Who doesn’t love a specially-curated burger with copious amounts of melted cheese? While Connecticut-style cheeseburgers are steamed and topped with melted cheese, Juicy Lucy burgers are sizable meat patties stuffed with cheese. Beyond preparing this one-of-a-kind burger in a hot pan over your stove, you may wonder if an air fryer can streamline the cooking process.
If you’re familiar with ultra cheesy Juicy Lucy recipes, then you know the makings of this epic burger are broken down into a handful of distinct steps. Luckily, with a little bit of prep work, you can make this meaty delight in your air fryer with ease. Air fryers have a reputation for being highly efficient. Therefore, this appliance’s interior convection-like fan can prepare multiple ingredients in no time.
To start, prepare your burgers by forming 2 pounds of beef into thin flat patties. Pile your cheese into the center of four patties and then cover with the remaining portions. To avoid cheese from spilling outward during the cooking process, when filling, break apart the American cheese slices and stack them toward the center of each patty. Additionally, press the edges of both patties together to ensure no cheese is visible from the outside.
When you’re ready to cook your burgers, add a bit of oil to the base of your fryer basket to prevent your meat from sticking. Alternatively, use silicone or parchment paper liners to prevent any melted cheese from falling through the cracks.
How to make tasty burger toppings in an air fryer
Surprisingly, cooking Juicy Lucy burgers in an air fryer doesn’t take long. At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, these cheese-filled patties should be ready to eat after 10 minutes or until your internal meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once you experience how easy it is to make Juicy Lucy burgers in your air fryer, next time, you may want to go the extra mile and use this handy appliance to prepare one or two savory toppings.
While you can certainly make caramelized onions fast with an easy steaming technique over your stove, preparing this tasty burger topping in an air fryer is just as efficient. Before frying your burgers, add sliced onions to your fryer basket with some oil and your favorite seasonings. Then, fry the onions at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 14 minutes, stirring intermittently.
If you’d rather add a meaty topping like bacon, cook it in your air fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping halfway through for a total of 16 minutes. To prepare your burger toppings one by one with less cleanup, line your fryer basket with each use. However, keep in mind that liners may prevent certain foods from crisping up within specified time frames and, in turn, may take longer to prepare.
