This Chopped Cheese Sandwich pays homage to the iconic New York style bodega with its irresistible blend of flavors. Seared ground beef seasoned with adobo, gooey American cheese, and fresh toppings such as tomato and crisp iceberg lettuce are added within a toasted hero bun.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium. Place the buns in the pan, cut side down, and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden with dark edges. Set aside.
Return the pan to medium-high heat and lightly drizzle with oil. Divide the ground beef into 2 portions and loosely form into long patties. Place the meat on the pan, arrange onion slices on top, and season generously with adobo spice and salt. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes, until the patties are crisp and caramelized.
Flip the patties and cook another minute. Use the edge of a metal spatula to chop up the meat and onions into small pieces.
Arrange the meat into portions the size of your buns and top with cheese slices. Lower the heat on the pan and remove from heat once the cheese is melted and crisp on the edges..
Slather both sides of the buns with mayonnaise. Top with a portion of the chopped cheese and drizzle with ketchup. Arrange tomato slices and shredded lettuce on top, close the bun, using the edge of a bread knife to hold in the toppings if necessary. Slice the chopped cheese sandwich in half and enjoy.
Notes
Scroll up to view a visual walkthrough of the recipe.Pull the ground beef out of the fridge just before cooking and leave it as loosely packed as possible. This allows the fat to render out of the meat slowly, resulting and a crisp sear on the meat. Ensure your skillet or frying pan is very hot to get the best sear on the meat.