By Melissa Knific
Published May 22, 2024
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- 3(11)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Crispy bits of ground beef mixed with charred onion and melty American cheese, sandwiched between a long, fluffy roll, the chopped cheese has long been a comfort food staple in bodegas throughout New York’s Harlem neighborhood and beyond. The origin of the sandwich, also called a chop cheese, is fuzzy, but it’s widely agreed the name comes from its preparation — the meat is pressed and flattened on a super-hot cooking surface for maximum crispiness, flipped and then “chopped” with a metal spatula or similar tool and draped with cheese. Here, a cast-iron skillet replicates the flattop often used in a bodega, but feel free to fire up a griddle if you have one. For the full filled-to-the-gills chopped cheese experience, be sure to slather plenty of mayo and ketchup on the buttery toasted rolls, and pile on the shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4hero or bolillo rolls, split lengthwise
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½pounds ground beef (preferably 85 percent lean), divided into four portions and rolled into balls
- Salt and black pepper
- 1small white or yellow onion, chopped
- 8slices American cheese
- Ketchup, for spreading
- Mayonnaise, for spreading
- ½head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 1large tomato, cut into 8 slices
- Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium. Add 2 tablespoons butter; when melted, place both halves of two rolls cut-sides down in the skillet. Toast until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a sheet pan or plate, cut-sides up. Repeat with the remaining butter and rolls.
Step
2
To the same skillet on high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Place two beef balls in the skillet, pressing down firmly on each with a metal spatula to flatten. (You might need to press down a few times; the goal is to make the patties very thin.) Sprinkle the top of the beef generously with salt and pepper, then scatter ¼ of the onion on each patty. Cook for 2 minutes; the undersides will be browned and crispy.
Step
3
Flip the patties. Using the end of the spatula, chop each patty into small pieces and then push them into two mounds roughly the shape and size of the rolls. Drape two pieces of cheese on top of each mound. Cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.
Step
4
While the cheese melts, spread both ketchup and mayonnaise on the cut-sides of each roll. Use the spatula to scoop the chopped meat and cheese mixture onto the bottoms of the rolls, then top each with ¼ of the lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Sandwich with the tops of the rolls, pressing down firmly. (Transferring the chopped meat and cheese to the rolls might be a little messy. It’s OK if everything doesn’t make it onto the sandwich in one scoop.)
Step
5
Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and repeat with remaining ingredients to make the last two sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately with hot sauce, if desired.
Ratings
3
out of 5
11
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
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Axwall
Good thing this recipe doesn't include nutritional information or you'd be horrified. My guess is that "Chopped Cheese" beyond any safe amount for cholesterol, fat (of the bad kind), and sugar (ketchup is full of sugar). And not to mention the white flour, the beef (who needs it?), and the processed cheese are already bad enough. That this sandwich is popular in Harlem doesn't justify it's inclusion in the NYT, which should be educating readers, not poisoning them.
Lynn Englebardt
Plantega sells a delicious chopped cheese sandwich using Karana plant based meat substitute at over 40 bodegas throughout the city. Tastes like the real thing!!
GZ
I use frozen burger patties which I usually have in the freezer and cook straight from frozen for an easy meal. I also usually cook down the onions first and then transfer to a plate, then add back once the meat is nice and brown. Yum!
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