How NYC's CHOPPED CHEESE has Changed

[@matsofan5563]

Thank god. So many chopped cheese recipes online don't actually chop the cheese into the meat. Literally what is the point, its called a "chopped" cheese. The cheese has to be chopped.

[@magnussthered]

thought it was the meat that had to be chopped.

[@jl7078]

thats because nyc bodegas do not chop the cheese. they chop the burger patty and top it off with cheese.

[@kizzlestacks]

The beef is supposed to be chopped up and cooked first before u had the cheese because if you put cheese on it too soon your gonna burn the cheese , Then it would be a Burnt Choppy Chop

[@silvermediastudio]

@@kizzlestacks The funny part is that nobody outside NYC cares. It's a cheaply made sandwich, cheapest ingredients one can find, thrown together like a sloppy joe.

[@debabade1591]

​@@silvermediastudio I do. I live in europe. You can't find food like this in my country I do make it st home, fried chicken, choped cheese, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, burgers... Some of the best food out there!!

[@xanglx]

This should’ve been a 420 special 😂

[@2jmajjic]

10000% 🤣

[@ChristinaVVM]

I feel like I am just from watching him make that 😂

[@truh_von_tay]

Not like stoners would make it. 🤣😂

[@xanglx]

@@truh_von_tay you’d be surprised. Some of the best cooks I know are always baked. I respect it.

[@_getnoobednxgen1897]

@@truh_von_tay i love cooking baked out of my mind. although I smoke rarely

[@ProgressiveOasis]

YOU FORGOT THE BEV!!! 😂😂😂

[@ambyrai]

Neva neva neva

[@thadoc5186]

SURE! SURE!

[@aSTROnomical_8]

People from New York get so offended when you say a chopped cheese is literally just a chopped up burger on a bun/roll like that’s not accurate lmaooo

[@oscarmanuelayala7638]

I mean besides the seasoning what's the difference??? 😂😂😂

[@aSTROnomical_8]

@@oscarmanuelayala7638 there is no difference lmao. But for some reason telling them it’s a cheeseburger on a roll will get them upset quickly lmao

[@oscarmanuelayala7638]

Ik brotha i was just laughing with ya. I make it without the seasonings its still a fucking chopped burger nonetheless. New yorkers just have to be different or its an oncoming aneurism.

[@MJPBecker1]

@@oscarmanuelayala7638 The place near me adds sliced green peppers along with the onions, so it ends being a little between a cheeseburger and a cheese steak. There's also a texture difference. On a cheeseburger you get a crunchy crust on the patty but the interior is softer. A chopped cheese has no "interior" so all of the beef is crunchier and seared. It's a cheeseburger, made like a cheese steak, with meat from a taco.

[@davidrivera2906]

I'm from NYC and I approve this message

[@gemofamara92]

Steve, if you make a slurry of xanthan gum with a neutral oil (any oil so just a cheap one), then mix that into the sauce, it'll dissolve much better. Alex did a video on it ages ago, xanthan gum clumps easily in water (or a water heavy sauce like almost every sauce) but it works much better in oil.

[@mrkattm]

I would go OG, I don't like messy sandwiches or sandwiches that I have to hunch over and unlock my jaw to eat.

[@Teach_1ne]

Or food made for a 10 year old. Lmaoooo at 43 I just can’t eat shit like this anymore without suffering 😂. OG with just lettuce tomato

[@oscarmanuelayala7638]

U can go without the cheese. Its literally just a burger but slightly messier.

[@silvermediastudio]

@@Teach_1ne Cheap ingredients, thrown together, basically a sloppy joe with some cheap latin market spices. Nobody outside a handful of annoying new yorkers even know about it, let alone care. They try to act like it's on par with a Philly Cheesesteak, Boston Lobstah Roll, Bawlmer Softshell or crab cake sandwich, Texas brisket sammie, or a Nawlins Po'Boy. Just ain't gonna happen.

[@darkknight9991]

@@silvermediastudionerd

[@Dkaizen3000]

Interesting. A sandwich has to be messy for me. If I have to hunch over to eat it, I know it’s good.

