Posted on September 29, 2016

The Juicy Lucy – A Game Changer

The Juicy Lucy is standard fare on many restaurant menus in Minneapolis. Anyone who loves the classic hamburger with cheese will quickly become a fan. Credit for this culinary delight goes to both Matt's Bar and the 5- 8 Club in Minneapolis. Both establishments claim responsibility for the Juicy Lucy so in the interest of fair play we will give both kitchens a solid thumbs up. What makes this hamburger different from the traditional cheeseburger is the location of the cheese. Instead of placing the cheese on top of the patty the cheese is put inside the meat before cooking resulting in exceptional taste. Follow the recipe below for our version of the Juicy Lucy and feel free to share your own version of this classic burger!

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Ingredients

  • • 2 lb ground beef
  • • 1 tsp kosher salt flakes
  • • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • • ½ tsp onion powder
  • • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • • ¼ tsp ground pepper
  • • 8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
  • • 4 hamburger buns, split
  • • Lettuce, tomato slices & pickles

Preparation

  1. Mix together the ground beef, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Garlic and onion power is an optional addition. If your beef is freshly ground either by the butcher or yourself, only salt and pepper are necessary.
  2. Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions. Form each portion into a large flat meat patty; each about 4 inches in diameter.
  3. Cut the cheese into ½” cubes and divide the cubes into 4 equal portions.
  4. Scatter one portion of cheese cubes around the center of a single meat patty, leaving a little space between each cube. Be careful not to put cheese too close to the edges or it will leak out during grilling. Cover with another patty and seal the edges together.
  5. Preheat the Memphis Wood Pellet Grill to 650 F (700 F on some Memphis models). When the Memphis reaches temperature take out the EZ-Access Hatch and replace it with the Direct Flame Insert. Turn the ITC to the Open Flame 2 option (OF-2) and slide the grills back into place.
  6. Lightly oil the grill rack and place the 4 burgers above the direct flames. Grill for 3 – 4 minutes until grill marks appear on the bottom of the burgers. Refrain from pressing down on the burgers.
  7. Flip the patties over and grill for another 3-4 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 160 F in each burger before it comes off the grill.
  8. Slip the meat patties into the split buns, garnish and serve.