Breakfast Chopped Cheese
Chef Cliff Blauvelt, Odie B’s
The Chopped Cheese at Odie B’s is Chef Cliff Blauvelt’s soulful homage to a classic, layered with vibrant flavor and elevated through thoughtful, house-made components.
At the center of the sandwich is Odie B’s house-made sage sausage paired with melted American cheese, topped with candied and pickled Fresnos, tangy Dilly O’s (quick-pickled onions), and Odie B’s Colorado Fancy Sauce, all served on a toasted hoagie. The result is a guest-favorite that’s delightfully messy and deeply satisfying.
For Chef’n It, Chef Cliff’s recipe mirrors the restaurant version closely, so fans can now enjoy the iconic flavors at home. Vegetarian options are included as well, making it possible for everyone to indulge. Like everything at Odie B’s, the Chopped Cheese reflects Chef Cliff’s passion for transforming familiar flavors with his signature creative flair.
Learn more about Chef Cliff Blauvelt.
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Active Time:
1 Hour 15 Minutes
Total Time:
4 Hours - 1 Day (For best flavor, mix the sausage, and make the fresno peppers and fancy sauce one day in advance)
Quantity:
Makes 4 serious sandwiches
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Ingredients:
Sage Sausage
1 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2” cubes (Chef Cliff recommends Oliver’s Meat Market)
5 oz bacon, roughly chopped (Chef Cliff recommends Brunson Meat Co.)
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground white pepper
⅛-¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for a touch of heat)
1 ¾ tsp Kosher salt
1 tbsp fresh sage (about 8 leaves), minced
1 tsp fresh thyme (about 3-4 sprigs), leaves picked and minced
Pickled Fresno Peppers
1 lb Fresno peppers, stemmed and sliced into ¼” rounds
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
zest of ½ lime
Kosher salt
Colorado Fancy Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp yellow mustard
4oz roasted green chilies, chopped
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
¼ cup bread and butter pickles, finely chopped
¼ cup yellow onion (about ½ of a small onion), finely chopped
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Breakfast Chopped Cheese
4 hoagie buns (Chef Cliff recommends Marczyk Fine Foods)
2 cups lettuce, shredded
4 eggs
8 slices American cheese
1 lb Sage Sausage
½ cup Pickled Fresno Peppers
1 cup Colorado Fancy Sauce
everything seasoning (Chef Cliff recommends The Spice Guy)
2 tbsp butter
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Directions for Chopped Cheese:
Make the Sage Sausage
Place pork, bacon, dried sage, dried thyme, onion and garlic powder, white pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until pork is coated with seasoning.
Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour but ideally overnight, to allow seasoning to penetrate.
Using a food grinder with a medium plate, grind pork mixture into a mixing bowl. Add fresh herbs and mix until well combined, keeping sausage cold so the fat doesn’t separate.
Notes
If you don’t have access to a grinder, replace pork/bacon with ground pork, and add all seasonings at the same time.
For vegan preparation, replace pork/bacon with plant-based ground meat and add all seasonings in one step, omit grinding.
Pickle the Fresno Peppers
In the saucepan combine the vinegar, sugar, and lime zest. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 3-5 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the sliced Fresno peppers to the simmering brine and bring back to a gentle simmer; cook until peppers are tender and slightly wilted, without losing their shape, about 2-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and carefully pour the peppers and brine into a jar, ensuring the peppers are covered with liquid. Cool to room temperature, season with salt to taste, then refrigerate for at least a few hours, but ideally overnight to allow flavors to meld. Keep refrigerated for several weeks.
Notes
For a less sweet, more pickled profile, reduce sugar to ⅔ cup.
Make Colorado Fancy Sauce
In a medium bowl combine mayo, ketchup, mustard, green chilies, onion, and pickles, whisk ingredients until well combined.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Chill for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust ingredients to preference.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Make the Breakfast Chopped Cheese
Heat cast iron griddle or other heavy pan over medium heat.
In a separate non-stick pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and fry eggs to preferred doneness, set aside.
Slice hoagies in half lengthwise and lightly toast with remaining butter on griddle.
Place sausage on griddle and press into a ¾” thick patty. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your cooking surface. Add pickled Fresno peppers to the side of the sausage. Cook until browned on bottom, about 2 minutes.
Spoon Colorado Fancy Sauce onto both sides of hoagie buns and spread to cover the entire surface, coast to coast.
Once the sausage is browned on bottom, flip it and using two spatulas or other flat utensils, chop into bite sized pieces and combine with peppers.
Once sausage is cooked through, cover with cheese slices and chop cheese and sausage together.
Transfer hot chopped cheese mix onto sauced hoagie bun. Top with lettuce, fried egg, and everything seasoning.
Enjoy immediately with an Odie B’s Mango Blaster!
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Directions for Mango Blaster NA Drink:
Ingredients
1 oz lemon juice
¾ oz mango puree
½ oz ginger simple syrup
3-4 oz sparkling water
Instructions
In a rocks or other 8oz glass, combine lemon juice, mango puree, and ginger simple syrup.
Add a large ice cube and top with sparkling water.