Learn to make awesome air fryer burgers that are stuffed with delicious, melty cheese! You’ll LOVE this easy air fryer Juicy Lucy recipe!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb lean ground beef (454 grams; I used 90/10 ground burger)
- 1 tablespoon your favorite burger seasoning
- 3 slices Muenster cheese (23 grams per slice; can substitute with your favorite sliced cheese)
- cooking oil spray.
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INSTRUCTIONS
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With clean hands, thoroughly mix the seasoning and ground beef together.
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Divide the beef mixture into 6 equal pieces. Make 3 of the pieces into very flat and large (4-inch/10 cm diameter) patties with no holes. Make the other 3 pieces into balls.
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Cut each slice of the cheese into four pieces. Stack four pieces (one slice) of cheese atop each of the flattened patties.
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Take the burger pieces that you formed into balls. Flatten each one out and use them to completely cover the cheese on the patties. Seal the edges of each burger. The cheese should now be completely encased within each patty.
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Mist an air fryer rack with the cooking spray. Your burgers should all fit on one rack in a single-layer (if you have a large air fryer oven).
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Put the rack with the burgers in the top position in the oven. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Then carefully flip the burgers and replace the rack in the top position in the oven. Bake for an additional 5 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
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This recipe makes burgers that are cooked to medium doneness. Minimum safe internal temperature for ground beef is 160°F (71°C), which is well done. Feel free to adjust the cooking times to match your preferences.
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Let the burgers rest for a few minutes before topping as desired. Enjoy!
NOTES
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). The overall energy balance of this meal will ultimately depend on what you serve it with. If you wanted to lighten up the burger specifically, I’d skip the cheese and use extra lean (96/4) beef.Really though, the added starches (bun, fries, etc.) are the factors that tend to bump the calories in burger meals without an equally large bump in feelings of fullness. If you get your burger from a fast food place, sugary soda pop is often included as well.
I tend to photograph my burgers with big, fluffy white buns for aesthetic purposes on the website. For an everyday meal that isn’t photographed, I’m far more likely to make a burger bowl or serve the burger in a lettuce wrap.
To make a burger bowl, take your favorite raw leafy greens and top them with chopped burger. Add lots of other non-starchy veggies (caramelized onion, pickled jalapeno, and tomato are nice). Finish with a little drizzle of ketchup, BBQ sauce, or your favorite burger sauce and you’ll have a low-calorie meal.
If you’re after a high-energy meal and you want to keep the bun, I highly recommend toasting it. The Juicy Lucy will make your burger bun soggy quickly if it is not toasted. (It is “juicy,” after all.)
Toast buns cut-side up in an air fryer preheated to 400F (200C) for 2 minutes. (Feel free to add another minute or two to the air fry time if they aren’t toasted to your liking.)
Nutrition information is for one serving and does not include the burger bun or toppings.
NUTRITION
Calories: 363kcal Carbohydrates: 1.3g Protein: 34.3g Fat: 21.7g Saturated Fat: 10g Sodium: 996.7mg Calcium: 10% DV Iron: 20% DV
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