[@benjilieblein5197]

I was raised on chop cheese. I lived a couple blocks from hajisz for sure it happened before 99. I been eating it since 96/97.

[@teeeff8337]

Never had one. I live in Las Vegas lol

[@negative6442]

I live up in the Heights but did work riding around in a truck all day in 2019. Every now and then wed go stop at hajjis for lunch and get some big ass sandwiches

[@bluu_ice6554]

I live in Atlanta, we eat lemon pepper wings all flats no dressing

[@silvermediastudio]

Nobody cares about chop cheese outside of a two mile radius. It's a trash sandwich, to be frank, on the level of sloppy joe.

[@negative6442]

@@silvermediastudio ahh you mad

[@TheBuckStop]

I would try your "Ocky Way" yes - but would always order the OG Chopped Cheese every time - Nice job

[@analyticalmindset]

Correction. As a 40 yr old who grew up in NYC. We used to call any middle eastern "ack" , "ock". As a shortened version of Akbar. It essentially was a middle eastern catch all joke name that turned to a more endearing, less insulting identifier for anyone we presumed to be middle eastern . Rahim I'm sure knows this and spun it to "Ocky" to maybe have a double meaning. But I'm sure he first heard the word "Ock" in a NYC setting referenced in the way I just described.

[@LPeralta01]

i dunno bro the chop cheese for me was discovered in E Tremont in the Bronx and everytime I put other people on in New York, no one knew it existed before.

[@redeb21]

Facts, but us real ones can’t fight the media.

[@LPeralta01]

@@redeb21 💯

[@lizzi437]

I've never had a chopped cheese before, so I would have to try it both ways! When trying your Ocky Way, though, I would ask for pickled jalapeños chopped into the meat and please add a little adobo juice to your sauce--YUM!

[@GeezLightning]

"There are no real rules..." Me: Could I get that without onions? Griller: Sir, please leave the state.

[@JustRelaxingBeats]

@5:41 - "It's nice.." actually lol'd.😆

[@darkandlovely]

Your Ockham way looks delish! I would go with the OG way, though. I would struggle to get my little mouth around that. LOL. Love your channel. You’re my new addiction!

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

Thank you for posting this video! I watched the video with Frankie Frank that you included in this one. It took me about five minutes, but I was able to do a freeze frame showing the first seasoning he used. I’m 99% certain that it’s the Goya adobo seasoning with the blue cap. They make about five others with different color caps that are different from each other. I knew that FF used something else because he had another jar of seasoning, but it was impossible to read the label on it. I’m going to guess that the Goya Sazonadzor Total (which is amazing) is equivalent to the Badia Complete that you used. I’m going to get some of the seasoning in the packet you used. I will hit my next chopped cheese with all three. I really appreciate this video because the chopped cheese I made before with just the Goya adobo blue was disappointing and I felt like I was missing something. You may have explained how to get from “meh” to “magnificent”.

[@TheKraken123]

Thanks a lot for your videos. Over the last weeks i cooked one of your recipes every week and my family loves it. Real streetfood with a lot of flavour.

[@drkaplin98]

I love Rahim's attitude and culinary balls! I want to go to NYC just to experience his shit.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love your content 😊😊😊

[@sma77]

why 720p?

[@defeeki]

Is anyone else spazzing on the the fact that he hit a nice-ass lateral cut on the mozz stick?

[@silvermediastudio]

Dissolve the Xanthan Gum by stirring it into a little neutral oil first. Helps distribute without clumping, as it is oil soluble.

[@Twosheddz]

OG all day only had a chopped cheese once at a random bodega but it was amazing

[@mitzibud6908]

Blossom end!! Another awesome video! Thank you!!

[@jeffreycooley2032]

Another masterpiece from my favorite KZbin Chef.

[@pkpledn6]

720P?

[@mrfriendly9956]

This channel is rather fantastic!

