Philly Cheesesteaks

If you live in Philly, you are well aware of some of the competing cheesesteaks here. I would like to join the competition with this recipe 😁 When I first moved here, having Philly cheesesteaks was close to the top of my list of things I wanted to do in Philly. Yet it took me over a year before I even had a cheesesteak. As a matter of fact, my very first cheesesteak was a vegetarian one from Govinda’s Vegetarian Cuisine. It still remains one of the best cheesesteaks I’ve had here though. (If you are vegan or vegetarian and in Philly, check it out!)

The first actual cheesesteak sandwich I had was from Jim’s Steaks. That one was pretty good too and is usually my go to when friends or family visit Philly. I have had a couple of others but I am still on the quest for the best cheesesteak spot in Philly. Max’s is one of the ones I keep on hearing about but still need to go to. For those who are unfamiliar, it’s the one Adonis and Bianca go to in Creed. Anyway, if any of you can say you have found the best cheesesteak in Philly, enter the location in the comments!

In the meantime, I believe I have a recipe that is just as good as any of the popular spots. Even better than some if I do say so myself. It is super juicy and cheesy, it has all the right components, and now I’m craving one 😩 It is actually quite simple. You don’t need too many ingredients, you just need the right ones.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• I used already shaved steak but if want you can also buy ribeye steak and shave it yourself. It helps for it to be slightly frozen if you plan on going this route.
• I used the club rolls in the image above. They are slightly smaller than regular hoagies but either one works.
• The onions and peppers are optional but I highly recommend them, especially the onions. You can also add mushrooms or swap one of those other veggies with them.
• Do taste for salt and pepper before finishing off the steaks. If you don’t season them well, they will be bland and we don’t want that.
• A lot of people like to add ketchup to their cheesesteaks. I didn’t add it to mine but you can try it out and see how you prefer it.
• Finally, though provolone is one of the most popular cheeses for cheesesteaks, you can try other cheeses as well, including cheese whiz, the other popular option.

Philly Cheesesteaks

This recipe yields about 4 sandwiches

• 1lb shaved beef
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped (color of choice)
• 1-2 tablespoons oil
• 8 slices of provolone cheese
• 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 hoagie rolls

Method

Heat oil on medium heat in a large frying pan (or cooktop). Sautée chopped onions and peppers with salt and pepper to taste until fully cooked. The onions should begin to have caramelized and they should be soft. Transfer the onions and peppers to a plate/bowl and set aside.

While onions and peppers are cooking, slice rolls open and spread mayo generously on both sides. Place them on a baking sheet facing up. Set oven on broil and place the sheet in the oven for about 2 to 3 minutes or until bread is warm and slightly toasted. (Don’t put them in the oven until you are ready to cook the steak.)

Place steak in the hot pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until evenly cooked. Lower heat and then mix in your desired amount of onions and peppers. You can taste for salt at this point and add some if necessary. Divide meat into portions for each hoagie and top each portion with two slices of provolone cheese. Put a lid on the pan for a minute or two so the cheese can melt. After the cheese has melted, place your warm hoagies over each portion. Carefully pick up the hoagie using a butter knife to fit the steak mixture into the hoagie. Serve with french fries and enjoy!