Best Chopped Cheese Sandwiches (New York Style Chopped Cheese Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is on a New York chopped cheese? ›

Owner Anthony Arias was born and raised in Harlem and wanted to introduce LA to his favorite sandwich that includes chopped ground beef, onion, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and ketchup on a hero.

Have you ever struggled to choose between a chopped cheese and a cheesesteak sandwich? Both are undeniably delicious, but the main difference is that a Chopped Cheese Sandwich uses ground beef, while a Cheesesteak uses beef steak strips or thinly sliced beef.

You can still stop in to try the original up in Harlem, at Hajji's. No salmon were harmed in the making of this video.

Consistent is that they always come on either a roll (around $4.50) or a hero (around $5.00) and are served wrapped in paper, then cut in half, and wrapped again in aluminum foil. The last great chopped cheese I ate was soulfully prepared by a guy named Jeffrey in the N&W Deli Grocery on Amsterdam at 150th Street.

For the uninitiated, a chopped cheese or “chop cheese” is a sandwich consisting of ground beef, melted cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato and condiments on a hero roll. It's often compared (somewhat controversially) to a cheeseburger, sloppy Joe or cheesesteak.

1) New York's Signature Sandwich

It's a simple creation of thinly sliced pastrami piled high on rye bread and slathered with spicy brown mustard. Some delis might also add corned beef, but it's the simple three-ingredient signature pastrami sandwich that is considered one of New York City's best sandwiches.

The chopped cheese is from New York. Its exact origination in the city is up for debate. Most say it's from Harlem. Some say it's from the Spanish Harlem.

The chopped cheese, also known as the chop cheese, is a type of sandwich originating from New York City.

At its core, a good chopped cheese is a mixture of beef, seasonings, and onions, cooked on a griddle and then “chopped” with the side of a large spatula as it griddles. Cheese is added on top until it melts, then it's all transferred to a sturdy bun with some veggie toppings like tomatoes and lettuce.

The chopped cheese is a New York success story — with a somewhat charged twist. The sandwich, also called a chop cheese — ground beef with onions, topped by melted cheese and served with lettuce, tomatoes and condiments on a hero roll — has long been a staple of bodegas in Harlem and the Bronx.

Where is the birthplace of chopped cheese? ›

The first chopped cheese was made roughly 25 years ago at Hajji's Deli (which does business as Blue Sky Deli) at the corner of 1st Avenue and East 110th Street (2135 1st Avenue, New York, NY; 646-682-7488). Hajji's is open 24/7, which explains some of the appeal of the chopped cheese.

At its core, a good chopped cheese is a mixture of beef, seasonings, and onions, cooked on a griddle and then “chopped” with the side of a large spatula as it griddles. Cheese is added on top until it melts, then it's all transferred to a sturdy bun with some veggie toppings like tomatoes and lettuce.

The number-one difference separating the sandwiches lies in the meat they use. For an authentic Philly cheesesteak, you'll need beef steak strips or thinly sliced ribeye while a chopped cheese simply uses ground beef, such as the kind you would use to form a burger patty or as taco meat.

Or maybe the specialty cheeses you crave, like smoked Gruyère or chipotle Gouda, are only available from the deli case? Again, go for it. But if you're looking for ways to save money on basic cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, Jack, and provolone, get the cheese by the block.

Energy costs to produce and refrigerate the cheese, worldwide demand, and the cost of feed for the cows are just a few factors considered in the pricing of cheese.

The easiest way to explain a chopped cheese (aka chop cheese) is that it's like a hamburger went through a shredder and was laid to rest inside a hero roll. Ground beef and onions are griddled, then topped with American cheese, tomato, and lettuce.

Inspired by the hoagie that made Philadelphia famous, our version of the Cheese Steak features mouth-watering slices of lean and tender steak with sautéed onions and green peppers topped with melted cheese. It's served hot with your choice of fresh vegetables and condiments on freshly baked bread.

The white cheeses served at Subway are feta, mozzerrella, provolone, and Swiss. It does vary from store to store, but most all serve Monterey Jack and cheddar. I believe thei cheddar is all yellow/orange. Hope this helps, and thank you for the A2A!