Chopped Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef, 80/20
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 8 slices American cheese
• 4 hero or sub rolls (8 inches each)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Before you cook

• Dice the onion into small pieces.
• Split the rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge, and open them flat.
• Shred the lettuce and slice the tomatoes.

Steps

1. Heat the vegetable oil on a flat griddle or in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes, until it starts to soften and pick up color.
3. Add the ground beef in four loose mounds and press each one flat against the griddle.
4. Cook the beef undisturbed for 3 minutes to build a brown crust on the bottom.
5. Chop through the meat and onions with the edges of two metal spatulas, working across the pan in both directions for about 2 minutes, until everything is in small ragged pieces.
6. Season with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder and toss the mixture with the spatulas.
7. Gather the meat into four rectangles roughly the length of the rolls.
8. Lay two slices of American cheese over each rectangle and let them melt for 1 minute, then fold the melted cheese into the top of the meat with a spatula.
9. Set the open rolls face down over the meat for 30 seconds to warm and catch the steam.
10. Spread mayonnaise and ketchup on the inside of each roll.
11. Slide a spatula under a meat portion and scoop it directly into a roll, cheese side up.
12. Top with shredded lettuce and tomato slices, close the roll, wrap it tightly in foil or deli paper, and cut it in half.