Denizens of the Greater Philadelphia area have long counted cheesesteak sandwiches (commonly “Philadelphia cheesesteaks,” “Philly cheesesteaks” or simply “cheesesteaks”) among their favorite foods. In fact, nearly every pizza shop and delicatessen in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware offer cheesesteaks as a prominent menu item. Over the years, this regional favorite has gone on to attain considerable national popularity as well. And yet, this ubiquitous and uncomplicated sandwich is often associated with a standard lament: “Cheesesteaks don’t taste as good when I make them at home.” This article provides a recipe for a deliciously authentic Philly cheesesteak.
There are two mandatory ingredients that must be used in order to make an authentic Philadelphia cheesesteak: (1) thinly-sliced rib-eye steak (no less expensive beef substitute will do); and (2) artisan’s long rolls from an Italian bakery (i.e., hoagie/submarine rolls with a slight crunch on the outside and soft on the inside). Under no circumstances should anyone ever use Steak-umms from their grocer’s freezer, or a cheaper cut of beef, and expect to make an authentic-tasting Philly cheesesteak. This is the main reason, above all others, why homemade Philadelphia cheesesteaks tend to be foul reproductions of an otherwise scrumptious sandwich. To be sure, no host would ever invite guests to a rib-eye dinner and expect them to be equally pleased with shank steak. Likewise, no one would ever try to pass off a mushy store-bought roll for an artisan’s roll from an Italian bakery.
No matter what anyone else claims, there are no other recipe rules for making an authentic Philly cheesesteak. For instance, some purists argue that the only cheeses that should be used are melted Cheese-Whiz or provolone-these are the two cheeses originally offered by Pat’s King of Steaks (“Pat’s Steaks”), the creator of the Philadelphia cheesesteak some eighty-years ago. For at least the last 30 years, however, the overwhelming majority of Philly cheesesteaks are ordered with either melted white American cheese or provolone. In fact, most pizza shops and delicatessens no longer offer the over-processed Cheese-Whiz as an option. Additional ingredients like fried onions, sauteed mushrooms or green/red peppers, and others like lettuce, tomato slices, and raw onions are all matters of individual preference. Fried onions and sauteed mushrooms tend to be the most popular Philly cheesesteak additions. The so-called cheesesteak hoagie with lettuce, tomato slices, and raw onions is also a top-seller. And, the pizza steak, with marinara sauce and either melted mozzarella or provolone cheese on a toasted Italian roll is also a favorite.
Preparation of the Philadelphia cheesesteak is as simple as its recipe ingredients: (1) heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet; (2) briefly cook the thinly-sliced rib-eye until it is just brown (most aficionados favor using a spatula to chip it into smaller pieces while cooking); (3) add cheese slices to the rib-eye and cover the pan to allow for melting; (4) fill each roll with the desired amount of steak and cheese; and (5) salt to taste.
For a humorous and edifying video about the “Philadelphia Cheesesteak War” between Pat’s Steaks and Geno’s Steaks CLICK HERE.
