Today's topic is the stuffed burger! Also known as the Jucy Lucy in some locales, this is a patty that has cheese inside it, resulting in a very melted gooey experience. They can be delicious, but are also rather difficult to execute.
Another sample from my home kitchen:
2 slices pepper jack, on top
This thing took about 20 minutes on the heat, but it did cook through. Pepper and maybe salt were a bit too heavy. Cheese was nicely melted, bun was fine, proportions were reasonable (for a very large burger, at least). Overall, I'd give it a B, for reasons that we'll explore now.
Preparing a stuffed burger presents two challenges beyond a typical patty:
Thickness: It's essentially a double patty sealed around the edges. If you thought pressing patties thin enough was hard already, this is even scarier. I probably could have smashed it thinner, in retrospect. Thicker patties mean more time on the heat, and a harder time balancing doneness, moisture, and sear.
Drainage: Thick patties are difficult to exoleate. This one has liquid cheese in the middle, which releases even more oil. But if you go poking holes in it, you risk bursting the seal and letting the cheese spill out on the grill. It's tough to get right.
I solved the thickness problem adequately this time, starting with maybe 15 minutes on medium low heat with a lid, to cook the burger through most of the way before searing. I had added butter to the pan as well, and so I had to drain that out before the final searโat that point there was probably a quarter inch of liquid in the pan!
Drainage was not so easily solved, and I did not master it on this attempt. The bun didn't soak through with oil, though, so it turned out alright. There was probably too much cheese inside; two or even one slice might have been enough.
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience, but I wouldn't say this recipe is ready for prime time.
