Juicy Lucy Burger will be the best thing you put on the grill this summer! One bite of this juicy cheeseburger and you will be wondering why you ever put the cheese on top.
I have partnered with the Wisconsin Beef Council for the next few months to talk about important nutrition information and share some delicious recipes. All opinions expressed are my own.
I live in the beautiful state of Wisconsin where there are a lot of farms – somewhere around 69,754 to be exact.
With the rise of interest in the farm to fork movement, more people are interested in learning where the food they eat comes from. I am proud to say I have family and friends who are farmers – they are some of the hardest working people I know.
These are the people raising our food supply, helping nourish our families, and working around the clock to do so. If you’d like to learn more about a farm that happens to be in my area, check out this article and meet a farm family who may be raising the beef your family eats.
Keep reading to learn how to make a homemade burger easily.
From tailgating at Packer games (Go Pack!), to parties and BBQ’s, all you have to do is walk out the door in the summer months and you’ll smell burgers in the air!
Those of you living in the Midwest, especially those from Minnesota, will be familiar with this cheese stuffed burger: The Juicy Lucy.
My husband is a Golden Gopher – a graduate of the University of Minnesota. While that was years ago, along with his diploma, he brought back his love of the Juicy Lucy. Read the history of this cheese-filled burger here if you’d like the background story.
Having graduated from Wisconsin schools, I was happy to put a Wisconsin spin on this delicious burger – making it a Cheese Curd Juicy Lucy!
Watch to see just how simple this Cheese Stuffed Burger is to make:
Don’t have cheese curds in your area? No worries – you can use your favorite cheese instead.
How do you make homemade burgers? Here’s a step by step guide to building this cheese stuffed burger made with 100% beef:
Look in your pantry for lids from jars the size you’d like your burgers to be.
The goal is just a tad speck larger than the bun. I found small lids for the kid’s burgers and a larger lid for the adult-sized burger.
To make a juicy homemade burger, fat is needed to some extent.
I like to blend 90% lean beef with 80% lean beef. If you want a lower fat burger, use just 90% lean, but take care to not overcook and dry it out.
Disregard the nutrition info on these packages. The facts are based on 4 oz portions, which we are not making. We are going for 10 burgers at around 2.5 oz. portions, reducing the calories and fat.
There are just 22 calories in a moderate sized curd.
Just 1 cheese curd is needed. You can cut a mozzarella cheese stick into 5 pieces and use that too, or your favorite cheese. The smaller amount of cheese helps cut fat and calories from a typical cheeseburger.
In order to not get “domed” burgers, push down the middle as much as you can without revealing the cheese when forming the burger patty.
Season burgers with salt & pepper.
Grill 4 min. each side, flipping only once.
And don’t squeeze down on the burgers with the spatula while cooking! This squeezes the juice right out of the burger.
I like to toss the buns on the grill a couple of minutes before the burgers are done to get them nice and toasted.
No butter is necessary for toasting!
Top with tomato, lettuce, or your favorite condiments, but try to get those veggies in there!
One bite and you’ll never make another kind of burger! 🙂
A cheese stuffed Juicy Lucy homemade burger will be the best thing you put on the grill this summer! One bite of this juicy cheeseburger and you will wonder why you ever put the cheese on top.
Ingredients
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 lb. 80% lean ground beef
10 cheese curds or pieces of cheese
salt & pepper
10 hamburger buns
Instructions
Preheat grill to high heat.
With clean hands, mix beef together.
Line a lid the size of desired burgers with plastic wrap.
Place beef onto plastic wrap and make a small hole for cheese.
Place cheese into beef, cover with more meat.
Flip lid onto serving tray, pushing down to tightly form burger, remove any meat on the sides.
Remove lid and plastic wrap. Repeat for all burgers.
Grill burgers 4 minutes each side, flipping only one time. Do not push down on burgers while cooking!
Serve immediately on your favorite roll with desired condiments.
Do you want your children eating a more varied diet, but wonder how to get more fruit and veggies into their meals & snacks? This eBook is a fun filled way to get kids eating better while having age appropriate fun!
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I knew beef has a lot of protein, but didn’t realize how well it compares to other sources, especially quinoa. Guess that’s my cue to eat a lot more beef! I usually go with 90% as well, but sometimes when I’m in that mood I’ll do 85/15.
I love your trick for forming the patties! I hate the feel of ground meat on my hands … I know, weird, right. Using the mold and plastic wrap makes me happy, but also makes sure the patties are uniformly sized, which helps in cooking … all around win!
