The Famous “Juicy Lucy” | Cooking The States (Minnesota)
Minnesota might be known for lakes and cold weather, but they should also be known for this burger. The “Juicy Lucy” or “Jucy Lucy” as it’s sometimes spelled, is THE molten, stuffed burger of your dreams. If you're a Minneapolis native, you know the story of 5-8 and Matt's Bar, both places claim to have invented the Juicy Lucy Burger sometime in the mid 1900s. Who's is better? Well, that's a topic for another episode - we're going to focus on making the best possible Juicy Lucy at home with the perfect Juicy Lucy Burger Recipe. From the Juicy Lucy Cheeseburger to a Homemade Juicy Lucy, we'll dive into the secrets for crafting the Best Juicy Lucy Recipe that you'll be proud to share with family and friends. I hope you dig! 🤘🏼 Adam
P.S. For the caramelized onion technique, check the recipe here.
useful stuff…
Adam's Juicy Lucy
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add yeast, sugar and water to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it activate for 5 minutes. Once bubbly, add the milk, egg, and flour on top. Attach the dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and semi-sticky, about 4 minutes.
- With the machine running, begin dropping in the butter little by little, waiting to add more until each piece is fully incorporated into the dough. Once the butter is fully worked in, add the salt and process until it's worked in and the dough passes the window test. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a smooth ball. Line a mixing bowl with oil, plop the smooth dough ball inside, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled or nearly doubled in size.
- Line a sheet tray with a Sil-pat mat or parchment paper. Gently turn the dough out back onto the lightly floured surface and portion the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape the pieces into disc shaped pieces and arrange on the baking sheet.
- Mix the egg yolks and water together and lightly brush each bun with that egg wash. Let the buns rest uncovered for another hour, or until the buns are noticeably larger and puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Brush on a second layer of egg wash and sprinkle over some sesame seeds. Bake the buns for 15 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Remove them from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. The burger buns will keep in a plastic bag for 3-4 days, or in a tightly sealed bag in the freezer for 3 months. Do not refrigerate the buns short term or they’ll dry out quickly.
- Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium low heat. Once melted, add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Slowly cook the onions, stirring every few minutes until the onions are deeply browned but not burned, anywhere from 30-45 minutes.
- Divide the meat into half pound balls and tear the cheese up into manageable pieces. Flatten a ball of beef with your hand and place some cheese in the center. Close the ball back up ensuring that the cheese remains in the center.
- Bring a cast-iron pan up to high heat. Using a hefty spatula, press the stuffed beef ball into a thin-ish paddy. Allow the burger to cook for a couple minutes, until deeply brown and crispy, then flip and cook the other side the same way. Remove the burger from the heat and allow to drain over paper towels.
- Prepare a lightly toasted burger bun by spreading on some mayonnaise and laying down some caramelized onions and pickles on the *bottom* bun. Place the juicy lucy burger patty over the onions and pickles. Top with the other bun. Allow to cool slightly before chomping down or else… cheese burn. Not good. Serve with fries and SMASH.
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