G.I.P.'s Juicy Lucy's two ways
Ingredients and POL (notice it's an Australian Penny I thought it fitting since i was competing head to head against an Aussie )
Burger prep:
4 patties made, two with cheese crumbled into them(1; Monterrey pepper-Jack W/ added fresh peppers from this years plants, the other: cheddar)
Patties fully formed with all that goodness hidden inside, and Bacon blankets weaved.
Burgers in the cast iron on grill sideburner with some Jalapenos blackening up in the pan with em
Bacon blankets and sliced Jalapenos on the grill
Buns toasted on the grill, then prepped
(Texas Creek chipotle BBQ sauce and grilled Jalapeno slices for the Cheddar Juicy Lucy, and Brainstrail Aioli, lettuce and tomato for the Monterrey pepper-Jack W/ added peppers Juicy Lucy)
Juicy Lucys with their Bacon blankets
All stacked up and ready to be Devoured
Juicy Lucy #1 (with Monterrey pepper-Jack cheese, fresh peppers from the garden, Brainstrain aioli, lettuce, and tomato )
Juicy Lucy #2 (with Cheddar, Texas Creek chipotle BBQ sauce and grilled Jalapeno slices
A little background on the Juicy Lucy, for those that didn't know what a Juicy Lucy is;
Two bars in Minneapolis, Matt’s and the 5-8 Club, have competing claims to being the creator of the infamous Juicy Lucy burger (or Jucy Lucy, depending on whom you’re talking to)
Whichever version you prefer, these cheese-stuffed burgers ooze cheesy goodness with every bite!
Tips/hints:
While American cheese is standard in a Juicy Lucy, other cheeses that melt well, such as cheddar or pepper-jack, can be (and IMO should be) substituted.
You want to use some fatty beef like 75/25 i used 73/27 as thats what was available
If you can get your butcher to do a coarse fresh grind for you, get it !
The difference in quality between fresh ground and the pre measured 5lb packaged "logs" of ground beef (even with same fat %) is pretty striking. Tightly packed beef shrinks during cooking, squeezing out juices and fat. Fresh ground meat, on the other hand, has a much looser texture. As it cooks, fat melts, forming little nooks and crannies in its internal structure for juices to rest in, rather than being forced out of the patty.
So, while making the patties, keep in mind you want the cheese to not ooze out of the patty while cooking, but you also dont want to compact the meat too tight.
Also, make sure the burger patties rest after cooking so that the juices redistribute in the meat and the cheese isn’t dangerously hot when you bite into the center.
Thank you for taking the time to look at my Juicy Lucy burgers