Not your average cheeseburger, this burger is stuffed with caramelized onions and plenty of buttery sharp cheddar cheese! This stuffed burger is commonly called a Juicy Lucy, and my version also has crispy bacon and smoky barbecue sauce!
This post is sponsored by Tillamook. As always, all opinions here are my own.
Oh my, you guys, I’m SO excited to be sharing this recipe here with you guys. A good cheeseburger is hard to beat… but if it’s a juicy Lucy cheeseburger, well, I think it’s unbeatable! Here in the Midwest, we love our cookout season, and I promise if you make this ultimate juicy Lucy stuffed burger, you’ll be the absolute star of the cookout!!
Now, you may be wondering what the heck a Juicy Lucy is… and you’re not alone. Outside of the Midwest, it may just be referred to as a stuffed cheeseburger, or maybe you’ve never even heard of such a thing. Read on for all the details!
WHAT’S IN A JUICY LUCY BURGER
It’s basically an inside out cheeseburger. Instead of the cheese being melted over the top of the burger, it’s stuffed inside, creating a gooey core of melted cheese. The Juicy Lucy originated in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but over the years many Midwestern bars and restaurants have created their own adaptations.
WHAT KIND OF CHEESE IS USED IN A JUICY LUCY OR STUFFED BURGER
Whatever kind you’d like! I love a great buttery sharp cheddar cheese, and that’s why I always reach for Tillamook Sharp Cheddar. I’ve tried a lot of cheeses over the years, and Tillamook’s is hands down the best! I love how the naturally aged cheddar really takes this stuffed burger to a whole new level. When you’re using just a few ingredients, you really want to make sure they’re the best quality! Tillamook is expanding nationwide, so check out this handy tool to find out where to buy their amazing products!
Normally cheddar cheese isn’t all that ultra melty, but just look at how deliciously gooey it got in this stuffed burger!
HOW LONG DO YOU COOK A STUFFED BURGER/JUICY LUCY
It all depends on how “done” you like your hamburgers. For me, a medium well is perfect. With the cheese stuffed inside, you have to make sure to cook the burger long enough to melt the cheese. If you like your burger cooked more on the medium-rare side, make sure to use room temperature shredded cheese, as it will melt faster. For a nicely cooked medium well burger, on my stovetop, about 7-8 minutes on one side, then another 5 on the other is perfect. Every stove will be different, so it may take some experimenting to get it perfect for you.
WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO STUFF A BURGER WITH
Oh this is a fun one… and the answer is just about anything! Here I’ve gone with cheese and caramelized onions, but feel free to experiment with the flavors once you’ve got the method down. These are some great options:
- Pepperjack cheese and jalapeño slices
- Mac and cheese (a great way to use up any leftovers from this family favorite recipe)
- Cheddar and bacon bits
- Cheddar, cream cheese and jalapeño
- Guacamole
HOW HARD IS IT TO COOK A JUICY LUCY BURGER
It’s not terribly difficult, but it may take a little practice to get the burger construction down pat. You have to make sure there are no holes in the burger after you’ve stuffed it, or you’ll have a cheese leak. Even if that happens, don’t worry, they’re still totally edible and delicious, you may just have a little extra clean up to do afterwards. Kitchen mishaps happen to everyone, trust me! No one is perfect 🙂
Now that we’re heading into Summer, I hope you’re ready for some seriously awesome cookouts and summer bbq’s. Give this cheese stuffed burger recipe a try… I think you’ll love this twist on a cheeseburger!
HELPFUL TOOLS
- Cast Iron Skillet – this pan will give you the BEST sear on your burgers!
- Wax paper sheets – I hate having to rip sheets off a roll, so I use these all the time.
- Box grater – in case you don’t have one, this is what I use to shred all my cheeses.
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Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced or diced
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (75 or 80% lean)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (Tillamook is my favorite brand)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp butter
- your favorite all natural barbecue sauce
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted (potato, sesame seed, brioche, etc)
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add bacon strips and heat over MED-LOW heat. Cook until bacon is cooked to your desired crispness, then transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to cool. Drain all but about a tablespoon of the bacon grease, reserving that last Tbsp in the pan.
- Increase heat under the same skillet to MED heat. Add sliced onion and cook 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove onions to a plate, and turn off heat.
