Step 1: Form the Patties

Divide the ground beef into two equal portions.
Flatten the first portion into a patty about ¼-inch thick. Take one slice of American cheese, fold it, then quarter it and place it in the center of the patty. Repeat with the second slice, stacking the cheese in the middle while leaving plenty of room around the edges.
Flatten the second portion of beef to match the size of the first patty and place it directly on top.

Step 2: Seal the Burger

Pick up the burger and carefully pinch the edges together, sealing the cheese completely inside. Work your way around the entire burger, forming a nice, round patty. Make sure there are no openings where cheese can escape during cooking.

Step 3: Season

After about 10 hours, the brisket will likely hit the stall at around 160°F internal temperature. At this point, bump your smoker temp up to 250-275°F to push through the stall.

Step 4: Fire Up the Grill

Preheat your Z Grills pellet smoker with oak pellets.
For rare to medium-rare, set the grill to 350–375°F.
For medium, start at 300°F.

Step 5: Cook the Burger

Rare to Medium-Rare
Place the Juicy Lucy on the grill and cook for approximately 45 minutes.
Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. When the burger reaches about 120°F, place a slice of cheese on top.
Cook another 3–4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Medium
Place the burger on the grill at 300°F and cook for approximately 1½ hours.
Then increase the temperature to 350°F and cook for about 5 more minutes.
Add a slice of cheese on top and allow it to melt before removing the burger from the grill.

Step 6: Rest and Serve

Transfer the burger to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes.
Serve on your favorite bun with your preferred toppings, and be careful with that first bite—the cheese center will be hot and gooey.

Pitmaster Tip: Let the burger sit for 2–3 minutes before cutting or biting into it. This helps keep the molten cheese inside where it belongs. 🍔🔥