“Jucy Lucy” burgers with a hot cheese and bacon filling in the center.
American cheese singles were a part of my life long before I had a choice in the matter. My mother raised me on them. We even had a special container designated solely for holding both white and yellow American cheese singles inside. It was then as it is now our go-to cheese for making the best grilled cheese and cheeseburgers.
It’s no secret I come from a family of burger lovers. We love trying out new burger recipes together, some fancy and some not so but the “Jucy Lucy” is one we will always come back to.
For making “Jucy Lucy” burgers American cheese works best for achieving the molten middles. No other cheese can melt into a liquid puddle the way American cheese does.
Crispy pieces of bacon add another layer of flavor and make this a new favorite way to eat bacon cheeseburgers.
The burgers come with a warning! The cheese gets so hot that it can cause burns. Restrain the urge to bite into them immediately and let them rest a few minutes before serving (especially to children).
“Jucy Lucy” burgers with a hot cheese and bacon filling in the center.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Divide beef into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a tightly packed ball. Working with one ball at a time divide into 2 equal portions. Flatten them into a circle on a cutting board. Fold a slice of cheese in half twice so you have 4 squares of cheese and place in middle of burger. Cover the cheese with bacon crumbles and place the other patty on top so. Crimp the edges together to seal them, the cheese will make a bump on top. Repeat until all 4 burgers are ready. Season the tops with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat (alternately you can grill them) and cook burgers over heat 5 minutes on first side (the cheese bump should facing up). Flip the burgers and poke the tops of the burgers with a toothpick to let steam escape. Cook 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let burgers rest a few minutes (especially when serving to children) as cheese is molten hot and can cause burns. Serve on buns with the condiments of your choice.
Notes
Watch a video showing how to make these.
Adapted from Heavy Table


















Are you from Minnesota? I only ask because two bars in Minneapolis (near where I am from) claim to be the origin of the burger. ;-) It’s only recently that I’ve even heard of people outside my former state knowing much about them. But it’s worth it because they are delicious.
The purist/original version is cheese only, but bacon sounds like a fantastic addition.
Man vs. Food did a show on both places and showed how they make them!
This looks like a great way to make a burger. After all – Bacon makes it better.