Juicy Lucy Turkey Burger

In May when we visited Minnesota, my friend, Karis, was telling my boyfriend about the infamous Juicy Lucy burger and he was intrigued. While we didn’t go anywhere that had them on the menu, I knew they couldn’t be too difficult to make; instead of putting the cheese on top, you simply put it inside. Given that I don’t eat red meat, I decided to use my turkey burger recipe instead. And they were fantastic. I wished I could have tried these on a grill, but since we don’t have one or any place to store one, I had to cook them on the stovetop. The key is to make sure not to overcook the burgers as the cheese inside will either disintegrate inside or cook out, leaving you with a pretty crappy non-juicy Lucy.

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 Tbsp. chopped onion

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1/2 Tbsp. dry mustard

1 Tbsp. paprika

1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

1/2 Tbsp cumin

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco sauce, optional

4 slices American cheese, quartered

In a large bowl, combine all the above ingredients until well blended. Form the turkey into eight small patties (about 1/8 pound each). Cut each slice of cheese in half, then in half again to form four squares. Stack the pieces on top of each other to form four stacks. Place one stack of cheese squares onto the center of one of the patties; top with the second patty and pinch the edges to form a tight seal. Cup each patty with your hands to round out the edges, and press on the top to flatten slightly into a single thick patty. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining portions of meat and cheese to form four patties in total. Cook in a saucepan or on the grill, turning occasionally to make sure the burgers are cooked thoroughly. Serve on buns with your favorite condiments and enjoy.