If you’ve never heard of a Juicy Lucy, you’re not alone. It’s one of those regional classics that hasn’t hit the mainstream in the way it deserves to. But once you try it, you’ll understand the hype. Personally, I think it’s the best burger in the world.
A Juicy Lucy (sometimes spelled Jucy Lucy) is a burger with the cheese stuffed inside the patty rather than melted on top. When done right, it’s molten, gooey, and incredibly satisfying. Originating in Minneapolis, it’s a Midwest treasure that’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.
We’re here to show you how to make one the way we do it at Beauregard’s – crisp sear, molten cheese, and beef that actually tastes like something.
What Is a Juicy Lucy Burger?
A Juicy Lucy is a double-patty burger with cheese sealed between the two layers of beef. As the burger cooks, the cheese melts inside and creates a cheesy core. It’s rich, indulgent, and best eaten fresh off the grill. No fancy tools required, just good beef, good cheese, and good technique.
Why the Beef Matters
There are two types of people in this world: those who think all ground beef is the same, and those who know better. If you’ve ever made a burger at home and wondered why it didn’t taste like the ones at your favorite butcher shop, it almost always comes down to the quality of the beef. Most pre-ground meat at the grocery store is made from trim, the leftover scraps of different cuts that are ground together. It’s inconsistent, often oxidized, and lacking in structure.
At Beauregard’s, we grind all of our beef in-house from whole-muscle cuts. That means no filler, no mystery meat, just clean, flavorful beef with fat content that’s balanced for flavor and searing. For a burger like the Juicy Lucy, that difference matters. You’re relying on that ground beef to form a tight seal around molten cheese. You need it to be cohesive, not crumbly. Structured, not sloppy.
And if you’re already going to the effort of cooking something this indulgent, you may as well do it right.
Juicy Lucy MasterClass – The Best Burger In The World
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: MediumIngredients
Ground beef (80/20 preferred—Beauregard’s house blend is perfect)
Cheddar or American cheese (sliced or shredded)
Potato buns (soft, slightly sweet)
Dijon mustard
Duke’s mayo
Dill pickles
Fresh tomato
Salt + pepper
Directions
- Slice your tomato
Start with thin tomato slices—Cam prefers about 4 oz. worth for the right balance of sourness and freshness to cut through the rich burger. - Form your patties
Take about 4 oz. of beef and flatten it out very thin. You want two rounds per burger. You can use a ring mold, but we usually just shape them by hand. Just make sure it’s thin enough so the cheese in the center cooks properly. - Add the cheese
Place about 1.5 slices of cheddar (or American) cheese in the center. Don’t let it reach the edges or you’ll get a cheese blowout. - Seal it tight
Top with your second patty and seal the edges all the way around—pinch it, press it, go around twice if needed. The tighter the seal, the better the melt. - Toast your buns
Non-negotiable. Toast those potato buns in a pan (or oven, toaster, broiler—whatever gets you golden brown edges). The crust adds flavor and keeps the bun from going soggy. - Sear your burger
Heat a pan with a bit of grapeseed oil and cook the burger hard on one side. No flipping early—let it develop a nice crust. Flip once and cook to medium-well so the cheese has time to melt fully. Don’t press it down. - Build it your way
Traditional toppings are ketchup, mayo, pickles, and maybe a bit of lettuce. Cam adds his own twist: a smear of Dijon, Duke’s mayo, dill pickles, thinly sliced tomato, and a leaf of iceberg if he’s feeling wild. Keep it simple; too many toppings will take away from the star of the show: that molten, cheesy core.
Recipe Video
Tips for Cooking a Juicy Lucy
- Don’t undercook – go for medium-well so the cheese melts.
- Use a soft bun like potato rolls for ideal texture.
- Let it rest before cutting to avoid a cheese blowout.
- Pickles and tomato cut through the richness – don’t skip them.
The Minneapolis Classic Comes to Boca Raton
We might be a long way from Minnesota, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cook one of their best-kept secrets in your own South Florida kitchen. At Beauregard’s, we carry everything you need to pull it off: from our signature 80/20 beef blend to our house-fermented pickles and chef-curated pantry goods.
In fact, we recently featured the Juicy Lucy at the 2025 Boca Burger Battle as our competing burger. While we didn’t walk away with a trophy, it was a hit with guests and we were proud to serve it up in support of a great cause.
And while we love to keep things traditional, we won’t judge if you make it your own. Add bacon. Try pimento cheese. Swap buns. But start with good beef, and everything else falls into place.
Who Invented the Juicy Lucy?
There’s some debate. Matt’s Bar and the 5-8 Club, both in Minneapolis, claim the title. We’ll leave that argument to the food historians. We’re just glad it exists.
👇 The Bottom Line
The secret to a Juicy Lucy isn’t just the cheese…it’s the beef.
If you’re in South Florida and want to try this recipe for yourself, stop by Beauregard’s Fine Meats & Butchery right here in Boca Raton.
At Beauregard’s, we grind all our beef in-house using carefully selected cuts. No trim, no filler, no antibiotics or hormones, just clean, flavorful happy beef with the fat content and texture you want for searing and stuffing. It holds together beautifully and tastes like real meat.
📍 Stop by the shop in Boca Raton and ask us about:
- Our house-ground beef blend
- What cuts to use for stuffed burgers
- How to cook them right
Whether you’re trying a Juicy Lucy for the first time or putting your own spin on it, we’ll set you up with beef that does the heavy lifting.
