Philly Cheesesteak

In This Recipe

• History of the Cheesesteak Sandwich
• How to Make It
• The Best Kind of Steak
• The Best Kind of Cheese
• Swaps & Substitutions

Philly Cheesesteak

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When it comes to cheesesteaks, people have strong opinions and are eager to point out imitations! As a result, when I’m working on this recipe, I have to mentally get ready for it.Philly Cheesesteak

A traditional Philly cheesesteak is made with thinly sliced steak, typically top round or ribeye, and is fried on a griddle. It’s an excellent sandwich. It has melty, gooey cheese and flavorful chunks of thin meat when you bite into it. You’re in for a treat when you add some delicious bread and caramelized onions.Philly Cheesesteak

It can be served with sautéed onions and peppers or by itself, just stuffed with meat. Usually, provolone cheese and/or Cheez Whiz are placed on top. Although the traditional Philly cheesesteak is served on an Amoroso bun, which is difficult to locate if you’re not in the Philadelphia region (I know, what a shame), you can use a hoagie roll instead for a sandwich that tastes just as good.Philly Cheesesteak

The upside of producing it at home? It can be made any way you choose!

The Cheesesteak Sandwich’s History

Early in the 20th century, a hot dog cart vendor created the first cheesesteak. Although there is much debate about the specifics, most people agree that Pat and Harry Olivieri were the original creators. Pat’s and Geno’s, two Philadelphia restaurants directly across the street from one another, are fierce rivals for cheesesteaks. I’m not going to take sides. Both of them are excellent!Philly Cheesesteak

The Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

Making a cheesesteak sandwich at home is your best option if you can’t readily travel to Philadelphia to buy one. Although the sandwich’s ingredients are straightforward—steak, onions, bell peppers, cheese, and bread—the little things matter. When preparing your sandwich, keep the following points in mind:

• Slice your steak as thinly as possible. If at all feasible, get it shaved by your butcher. At home, you can use your sharpest knife to shave the steak after freezing it for ten minutes to make it extremely rigid. Some fat is okay, but cut out any big chunks.
• Both steak and onions or just steak can be ordered with the traditional cheesesteak (“wit” is the ordering jargon there). I do both because I like bell peppers and onions. Since you’re preparing it at home, you may personalize it!
• In order to finish the dish, cook the onions and peppers separately first because they require a lot more time to cook than the steak.

Which Steak Is Best for Cheesesteak

A beautiful, tender piece of steak with some marbled fat is what you want to utilize. Each piece of thin steak becomes extremely soft when the fat melts slightly during cooking. For mine, I prefer to use rib eye because it has better marbling but costs more. Another traditional cheesesteak choice is the top round. Avoid using tougher cuts of beef, such as brisket or flank steak. In the finished sandwich, they will be incredibly chewy.

Which Cheese Is Suitable for Philly Cheesesteaks?

Provolone or Cheez Whiz, a cheese product that is shelf-stable and comes in jars, are the two options available here. To be honest, American cheese tastes really good too, but let’s keep the cheese relatively traditional.

Philly Cheesesteak

I prefer to utilize BOTH myself. As the steak cooks, I melt some provolone over it, then just before serving, I pour some Cheez Whiz over it. I enjoy the provolone’s flavor and the Cheez Whiz’s texture in the sandwich. Whereas Cheez Whiz is just a fully creamy, nearly nacho cheese situation, provolone has a sharper bite.

It can be made any way you like. Use both; if you can’t find Cheez Whiz, use your own preferred cheese instead.

Changes and Replacements

Once you understand the fundamentals of the sandwich, you may either make it your own or stick to the classic. You decide! Here are some suggestions:

• Instead of using steak, use thinly sliced chicken breast.
• Add the sandwich to the sautéed mushrooms.
• Combine mozzarella and marinara to make a pizza cheesesteak.

Philly Cheesesteak

Ingredients

• 10 to 12 ounces of steak, ribeye
• Half a teaspoon of kosher salt
• Half a teaspoon of black pepper
• Half a medium sweet onion, half a green bell pepper, half a red bell pepper, two tablespoons of olive oil, and three ounces of sliced bell pepper Provolone cheese
• Two toasted hoagie buns and 1/4 cup Warm Cheez Whiz
• Fresh thyme is optional as a garnish.

Method

• Slice and freeze the steak:

For approximately ten minutes, place the steak on a sheet pan in the freezer until it is extremely cold but not completely frozen.

Although certain fat veins in the center of the steak are beneficial, cut out any significant amounts of fat that are often found on the perimeter. Use a sharp knife to cut the meat as thinly as possible. Slice it as thinly as you can, but you won’t be able to get it paper thin without a meat slicer. Use salt and pepper to season the meat.

• Sauté the peppers and onions:

Place the sliced onions and peppers in a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1/4 tsp salt and pepper for seasoning. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring periodically, until the peppers and onions are tender and beginning to caramelize around the edges. Take your time with them!

• Cook the steak:

Over medium-high heat, preheat a large skillet or griddle. Add the steak slices and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. To cover as much of the skillet’s surface as possible, spread the steak out in a thin, even layer. To finish cooking the steak, heat it for a minute or two and then stir it. It will cook rapidly, but it may take an additional minute or two.

• Finishing the cheesesteak:

Reduce the steak’s heat to low, then incorporate the onions and peppers into the sirloin mixture. Top the steak mixture with the provolone slices, then let the cheese to melt. After the cheese has melted, stir to mix.

• Put the cheesesteaks together and serve them:

Spoon the cheesesteak mixture evenly onto the hoagie bread that have been toasted. Packing the hoagie rolls is necessary! For extra cheesiness, you can choose to pour heated Cheez Whiz over the cheesesteaks. Serve with a garnish of fresh thyme.