While the chopped cheese bears similarities to the Philadelphia cheesesteak, it is important to note the difference. Where a cheesesteak is cooked with finely sliced steak, a chopped cheese is a hamburger that has been chopped up. Ground beef is thrown on the grill, with onions and peppers added. The cook uses a spatula to chop the burger meat and then covers it with slices of American cheese. That meat is served on a toasted bun, which traditionally has lettuce, tomato, mayo and ketchup added.
When ordering a chopped cheese sandwich, it may be enticing to try a different cheese, but stick with tried and true American cheese. The processed cheese melts perfectly on the chopped-up ground beef and melds the meal together. Keep in mind that all the meat, cheese, onions and toppings can make the chopped cheese a messy endeavor. “One bite. Pause. And everything is just falling out,” Speedy Morman said in the 2016 documentary “Hometown Hero: The Legend of New York’s Chopped Cheese.”
Not all chopped cheeses are created equal, however, and Morman was specifically speaking about the sandwich from Hollis Deli in Queens. Since the documentary was released, chopped cheese sandwiches have become more widespread, but at the time, Morman said ordering one was for true New Yorkers. “You don’t need to look at the menu cause that means you’re from here,” he noted.
