Photo: The CounterJuicy Lucy
A Minneapolis classic brought west: the cheese is sealed inside the patty, so the first bite releases a small flood. Caramelised onions, pickles and a tangy sauce balance the richness. Let it rest for a minute before you bite in, or the molten centre will teach you why.
The story
Two bars in south Minneapolis, a few blocks apart on Cedar Avenue, both claim to have invented this in the 1950s, and neither has ever conceded. Matt’s Bar spells it Jucy Lucy, missing the i, and says a customer asked for cheese in the middle; the 5-8 Club spells it properly and disputes the whole account. The argument is now part of the dish. What both agree on is the warning: molten cheese sealed inside a patty comes out at a temperature that will take the roof off your mouth.
What’s inside
Make it at home
There is no copycat of the Juicy Lucy yet. Until there is, these recipes on the site come closest to it, judged by what goes into the bun.
- Shares beef and cheese
TOP 2McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese (Copycat) - Shares beef and cheese
Baby You Can Chive My Car - Shares beef and cheese
Homemade Smash Burgers - Shares beef, cooked onions and cheese
Fat Mimolette Bacon & Fried Onion Burger
Variations
The Juicy Lucy, taken somewhere it was never meant to go.
Similar burgers at other chains
Built around the same things as the Juicy Lucy.- White Castle · beef, cooked onions and cheese
SignatureCheese Slider - PNY · beef, cooked onions and cheese
Jucy Lucy - Rekas Burgers · beef, cooked onions and cheese
SignatureMalmö Smash - Emmy Squared · beef, cooked onions and cheese
SignatureEmmy Burger
More from The Counter
About The Counter
Jeff Weinstein opened The Counter in Santa Monica in 2003 with one gimmick that turned out to be a very good idea: instead of a menu, you get a clipboard and a pencil. You tick your protein, cheese, toppings, sauce and bun from a checklist, and the combinations run into the millions.
Restaurants across the US, with franchises abroad. Headquartered in Culver City, California.
Not affiliated with The Counter. Trademarks belong to their owners. The photo is credited under it and is used to illustrate this menu item; it comes down on request.