I agree, Noel! I am kind of obsessed with things being of the same size and food looking uniform, so this trick saved me in that way:) Super easy and made clean up a breeze!
Cheese curds and burgers are life in Wisconsin! I lived there for 26 years and had no idea that 69,000+ farms existed!! Can’t wait to make this for the next grill out!
I have had cheese stuffed burgers but never cheese curd. I have to go look for this.. I don’t think I every saw it here. Sounds so yum. Love all the dietary info you added to this post. Great info. Thanks f
Veena – you must find cheese curds somewhere! They are such a classic Wisconsin food. Make sure to eat them fresh, and at room temp! 🙂 They make for a mean burger too!
These would make such an awesome summer party meal. Nothing like homemade burgers with lots of cheese 🙂 You sure do have so many farms around and so much fresh ingredients to work with.
I love to cook with lean ground beef (I’m especially fond of grass fed), and I think your idea to put the cheese in the middle is brilliant! My boys grilled burgers tonight, so I sure wish I had read your post before then! They topped their burgers with guacamole and blue cheese. Hungry guys!!
A blue cheese burger is one of my favorites too, Liz! Next time give the cheese in the middle a try – that blue cheese would stay in the burger easier! 🙂
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karyld2016 says
I knew beef has a lot of protein, but didn’t realize how well it compares to other sources, especially quinoa. Guess that’s my cue to eat a lot more beef! I usually go with 90% as well, but sometimes when I’m in that mood I’ll do 85/15.
Create Kids Club says
I thought that chart was really interesting too! Now you have me thinking about a beef AND quinoa dish 🙂
Dene' V. Alexander says
Nothing like a good grilled hamburger, and there’s a cheese surprise inside?? These look yummy and they are cooked to perfection!
Create Kids Club says
I agree 100%, Dene’! It’s like summer in a bun 🙂
Noel Lizotte says
I love your trick for forming the patties! I hate the feel of ground meat on my hands … I know, weird, right. Using the mold and plastic wrap makes me happy, but also makes sure the patties are uniformly sized, which helps in cooking … all around win!
Create Kids Club says
I agree, Noel! I am kind of obsessed with things being of the same size and food looking uniform, so this trick saved me in that way:) Super easy and made clean up a breeze!
Jessica (Swanky Recipes) says
Cheese curds and burgers are life in Wisconsin! I lived there for 26 years and had no idea that 69,000+ farms existed!! Can’t wait to make this for the next grill out!
Create Kids Club says
That they are, Jessica! And yeah for a fellow Wisconsinite! I was surprised by how many there were as well – that’s A LOT of farms!
Adriana Martin (@ABRecipes) says
Nothing like a classic burger to enjoy grilling. Those big chunks of cheese inside are the bomb!
Create Kids Club says
I agree, Adriana! I like keeping it simple and the cheese sealed the deal 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
I have had cheese stuffed burgers but never cheese curd. I have to go look for this.. I don’t think I every saw it here. Sounds so yum. Love all the dietary info you added to this post. Great info. Thanks f
Create Kids Club says
Veena – you must find cheese curds somewhere! They are such a classic Wisconsin food. Make sure to eat them fresh, and at room temp! 🙂 They make for a mean burger too!
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
Oh wow! These look amazing. So perfect for cooking out and having friends over!
Create Kids Club says
Thanks Christine, they are the perfect BBQ item. Homemade, but simple! 🙂
geekswhoeat says
I love a stuffed burger! I’ve never tried using cheese curds, only soft cheeses. What a clever idea!
Create Kids Club says
It is a really delicious spin on a cheese filled burger. 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
Molly Kumar says
These would make such an awesome summer party meal. Nothing like homemade burgers with lots of cheese 🙂 You sure do have so many farms around and so much fresh ingredients to work with.
Liz Weiss says
I love to cook with lean ground beef (I’m especially fond of grass fed), and I think your idea to put the cheese in the middle is brilliant! My boys grilled burgers tonight, so I sure wish I had read your post before then! They topped their burgers with guacamole and blue cheese. Hungry guys!!
Create Kids Club says
A blue cheese burger is one of my favorites too, Liz! Next time give the cheese in the middle a try – that blue cheese would stay in the burger easier! 🙂
Rebecca | Nourish Nutrition Co says
this looks delish! PS I didn’t know that the Piggly Wiggly was a real store. I just know of it from “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” hahahahhahahahah
Megan says
We now make this burger recipe every time we grill! Yum.
★★★★★