[@georgewashington4914]

Your version looks amazing !! THX a lot

[@matthewpetrides2501]

I've said it before I'll say it again. The chopped cheese is the bastard offspring of a burger and a cheesesteak

[@AJ-nh8ik]

and it is sooooo good. especially after a night of drinking. perfect post alcohol food.

[@Dd214medaddy]

I've found chopped cheese just tastes exactly like a cheese burger, it's just a looser texture. Cheese steak on the other hand is shave ribeye, provolone, mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers, and it's just a bomb of flavor

[@jessegonzalez4518]

Some bastards are better then there parents 😂😂😂

[@edson720]

bro. Bro. The french fries and the mozzarella sticks at the end. BRO.

[@petuniamorrison7334]

OMG he's great I am starving for his last sandwich he made thanks for recipe. You are so talented and lovable. I'm 90 and going to ask my daughter to try and copy. That seasoning sauce looks yummy. God Bless

[@SirClarkus]

Its so funny. I've lived in NY my entire adult life, and this was a great video. I'm going to make a chopped cheese tomorrow. But I showed a buddy of mine who lives across the country.... So many questions! What's a bodega? What is a chopped cheese? What's Adobo? What's Sazon? Gotta say, now that I've lived in NY for 30 years, I can honestly say that I eat much, much better than all my old friends.

[@jondoe4307]

All you had to say was Sazon and you know ITS ON!

[@nando4044]

Bodega seasoning?

[@AlmightySammich]

I see you with that bandaged index finger, bro. Love knowing you're doing it for real. I always enjoy your videos.

[@American_Heart]

We cannot say this is good for the heart, but dang does it look good for the soul

[@26N80W]

I use an equal mix of mayo, mustard, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish for my spread on the rolls. Amazing sandwich and much better than any hamburger.

[@amasterfuldesktop4935]

Sweet relish 🤮

[@mehdid.margolin4647]

I love you, I do, so fucking smart and you know your shit. We're blessed to have you making us smarter. You made me a better cook. A better man. I appreciate you. I thank you with all my heart.

[@Michaelaaschaetzle]

Im glad the abobo, completa, and sazón inspired you to make a creation. Those 3 are the main things that make our beef stew different than normal (among other things) Check box they have different kinds. Con azafrán had a yellow base, con culantro and achiote have a red and cilantro base etc. now go make a carne guisado brother 💪🏽

[@richatdastkey3555]

Both sound good and I like that you can figure out what ingredients you could add I'm such a NEARly thrown together sort of list of ingredients. That could have wild and exciting effexts

[@bobpetti4841]

I've wanted to try an authentic NYC bodega chopped cheese - but never quite sure where to go around midtown. Any suggestions? And I think I might take the Ahka way to Buffalo and mimic their Stinger Sub - chopped cheese w/ buffalo chicken fingers on top. Man. Now I'm hungry.

[@craigregan1930]

I would definitely order it both ways,to both different but amazing sandwiches, good job

[@jacobrecord82]

Looks bomb thank you for the video

[@petezafris9692]

Both look great! Never had one but I am thinking ground lamb, feta, onion, garlic, oregano, lemon.....help me!

[@TheAaronPerry]

I can't wait to get back to NYC and get myself a chopped cheese! As always great content man

[@LouieAbstract_nyc]

Appreciate the realness Sazone!😂

[@nolakazi]

New York has the Chopped Cheese Pennsylvania has the Philly Cheesesteak Louisiana has the Po Boy good shit

[@mrichardmoore]

Actually New York has the Italian. Much more renowned and endemic than the chopped cheese

[@marcusagain]

which sazon is the "secret"?

[@bertandbuckscott7808]

Absolutely fantastic 😂

[@grantwalkersound]

I used to live in NYC for years but never had one of these... That being said I love the origin story. Reminds me of the Buffalo Wing origin story. Anchor Inn or something like that... They claim it was a huge blizzard, snowed in, and they needed something to feed the guests but were running out of supplies... They had a bunch of chicken wings they used to just throw away or use in stocks or something... and they wound up throwing them in a deep frier and made up the sauce on the fly.

