Elk chopped cheese sliders: a wild take on the iconic sandwich, but make it mini! Gooey American cheese melted into flavorful seasoned ground elk meat and topped with a tangy secret sauce on a fluffy brioche roll. What's not to love?
Recipe Highlights
Perfectly Bite-Sized: Served as sliders, they’re a fun meal for kids and adults alike! For more slider ideas, try elk burger sliders or BBQ venison sliders.
Quick to Prepare: These sliders come together fast, making them ideal for busy weeknight dinners.
Customizable Toppings: The classic toppings for chopped cheese sandwiches are shredded iceberg lettuce and tomato slices. But, you can get creative and add your favorite burger or sandwich toppings!
What is a Chopped Cheese?
Chopped cheese sandwiches (aka chop cheese) are a New York City classic, featuring chopped meat (ground beef) cooked with onions and topped with melted American cheese slices.
Served on hoagie rolls, these sandwiches are kind of like elk burgers or venison burgers, but the texture is totally different, with the meat and cheese blended together in every bite. Chopped cheese sandwiches are a street food favorite, delivering bold flavors and a satisfying, hearty bite in every mouthful.
Ingredients
- Ground Elk: Ground elk can be replaced with any other ground meat: venison, beef, etc.
- Secret Sauce: The "secret sauce" is my version of a classic burger sauce. If you don't have time to make it, you can typically find a few varieties of burger sauce at the store. No matter what you use, the key is to add some moisture and extra flavor to the sandwich!
- American Cheese: American cheese is typically used for chopped cheese sandwiches because it melts so well. If you're not into processed cheese, you can totally use your favorite sliced cheese as well.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Recommended
Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron skillet is ideal for getting perfectly browned meat!
How to Make Elk Chopped Cheese Sliders
You'll love how easy these sandwiches are to make. Read below for a few simple steps!
- Step 1: Thaw elk meat in a paper towel-lined bowl in the fridge to absorb excess moisture.
- Step 2: Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Step 3: To a medium bowl, add elk meat, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, diced onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 4: Gently combine the mixture with your hands.
- Step 5: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lard to the pan and let it melt.
- Step 6: Spread the meat mixture in a single layer in the pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce over the meat mixture.
- Step 7: Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until the bottom of the meat is browned and crispy. Flip the meat.
- Step 8: Arrange slices of American cheese over the meat.
- Step 9: Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
- Step 10: Spread the sauce on the tops and bottoms of each slider bun. Place meat and cheese on the bottom halves of the buns. Top with sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Enjoy!
Pro Tip
Add the cheese at the right time—after the meat is mostly cooked but still a bit pink in the center, so it melts perfectly without overcooking the meat.
Serving Suggestions
Anything you'd serve with burgers will make a great side for these delicious sandwiches. Homemade potato chips or tater tots are my go-to's. No matter how you serve them, you're going to love this unique burger alternative!
FAQ
The iconic chopped cheese sandwich is typically made of chopped beef topped with gooey American cheese, shredded lettuce, and juicy tomatoes.
Chopped cheese sandwiches are made with ground beef while Philly cheesesteaks are made with thinly sliced beef. The cheese and toppings are also different. Chopped cheese uses American cheese, sliced tomatoes, and shredded lettuce while Philly cheesesteaks typically have provolone cheese or cheez whiz and sauteed onions and peppers.
The ingredients for chopped cheese sandwiches are almost identical to a burger. But, instead of beef patties, the beef is cooked loose on a flat-top grill. The flavors are very similar but the texture is totally different.
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Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Elk Chopped Cheese Sliders
Equipment
Ingredients
Meat:
- 1 lb ground elk (or venison, moose, beef, etc.)
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, divided
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
Sauce:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 3 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 12 slider buns
- 8 slices American cheese
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 12 small tomato slices
Instructions
Sauce:
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Meat:
- Thaw elk meat in a paper towel-lined bowl in the fridge to absorb excess moisture.
- To a medium bowl, add elk meat, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, diced onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Gently combine the mixture with your hands.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lard to the pan and let it melt.
- Spread the meat mixture in a single layer in the pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce over the meat mixture.
- Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until the bottom of the meat is browned and crispy.
- Flip the meat and arrange cheese slices over the meat. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
Assembly:
- Spread the sauce on the tops and bottoms of each slider bun.
- Place meat and cheese on the bottom halves of the buns.
- Top with sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground elk can be replaced with any other ground meat: venison, beef, etc.
- The sauce is a version of a classic burger sauce. If you don't have time to make it, you can typically find a few varieties of burger sauce at the store. No matter what you use, the key is to add some moisture to the sandwich!
- American cheese is typically used for chopped cheese sandwiches because it melts so well. If you're not into processed cheese, you can totally use your favorite sliced cheese as well.
- Add the cheese at the right time—after the meat is mostly cooked but still a bit pink in the center, so it melts perfectly without overcooking the meat.
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