Father's Day Menu: Jucy Lucy Burgers and Ice Cream Cake

 

You may have noticed that this past Sunday was Father's Day. My dad is not a foodie like me. My dad would probably eat cardboard if I sprinkled cheese on it, and the worst complaint I'd probably get is "it would be ok if you didn't make that again." Bottom line: my dad will eat anything. However, every once in a blue moon, my dad surprises me by really liking something we eat. A few years back, by parents came to visit us in Minnesota, and we went out for Jucy Lucys. There a few places in the Twin Cities that claim to have invented the Jucy Lucy, a special burger that has the yummy melted cheese inside the patty. You can read more about it by clicking here. Well, on a whim I decided to take my parents to one of these establishments, the 5-8 Club. I told my dad about the folklore that both the 5-8 Club and Matt's Bar claim to have invented this burger. We ate Jucy Lucys, Dad loved it, and then declared that we would have to go to Matt's Bar the next night to test out their version. So we did! Dad preferred the version at Matt's Bar (a dive by any definition) and we returned when my family was next in town. So, when I scratched my head as to what we should make to eat for Father's Day, I had an epiphany. I had seen an episode of Cook's Country where they made Jucy Lucys from scratch. We did that this weekend, and they came out great! My dad was quite pleased. The recipe for Jucy Lucys that I followed is at the end of this post.

So, do you think I took any pictures of these monster burgers before we ate them all? Of course not. So you'll just have to drool looking at the pictures of the ice cream cake we made! It was a huge hit! My mom is always my sous chef on these little adventures and she was quite inspiring when we did this:

 

Not the best pictures I realize, but this was after we ravaged the cake.

I have made this once before, but we took it to a whole new level this time! My mom had the genius idea to get ice cream with the candy bars in it rather than chop them up. Trust me when I say this is so easy! You simply layer ice cream sandwiches and softened ice cream! So here's more or less what I did:

 

Ice Cream Cake:

1 box square or rectangular ice cream sandwiches (you could really get creative here, but we went with vanilla filled with the traditional chocolate cookie. We actually found a 16-pack of mini-sandwiches that were the perfect size for the pan!)

1 quart (actually a pint would probably suffice) of ice cream of your choice, slightly softened. Our was plenty soft by the time we got home from the grocery store because we had a special, extra-chatty checkout experience. We got a Snickers ice cream because my dad's favorite candy bar is Snickers. The last time I made it I chopped up the candy bars (I think I did Twix). This was WAY easier. Again, you could go to town with any flavor ice cream.

1 12-oz. container of Cool Whip, thawed 

1/2 cup hot fudge, plus additional for serving

1/2 cup caramel sauce for serving

 

Line a loaf pan (the one we used was about 4" x 8") with foil-this makes it easier to get out later. Line up ice cream sandwiches end to end in the bottom, squishing to fit if needed. We used mini-sandwiches, which were about 1.5" x 4" and we got 6 in there. Spread softened ice cream so that you have about an inch of ice cream (probably a cup, but I obviously didn't measure it out.) Then, if your hot fudge is really thick, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, then spread about 1/2 cup of hot fudge in the loaf pan. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches, and a final layer of ice cream until you reach the top of the pan. Freeze in loaf pan for 2-3 hours until fairly firm. Remove from freezer and if needed allow to thaw slightly to enable you to get it out of the pan. Invert the loaf pan on a platter or other freezer-safe dish. Remove foil gently. "Frost" the cake with Cool Whip, using a spatula to smooth. You'll use most of the 12 oz. container, making a thick layer of frosting. Return cake to the freezer for at least 2 hours, or over night. Remove about 5 minutes before serving, then cut into 1" slices and serve with extra hot fudge and caramel. Makes about 6-8 slices.



Jucy Lucy Burgers (from Cook's Country by America's Test Kitchen)
Prep time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Minneapolis taverns are famous for serving a sandwich called the Jucy Lucy, a moist beef burger stuffed with American cheese. Replicating the Jucy Lucy recipe seemed easy enough—simply seal a slice of American cheese between two beef patties and throw it on the grill. But our burgers, cooked to well-done to melt the cheese inside, were dry and tough. Or worse, the cheese melted through the meat, leaving an empty cavern where the cheese had been. We wanted to figure out how to keep the Lucy juicy and hold the cheese inside. To keep the cheesy center of our recipe in place, we created a double-sealed pocket by wrapping a chunk of cheese inside a small beef patty and then molding a second patty around the first. Grilling the burgers over medium heat fully cooked the burgers and melted the cheese inside. Adding a panade—a mixture of bread and milk mashed into a paste—to the ground beef kept the burgers moist and juicy.

** Straight from the grill, the cheesy center of the Jucy Lucy will be molten hot. Be sure to let the burgers rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. **

INGREDIENTS

§     2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into rough pieces

§     1/4 cup milk

§     1 teaspoon garlic powder

§     3/4 teaspoon salt

§     1/2 teaspoon pepper

§     1 1/2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef

§     4 slices deli American cheese, each slice folded into quarters

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using potato masher, mash bread, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl until smooth. Add beef and gently knead until well combined.

2. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Divide each portion into 2 equal portions. Mold  1 portion of meat around 1 piece of cheese, then mold the second around the mini-patty with the cheese. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

3. Grill burgers over medium fire until well browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

STOVETOP JUCY LUCY BURGERS

Prepare Grilled Jucy Lucy Burgers through step 2. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes. Flip burgers, cover skillet, and continue cooking until well-done, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

FORM A JUCY LUCY

To avoid a burger blowout, it’s essential to completely seal in the cheese. Don’t worry about overworking the meat-adding milk and bread to the ground beef ensures tender, juicy burgers every time.

Now one of these days I'll come up with some clever catch phrase like Paula Deen has ("Love and Best Dishes!") but until then,
All my love,
Kelli