeses such as extra sharp cheddar can turn greasy inside a hot patty. The best melting cheeses ranking explains which ones hold up, and shredded or block cheese matters less here because the cheese goes in whole.

Why juicy lucy burgers blow out, and the fix

A juicy lucy blows out when steam and melting cheese push through the weakest point in the seal. These are the usual causes.

A gap in the seam. Cheese needs only a hairline crack to escape. Pinch, then roll the edge until it looks like one piece of meat.

Too much cheese. More than about 3/4 oz per burger expands past the meat. Keep the filling small and 1 inch from the edge.

Pressing the burger. Smashing squeezes hot cheese straight out. Never press a stuffed patty.

High heat. A ripping-hot pan sears the outside before the inside heats, and the steam bursts the crust. Medium heat gives the center time to melt.

Warm beef. Soft, warm patties tear at the seam. Cold meat and a short chill hold the shape.

If a burger does leak, lift it with a spatula, slide a bit of cooked patty edge back over the hole, and keep going. It will still be good.

Cooking a juicy lucy to a safe temperature

A juicy lucy must reach 160°F, the USDA's safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef, and the stuffed center makes color a poor guide. The FSIS ground beef guidance says to cook raw ground beef to 160°F as measured with a food thermometer. Slide the probe in from the side into the center of the patty, but into the beef, not into the cheese pocket, since the cheese runs far hotter than the meat.

Where the juicy lucy came from

The juicy lucy is tied to two Minneapolis bars, and the claim over who made it first is not settled. According to the Jucy Lucy article on Wikipedia, Matt's Bar credits its former owner Matt Bristol with popularizing the burger in the 1950s, and a version of the story has a customer calling out "that's one juicy lucy" in 1954 after a bite. The 5-8 Club article says that bar claims to have developed the dish in the 1950s too, and that neither claim has been definitively resolved. The two bars even spell it differently: Matt's writes "Jucy" and the 5-8 Club writes "Juicy".

Juicy lucy variations

A juicy lucy variation changes the filling, not the method.

• Pepper jack: a thin flat piece of pepper jack adds heat.
• Bacon and cheddar: mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cooked bacon into the beef and use young cheddar for the center.
• Blue cheese: a teaspoon of crumbled blue cheese mixed with American keeps the strong flavor in check.
• Pimento cheese: a spoonful of pimento cheese in the middle gives a tangy, creamy filling.

Juicy lucy make ahead, storage and reheating

A juicy lucy can be formed and sealed up to 8 hours ahead, covered on a plate in the refrigerator. Freeze raw sealed patties on a tray, then bag them; cook from partly thawed, adding a few minutes. FSIS says cooked ground beef is safe refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days if it goes into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour above 90°F), and reheated leftovers must reach 165°F. Reheat patties in a 350°F oven until a thermometer reads 165°F, since the center holds heat and microwaving leaves cold spots.

Questions about the juicy lucy

These answers cover the questions people ask most about the juicy lucy.

What cheese is best for a juicy lucy?

The best cheese for a juicy lucy is American cheese, which melts smoothly without separating. Young cheddar, Monterey Jack and pepper jack also work.

How do you keep a juicy lucy from leaking?

To keep a juicy lucy from leaking, seal the two patties with no gaps, use a small piece of cheese, cook over medium heat, and never press the patty.

What temperature should a juicy lucy be cooked to?

A juicy lucy should be cooked to 160°F in the center, the USDA minimum for ground beef, checked with an instant-read thermometer.

Who invented the juicy lucy?

Who invented the juicy lucy is disputed: Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club in Minneapolis each claim it, and no source settles the question.

Can you make a juicy lucy on the grill?

You can make a juicy lucy on the grill over medium heat with the lid down, turning once, and checking that the center reaches 160°F.

Making a juicy lucy

Making a juicy lucy comes down to cold beef, a small folded piece of American cheese, a tight seam and patience at the stove. For your first batch, stick with plain American and 80/20 beef, then try pepper jack or a spoonful of pimento cheese once the seal comes naturally.