Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 is best)
- 3 slices American or Velveeta cheese
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
- Burger buns
- Red onions
- Lettuce
- Ketchup
Preparation
Step 1
The first trick is to use cheap cheese. You don’t want something fancy. Even cheddar is too fancy and won’t get properly melted. You want American cheese or Velveeta slices. Something that melts into a river.
The second trick is to make big burgers. 1/3 of a pound per burger is about the minimum that will work.
If you’re starting with a pound of beef, divide it into 6-ounce balls and then split each of those in half. Flatten them into patties and then stack your cheese on a half. You want to use a whole slice per burger.
Take your time covering the cheese with the other half of each burger. Really shape the patty well, working out any air that might be in there and also sealing it well around the edges. Then season each patty with salt and pepper and make a small indent in the center of each one.
Cooking a juicy lucy is a little tricky. You can absolutely use a grill, but let me make the case for the skillet or griddle. If you make even a small mistake in your burger prep, then your cheese melts, it will leak out all over the place. If you are cooking on a grill, it’ll just spill between the grates. If you’re using a skillet, the cheese will actually sear and close up on the burger.
The third trick on nailing this burger is heat control. You want to keep these on about medium heat. If you get them too hot, they will sear on the outside but not cook all the way through. Too low and you won’t get a sear.
The burgers are nice and thick and they will need to cook for 5-6 minutes per side. Patience is a virtue. Don’t mess with them too much or you run the risk of breaking through to the cheese.
To finish the cooking process and really make the cheese molten melted, I recommend adding some water to your pan and slapping on a lid or bowl. This will steam the burger, finishing the cooking process and also completely melting the cheese. Just 45-60 seconds will do the trick.
No need to top the burger with more cheese obviously so just serve it on a nicely toasted bun with your favorite toppings.