So I've been making such a big deal about this Jucy Lucy burger at Matt's Bar in Minneapolis lately, eh?
I can't help it. The thing just sounds so good—a molten core of oozing cheese sandwiched between two patties. Well, since I'm not going to be on a plane bound for the Twin Cities anytime soon, I figure I'll try to make one. For the occasion, I've adapted a recipe from John T. Edge's book Hamburger & Fries. Lemme share it with you.
The Juicy Loosey - makes 4 burgers -
You'll need an unlikely piece of equipment to prepare this burger, but you should have it on hand already—an ordinary standard-issue toothpick. You'll want to quickly prick the distended patty after flipping it to allow steam to escape.
And, hey, YOU! Yes, you with the cheddar. Put that down. You MUST use American cheese on this. According to Mr. Edge, "Only those orange squares of vaguely plastic texture will achieve proper fluidity."
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (AHT recommends no leaner than 80%)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices American cheese (NOT cheddar; see note above)
4 buns
Your favorite condiments and toppings
Procedure 1. Place beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well. Portion into eight even units. Shape each portion into a thin round patty that's slightly larger than the cheese slice.
2. Fold cheese slices in half twice so you have a little stack of quartered cheese slices. Place a folded cheese stack on 4 the patties, covering cheese with remaining 4 patties.
3. Tightly crimp the edges of the patties together to form a tight seal.
4. Did you make a tight seal? I hope so, because it needs to be TIGHT to avoid a blowout as the cheese melts, creates steam, and tries to find its way out of its meaty prison.
5. Preheat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to medium heat (or fire up a medium-hot bed of coals on your backyard grill), and cook burgers over heat 3 to 4 minutes on first side. Burger may puff up due to steam from melting cheese. This is normal. Do not be alarmed.
6. Flip, and using toothpick, prick top of burger to allow for steam escape. Allow burger to cook 3 to 4 minutes on this side.
7. Remove patties from pan or grill. Bun those suckers, slap some condiments on, and dig in.
As someone who has been taken in by the Juicy Lucy and its cult following (at various bars) in Minneapolis and St. Paul, thank you for spreading the joy to the world!
I'm not the greatest cook in the world but I think I can handle this. After looking at so many pictures I must have this burger! So I am just going to make it myself.
I' ve been meaning to make this since 5/07 and I finally did (yeah, I'm slow)! My GOD it was good. Like ridiculously good! I paused just long enough to take before and after pictures! Then I wolfed that sucker down.
Oh my god! It's a rare occasion these days, but I LOVE going to Matt's Bar in South Minneapolis to eat these!! There is no burger, anywhere, that tops them!! ANYWHERE!! You may make a great recipe, but it will never be the same as actually eating there. Someone else commented about the fried onions...it's not a Jucy Lucy without the small diced, fried onions!
You should see this guy cook these burgers and onions. It's half the fun to go in there, sit at the bar and watch him load up a grill full. He's got a fairly small grill and he will line up the whole thing with burgers. They all sell....Then the he just has a huge stack of fried onions ready to take from. I'm salivating just thinking about it! Thanks guys...now I want one! Beware of the deadly molten cheese that you will encounter if you eat these too soon!! It's so hard to wait though...I endure the pain every time!
The Matt's experience an not be duplicated. Enestvmel talks about "the deadly molten cheese"--Matt's sells t-shirts that say "Fear the Cheese".........and you should.
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9 Comments:
That burger looks soooo d-i-r-t-y! I need to make one right now!! Great pic.
Hamburger texas blues at 12:48AM on 05/02/07
Oh. Dear. SweetHeavenlyGod. YES!!!!
Hamburger missb at 3:14AM on 05/02/07
As someone who has been taken in by the Juicy Lucy and its cult following (at various bars) in Minneapolis and St. Paul, thank you for spreading the joy to the world!
Hamburger Anonymous at 1:56AM on 06/18/07
I'm not the greatest cook in the world but I think I can handle this. After looking at so many pictures I must have this burger! So I am just going to make it myself.
smojo at 1:10PM on 01/31/08
You gotta grill those onions, son!
MF Grocery at 3:20PM on 05/15/08
I just tried this burger for day 14 of my national burger month celebrations... it was beautiful. beautiful. so far, among my top 5 this month.
eatabagel at 6:30PM on 05/15/08
I' ve been meaning to make this since 5/07 and I finally did (yeah, I'm slow)! My GOD it was good. Like ridiculously good! I paused just long enough to take before and after pictures! Then I wolfed that sucker down.
missbhavens at 7:34PM on 09/30/08
Oh my god! It's a rare occasion these days, but I LOVE going to Matt's Bar in South Minneapolis to eat these!! There is no burger, anywhere, that tops them!! ANYWHERE!! You may make a great recipe, but it will never be the same as actually eating there. Someone else commented about the fried onions...it's not a Jucy Lucy without the small diced, fried onions!
You should see this guy cook these burgers and onions. It's half the fun to go in there, sit at the bar and watch him load up a grill full. He's got a fairly small grill and he will line up the whole thing with burgers. They all sell....Then the he just has a huge stack of fried onions ready to take from. I'm salivating just thinking about it! Thanks guys...now I want one! Beware of the deadly molten cheese that you will encounter if you eat these too soon!! It's so hard to wait though...I endure the pain every time!
enestvmel at 4:20PM on 10/10/08
The Matt's experience an not be duplicated. Enestvmel talks about "the deadly molten cheese"--Matt's sells t-shirts that say "Fear the Cheese".........and you should.
anklet at 4:56PM on 10/10/08