- Divide the beef into 8 equal portions and shape into balls. On a flat surface, lay down a sheet of wax paper and top with a ball of ground beef. Top with another sheet of wax paper and use a flat bottomed pan to press the meat into 1/4-1/2 inch patties. Repeat with remaining patties.
- To one of the thin patties, top with 1/8 cup cheddar cheese, a tablespoon or two of the onions, and another 1/8 cup cheese. Leave a border around the patty. Top with another thin patty, pressing the edges of the top and bottom patty together to seal well. Shape into a thick burger patty. *See recipe notes section below for a video instruction link to this part*
- Double check burger to make sure there are no holes, then season well with salt and pepper.
- In the same skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and the butter and heat over MED heat. Add burgers to pan (I like to cook 2 burgers at a time to make sure I have room to flip them carefully), and cook approximately 8 minutes, until burgers are brown up the sides. Use a wide spatula and carefully flip burger to the other side and cook another 5 minutes or so, until golden brown.
TO ASSEMBLE
- Add bbq sauce and bacon to the bottom bun, top with burger, top with additional caramelized onions and a drizzle of more bbq sauce. Top with the top bun and enjoy!
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Chef Tips
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Ed says
Wife Loved them, she’s down with a broken arm. If a non-cook like me can make them and they turn out, anyone can. We gave them 5 stars.
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Ed 🙂 So happy to hear you gave these a shot and loved them! I hope your wife’s arm heals well.
Jeanne says
Our Jucy Lucy is Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, diced black olives and a couple of dashes of Cholulu hot sauce. I garlic and Burger Bomb both sides before grilling with Competition Pellets on our pellet grill. Its the best hamburger anywhere
Cujo says
Wicked recipe cheddar cus it’s the best cheese.
Big Chef "Rich-Boi" Ardee says
So I made these with my own twist, I filled the burgers with mozzarella, caramelized onions and bacon lardons, then topped the burger with sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese. I used 80% lean beef and toasted the buns with a roast garlic sauce spread on them. I was a little skeptical, I was sure they would fall apart on me, but they held together nicely and ,using the cooking instructions you gave, came out amazing. Probably the best burgers I’ve ever cooked. Thank you so much for the recipe, I’m sure I will frequent it often.
Brandi says
DELICIOUS thank you
Ashea says
I made something similar to these, but instead of the bacon on the outside, i put them in my food processer, added some crispy brisket & mixed the meats with the cheese before putting my burgers together. I also put my onions inside my burger meat along with adding in the salt & pepper, Worcestershire, a hit of BBQ, & a little drizzle of cooled bacon grease, they came out divine!
pat says
l wrap burgers along with sliced onions and bake 1hr at 400 degree. makes 4 burgers. check for doneness in HR. cooks to med well. add more time if needed. onions soft and tender
Ashley says
My fiancé was mind blown! Thanks for the fun twist on a classic!
Pamela Behr says
Lucky to live in the Twin Cities and Juicy Lucy always rank the #1 burger here every year. Cheddar, Blue Cheese or Jalapeno all are amazing in a Juicy Lucy.
Stacy says
The name of your “local” burger really caught my eye! 🙂 In the Pac NW we call those stuffed burgers and Tillamook cheese is a MUST! {I like you already.} This was the first time I used grilled onion inside the burger and it was divine. My husband is a hunter, so we used venison instead of beef. And since spring is early we warmed up the Traeger and smoked those juicy Lucy burgers. So good!
Diana Lopes says
Caramelized onion is the best. I loved it when my mom used to make it and it’s about time I try it for myself!
Sandra | A Dash of Sanity says
Looks like a new favorite for weeknights! I can’t wait to give this a try!
Ashlyn says
This burger looks insanely delish! I am drooling over here!
Krista says
I love a burger! These I have to try asap!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Get in my belly! This looks so good.
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
These are seriously the best burgers ever!
Allyson Zea says
If only I could make this burger look as delicious you did, I would make it everyday! Looks soooooo good!
Meghan @ Cake 'n Knife says
Awwwwww YAS this is right up my alley. Making these ASAP!
Rosemary says
You have the most amazing burger recipes, and yes this is my next must make burger. Thanks for the recipe.
Amy Nash says
That is one fantastic looking burger! I love how the cheese just oozes out of the inside! Messy burgers are the best!