Ny Chopped Cheese Recipe

Slice onions

Peel and thinly slice the yellow onion into half-moons about 1/8-inch thick.

Caramelize onions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon brown sugar and add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, stir and continue to cook until deep golden and jammy, about 5–8 more minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.

Season and brown beef

Wipe out the skillet used for onions or use a second large skillet. Heat over medium-high and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Add 1 lb ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and 1 tsp paprika over the beef. Cook, pressing and chopping the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes.

Finish beef

Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and continue to cook 1–2 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Reduce heat to low.

Combine with onions

Add the caramelized onions back into the skillet with the beef and stir to combine, warming through for about 1 minute.

Prepare rolls

Halve the 2 hero rolls lengthwise but keep the hinge if desired. Butter the cut sides with 1 teaspoon unsalted butter per roll.

Toast rolls

Place the buttered cut sides down in a clean skillet over medium heat and toast until golden brown, about 1–2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Melt cheese into beef

With the beef mixture still over low heat, divide it into two equal piles in the skillet. Top each pile with 2 slices of American cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid for 1–2 minutes so the cheese melts and the beef becomes gooey and cohesive.

Prep toppings

While cheese melts, core and thinly slice the tomato into 1/4-inch rounds. Rinse and dry lettuce, then shred or chop to yield about 1 cup.

Mix sauces

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional) until combined.

Assemble sandwiches

Open the toasted rolls. Spoon half of the cheesed beef mixture into each roll, spreading it evenly. Top each with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and pickles if using. Drizzle or spread the sauce over the toppings. Close the roll and press gently.

Serve

Slice each assembled sandwich in half if desired and serve immediately while hot.