[@caitshannon8260]

Question from a Canadian - is "American Cheese" like Kraft Singles? Or regularly made cheese like a Mild Cheddar?

[@ellirelia]

its not too salty with all this seasoning?

[@robbdevries7222]

Maybe you can unravel the mystery of the New York mozzarepa for us next. I saw it in little Italy when on vacation but was too full to try it. I have yet to find a recipe online that looks anything like the street vender.

[@aaroncann852]

That garlic bread strategy is epic. I'm an unexperienced cook looking to get good, and that gets bread a step ahead!

[@sneakerhead4770]

I try to tell people not to cut sandwiches in foil it causes little bits of foil to get in the food only do that with the paper wrap. Wrap in paper cut then add the foil if desired. I spotted atleast 1 foil piece in the first chopped cheese u made on the tomatoe

[@BrandonLeggatt]

I just tried the OG with gound turkey, carribean seasoning and swiss cheese. Turned out great.

[@upt746]

2:25 his solution was jack phila

[@Christopher-nk4en]

This started with chefs not wanting to throw away their scraps .

[@mrichardmoore]

So you shape loose ground beef into a patty then deconstruct it on the fire so it cooks like loose ground beef? Makes perfect sense

[@genuflext]

so basically a cheeseburger 😂

[@berserk972]

New Yorkers really chop up a cheese burgers patty and pretend they're culinary masters lmaooo

[@lauriebennett6257]

This reminds me of some of the concoctions I saw in New Orleans when I was there for a travel nursing job. I tried a lot of different combinations of things that I never would have dreamed of before. One thing there, though, the messiesr, the better! 🤣 To answer your question, I would probably come up with my own version of the "Ockey Way!"

[@YouDontKnowMe2011.9]

Any recipe that calls for mustard, switch out your plain old yellow for a stuff called Herlockers Dipping Mustard. It adds a whole new layer of flavor.

[@CMHC]

you the man for this video

[@tedfry236]

I gotta try both tbh. but then again I watched this while I'm hungry....

[@KameraShy]

Ocky is too busy for me.

[@shawndugay4089]

Steve, thank you thank you thank you for pronouncing homogeneous correctly. I love it. Oh and the sandwich is money$$$

[@LuciferWrld999]

Do you pronounce it as hom-o-gene-us or ha-Moh-je-nus? Because i never knew they was 2 correct pronunciation.

[@LuciferWrld999]

I just found where he said it at. Im assuming you pronounce it the second way.

[@furyassassin]

So, maybe I'm just ignorant but maybe someone can help me out. What makes this different from a burger besides the form? It strikes me as something like a... I guess baked ziti versus a lasagna? Pretty much same ingredients in the basic sense but a different form. It's like an in between for a burger and cheesesteak. That about sum it up?

[@frostbyte2096]

I went into this thinking it was gonna be a complaint against "non traditional" chopped cheese but instead I got love for both

[@AReardon14]

When building I'd switch the order of the lettuce & the tomatoes

[@ephyah.mahmah]

The ocky way be costing 20+.

[@lucascroft7859]

I don’t know the science behind it but iceberg lettuce levels way up when shredded.

[@Jordanthecool7]

Can’t forget the bev

[@emosam07]

I'm INCREDIBLY surprised you didnt slap 2 cutlets into this, i coulda swore i was gonna see chicken cutlets lolol Love it anyway!! Top tier content ❤

[@thesilentsociety3252]

🤔 chopped cheese with some cutlets sound fire asf

[@IamTheFive]

What about the Bev?

[@PointShoot1]

Phenomenal

[@aj383]

Woah. Watching a video about a New York sandwich, and this dude pulls out the cheddar cheese made in my West Coast area! Tillamook is a Local Staple here in Oregon.

[@kizzlestacks]

That is NOT the Ocky Way!! He uses Spinach not Lettuce and he puts Fresh slices of Halal Beef or Turkey Bacon.

[@denisematt6475]

Is a bodega a liquor store?

