During a time when space was the final frontier, near an area where hot dishes reigned supreme, someone asked “what would happen if we put the cheese inside the burger?”. In the true style of going where no man has gone before, the stuffed burger known as the Juicy Lucy was invented in by two bars in Minneapolis. Versions of the original have cropped up all over the place. This behavior is encouraged.
Burger competitions are fairly common across the US. Sutter Home Family Vineyards has been hosting the Build A Better Burger Contest for 28 years now. There is a World Burger Championship in Alabama. Iowa, home of this recipe, even has their own burger competition sponsored by the Iowa Beef Industry Council. If you enter one, let me know, just because I’m curious.
Ok, so let’t talk more about this specific Star Wars inspired burger. The steps are simple, but how does one ensure the patties are evenly formed? I rolled out my ground beef and used a biscuit cutter to form the patties. Each of the 16 patties was perfectly shaped to match up with another patty. You don’t have to be this precise. Each patty should be about 2 ounces, making each of these burgers about a quarter of a pound before you add the filling.
This filling leaves a lot of room for creativity. I like to pretend that I don’t know that processed cheese is American cheese. When the boys were little, they called American cheese “College Cheese”. We were at a dairy, viewing the cheese making process through a window. They wanted to go in and help. “I know how to make cheese,” my middle child (although he was the youngest then) explained. “You get some milk and then you add cheese to it and that’s how you make cheese.” “Not quite,” I explained nicely. “You have to go to college to learn how to do it the right way,” my husband elaborated. Of all the cheese selection at the dairy, they chose American cheese to become college cheese. 
Maybe my husband had said something to them about college students eating it also? Regardless, they aren’t big fans of college cheese. I used some gouda I had around for the core of the burgers.
After judging at the Worldwide Mustard Competition, I had to also pretend that I wasn’t aware that the prepared mustard that was mentioned was plain old yellow mustard. I surveyed the contents of my fridge and used the remnants of something Dijon-y that paired well with the gouda.
And to further deviate, I grilled the burgers instead of broiling them. We had to try out the new grill. And I didn’t have skewers to fill with relishes. But you know, what? I don’t think it mattered to anyone. 
You can’t quite see the ooziness of these burgers from the photos, but they oozed. Everyone that wanted one was able to have seconds. They haven’t asked me to make them again yet, but they will. These burgers were truly out of this world!
The recipe:
To make this into a picnic, may I suggest Potato Salad, Cabbage Salad, Sour Cream Lima Beans, Blueberry Salad Mold, and some Champion Apple Pie.
Broilers were a big deal in the fifties. They were a pain to clean though. I don’t think Grandma and Grandpa ever had a grill but some of my aunts and uncles did. These burgers sound good. I seem to remember my mother putting Velveta inside of burgers sometime or other. We had a grill but I don’t remember who it was that used it. I can’t really imagine Mother using it but I don’t remember my dad using it either.
Mmm! Beef is one of my all-time favourite indulgences, and these Blast-Off Burgers look amazing.
I love your child’s description of how to make cheese, by adding cheese to milk. I laughed out loud.
They were so young and cute. As they get older, their humor changes so much. We laugh with them more and less at them.