Cheddar Stuffed Burgers

A friend mentioned a restaurant that melts the cheese inside of the burger patty and I told him that I had a recipe for that and he should join us when we grill them up. It's a fun idea and anyone can grill a burger so why not try a new twist?

The burgers are juicy and full of flavor. The learning curve suggests that the next time we make this to use smaller, but thicker, cheese pieces and work to seal the hamburger around the cheese a little better. Some bites would allow a lot of cheese, other bites we weren't as lucky. Also, I'd suggest a sharp cheddar to allow for optimal flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
• 4 ounces cheddar, cut into 4 slabs
• Vegetable oil, for grates
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
• Toppings, such as lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mustard
  

Directions

1. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, and gently form each into a ball. Insert a piece of cheese in the center of each ball, and flatten into 1-inch-thick patties, pinching beef to enclose cheese. Transfer to a plate; with thumb, make a shallow indentation in center of patties, taking care not to expose cheese.

2. Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Just before grilling, season patties with salt and pepper. Place on grill; cover, and cook to desired doneness. Let burgers rest 3 to 4 minutes; serve on buns with desired toppings.