[@mollywhoppedsouls_pvp]

No bro it's a Hispanic corner store

[@bradh74]

I wouldn't have a problem with either but the OG is old school American and has been around since the patty melt (even though it was chopped they called it a patty) or cheddar melts. The OG looks like a Big Bacon Classic from Wendy's minus the Bacon so I would eat that often! The sauce you made was a fancy McDonald's secret sauce for the Big Mac, I like Sriracha instead of Frank's though. I make chopped Cheese Street tacos with that sauce instead of the smash burger version that you see on youtube. It's quick and easy.

[@TheSavorySpoon1599]

Damn, this looks good!

[@ryangallagher-oy6qt]

The Pitt cafeteria had a guy at the omelet bar who would put anything from the cafeteria into an omelet. Pizza, cereal, salad - whatever you want. It was great.

[@c0deHD]

What is sazon

[@genkai.2711]

Couldn't tell you what's in it but it's good lol. I'm from a heavily portuguese city and it's used in a ton of their dishes. Very common in stores so I was surprised seeing it as a secret ingredient

[@genkai.2711]

Appears to be a latin american season blend. Traditional sazon is a blend of coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper. Pre packaged usually has MSG.

[@richied10]

I thought you had a cutlet in there from the thumbnail

[@jacobmccain8082]

Classic chop, on a long roll. Perfection as it is.

[@RCStha2ND]

"Dill Relish, not sweet relish, I don't like that stuff." THANK YOU!

[@kevinschultz6091]

Speaking as someone that has had their fist, second, and third chopped cheese over the past week from 3 different food carts and delis, (I'm in NYC on a business trip - one from a food cart outside the Natural History museum, a deli near my hotel on 26th, and from another deli outside the WTC subway), I find that the closer it gets to a cheeseburger, the better it is for me: ie, chopped hamburger + american cheese + onion, toasted bun, a bit of ketchup and mayo on the roll, lettuce and tomato. The ones that I had that got away from that (mainly throwing in different sauces, additional vegetables, different meats) made it taste....off, at least to my pallate. However, I found it to be closer related to a "neat" Sloppy Joe, honestly - most of the ones I had didn't actually have lettuce or tomato....and I could really notice it was missing. I was all "y'know, this could really use some crispness and cold sweetness".

[@mikeymar1]

Nice Sandwich gonna start with The OG way b4 I try the Ahki way but they both look Awsome!

[@bobbyherdman243]

I don’t use the badia complete seasoning anymore. I use Goya sazonador total. Less sodium and gives you more room for flavor and keep the sodium down. The secret is just achiote y culantro lol. That’s just color. Doesn’t add flavor. My gf is from Nicaragua and I use that all the time. It’s just for color but adds sodium. Goya will keep the sodium down. Especially when using adobo. Goya adobo is the best!!

[@evangel1460]

I have been putting off seasoning my new cast iron for months. Definitely gonna do it to make this. Looks insane.

[@spitflamez]

That shirt is dope 👍🏾

[@reubenmckay]

Gentlemen, we are witnessing the evolution of food made manifest.

[@smokingtarheel3003]

Now I know how to make a classic NY style chopped cheese! YES!

[@TheRonellCross]

That Ocky remix has too much going on, but I'd still order one. My regular would be the OG with everything in the Ocky on the side. Thanks for showing the process.

[@frannielovesfood]

🔥🔥I like your version!

[@xynesq150]

Jus ground beef and cheese

[@ChrisJohnsonCJs-Kitchen]

I remember when I was growing up, American cheese was available in bricks from Kraft. I believe most deli counters still have American cheese, possibly just the white version, but it takes me back whenever I get it. I've gotta admit, that first, original version - hold the tomato is more my taste.

[@bdubb8035]

Mouth was watering the moment o started this vid lol

[@vladtv]

classic

[@entropone]

Throwing moz sticks and fries into that starts to give New Brunswick Grease Trucks vibes

[@ShovelChef]

I like your version a lot. I'm a sandwich guy, and this looks like one of mine. I'm getting hungry. 😁 Also garlic butter is a goat move.