Snacks on Snacks: Juicy Lucys

Most of the recipes we've seen so far have been fairly involved. Mine isn't. Mine doesn't require a smoker or hours of preparation. While you can add more to the juicy lucy, all you really need is a beef, cheese and a grill. Buns too, I guess, but whatever.

For those of you who are unaware, a juicy lucy is a burger where the cheese doesn't go on top of the burger patty, but in between two of them. We're not talking about a Kraft single here, either. You're gonna want to use big ole slices of cheese. It's a versatile sandwich that allows for as much customization as you can think of.

My personal favorite kind of juicy lucy is seasoned, hand formed patties with buffalo wing cheddar cheese in the middle, topped with bleu cheese crumbles and bacon. Yes, it's horrible for you, but pretty much everything you eat at a tailgate is anyway.

The Beef

I like to buy the big packs of 80/20 ground beef, rather than the preformed patties. Patties will work if you're in a hurry or don't want to get your hands dirty, but hand formed patties allow for easy seasoning of the beef. Also, 80/20 allows for a much juicier burger, which is the goal of all this. I suppose 90/10 will work too, but if you're trying to make a juicy lucy with 95/5 patties, you're missing the point.

For this specific recipe, you don't want to go too crazy with the seasoning because the cheese has so much flavor. I stick with a simple mix of salt, black pepper and garlic. You can use garlic powder if you need to, but I prefer to put 2-3 cloves into a garlic press and use that. Again, the types and amounts of seasoning you use can vary widely. If this particular recipe doesn't sound good to you (Note: If it doesn't, you're a gotdamned communist), use whatever you like. If you like a lot of heat, try pouring hot sauce into the bowl with the meat while you're mixing it up.

The Cheese

The cheese is the star of the show. I use the buffalo wing cheddar made by Yancey's Fancy, but they're a local Buffalo company. I know you can get their stuff in Wegmans, but their distribution area may not reach down into PA or other nearby regions. If it doesn't, it's your loss because this cheese is absolutely unreal. It's spicy and rich and flavorful and I'm drooling. I normally cut two rectangular slices, about 1/8" thick. You don't want to use too much cheese, as it may not completely melt in the middle if you do.

The What Have You

It's bacon and bleu cheese. They make everything better. You don't have to add them if you don't want to, but just know that if you don't, it's a black mark on your character.

The Process

Get your grill ready as you normally would. When putting together the burgers, make sure to crimp the two patties together to form a seal, as you don't want them leaking while they're still on the grill. It's a mess. Grill the burgers to taste, add your accoutrements to taste, and enjoy.

Simple and delicious.