In a small town one notices when a new restaurant or fast food place moves in. And I noticed immediately when a Great Steak Company restaurant came to a strip mall in the middle of town, since I LOVE their cheesesteak sandwiches. I would gaze at the shop every time I drove by, scarcely believing my luck. Finally, my husband and I snuck away for an evening out and headed to town. I could hear the cheesesteak sandwiches calling my name.
Best Cheesesteak Sandwich Recipe
But something happened!
To my horror, there had been a fire!
The Great Steak, in town for less than a few weeks, was no more! I never got the first cheesesteak sandwich or delicious fries. And apparently, there was some shady dealings going on behind the scenes so I was not going to be enjoying a cheesesteak sandwich anytime soon!
So if you are like me, locked in small town America, deprived of your cheesesteak sandwich, I’ve got you covered! Here is a super easy and the best tasting cheesesteak sandwich recipe!
What is a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich?
The original cheesesteak sandwich referred to as the Philly Cheesesteak is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Everyone seems to be in agreement that a cheesesteak sandwich made in Philadelphia is a Philly Cheesesteak, while a cheesesteak sandwich made anywhere else is just a cheesesteak. That’s fine by me. I just want to eat them!
But if I am ever in Philadelphia, I will definitely make the effort to try a Philly Cheesesteak original! The authentic sandwich is made of shaved Ribeye beef, carmelized onions and white cheddar cheese on a toasted Amoroso’s bun, which is an Italian hoagie.
What is the Best Cut of Beef for Cheesesteak Sandwiches?
Cheesesteak sandwiches are typically made with thinly sliced ribeye. But as ribeye can be pricey, you can use flank steak as a perfect alternative. I love cooking with flank steak as it is reasonably priced and very easy to handle. Cube steak is another possibility. I prefer the ribeye or flank steak.
If you are purchasing your beef in the store or from a butcher you can ask your butcher to thinly slice the beef for you at no extra cost.
Since we raise our beef, I used another trick that I learned. While your ribeye or flank steak is still partially frozen, trim your steak of most of the fat, then thinly slice. If your steak is fresh or thawed, you can freeze your steak for 20-30 minutes and then slice. Slicing your meat while still partially frozen works well for a lot of cuts of meat, so feel free to use that tip later!
What Goes on a Cheesesteak Sandwich?
Do you know some people put cheeze wiz on cheesesteak sandwiches? Not on my watch!!
Ok, so there is a variety of things you can add to your cheesesteak sandwiches.
- Steak
- Carmelized or cooked onions
- Green Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Cheese (white cheddar or provolone)
- Cheese sauce (if you must:)
- Lettuce
- Tomato
Typically cheesesteak sandwich recipes call for steak, onions, and cheese. But green peppers and mushrooms are a frequent topping!
Toast and Roll Your Cheesesteak Sandwich
Toast your bun! Ok, it does take a little more effort to toast the bun, but it makes all the difference! So show a little love to your buns and toast them. Oh, and while you’re there, add a little mayo.
You can also roll your cheesesteak sandwich and place in the oven for 15 minutes on low. As I mentioned above, my inspiration is the Great Steak cheesesteak sandwich so I was not used to my sandwich being rolled tightly and placed in oven. But I was converted by the roll. One, it gave the sandwich flavors time to blend. And two, it was nice if my farmer husband was late getting inside (which happens often!). I can just turn off the oven and the sandwiches will be nice and hot and ready for dinner, when we are ready!
If your brood is waiting at your elbow, just pile your delicious cooked steak in the hoagie buns and serve immediately. If not you can try wrapping the filled sandwiched tightly and placing in oven! If you are going to roll, don’t add lettuce or tomato til afterward.
Best Tasting Cheesesteak Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
- Aluminum wrap
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ribeye (or Flank steak) sliced thin
- 2-3 tbls butter
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 green pepper sliced
- 1 tsp seasoning salt
- 1 tbls Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4-5 slices white American cheese (or Provolone)
- 1 pack hoagie buns
- mayonnaise
- lettuce (optional)
- tomato slices (optional)
Instructions
- Turn on oven to 250.
- Thinly slice ribeye steak. This is best done when steak is still slightly frozen. Allow to finish unthawing as you cut and cook veggies.
- Slice green pepper and onions thin.
- Add 1 tbls butter to skillet over medium heat.
- Cook green peppers and onions over medium heat until onions become translucent. Transfer to a plate
- Add another tbls of butter in skillet. Add ribeye steak.
- Sprinkle beef with seasoning salt, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a few minutes, being careful to not overcook.
- Add onions and peppers back into skillet. Stir together.
- Divide beef and veggies into 4-5 equal section in skillet. Top with cheese. Allow to melt.
- Add butter to another skillet or griddle. Toast buns. Add a little bit of mayo to toasted buns.
- Fill toasted buns with steak, veggies and cheese. Wrap up tightly in a small sheet of aluminum foil.
- Heat in oven for 15 minutes. Add lettuce and tomato if desired. Enjoy!!
