Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
As the story goes, the Philly cheesesteak was created in 1930, by Philly frankfurters Pat and Harry Olivieri. Tired of the tried and true hot dog, Pat “frizzled” or crisped up some thinly sliced steak along with some seasonings, and sandwiched it between soft, white bread. A cabbie, in the right place at the right time, caught a sniff, and scored the new creation for a dime – thus creating the first of what would become hundreds of millions of cheesesteak transactions. Pat’s humble hot dog stand soon ditched the dog entirely, and Pat’s King of Steaks was born.
But every good story always has a twist. Some credit the addition of cheese to that of “Cocky” Joe Lorenzo, a manager of one of Pat’s locations, who added a healthy dose of provolone to the mix. Others are not too quick to give Lorenzo credit for all the cheesy goodness, instead passing along praise to Geno’s Steaks owner Joey Vento.
No matter who deserves the credit, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time in South Philly at both Pat’s and Geno’s, which sit across from each other at the intersection of 9th and Passyunk. I also enjoyed cheesesteaks at Jim’s and Tony Luke’s and enjoyed them all.
There are really three cheese choices:
- Yes, as in Cheez Whiz. This is a huge thing here and some locals can’t have a cheesesteak in Philly without whiz. It’s melty and gooey and adds another layer of salty flavor.
- Usually regular provolone. When you start getting into sharp provolone, you’ve moved on to a hot roast pork or other type of sandwich. Also called “Provi”.
- American cheese doesn’t have as much flavor but it melts beautifully.
Personally, I am a provolone guy all the way but I respect the Cheese Whiz choice because that is how a lot of people are used to a real cheesesteak, but for me, nothing compares to high-quality provolone.
Yields: 2 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 soft French rolls
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces ribeye steak, thinly sliced
- 4 slices provolone cheese
Preparation:
Slice the rolls with a serrated knife, cutting lengthwise but stopping before you cut all the way through. Set them aside on a serving plate.
Heat a 12” Nonstick Fry Pan 
Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add remaining olive oil. Drop the thinly sliced ribeye onto the hot skillet, spreading out as much as possible. Leave it for at least two minutes to allow the meat to get a little crusty, and season well with sea salt.
Turn the meat breaking it up slightly. After 5-7 minutes, the meat should be nearly cooked through, as it’s so thin.
Toss the meat with the peppers, mushrooms and onions then arrange the meat into 2 rectangular piles in the skillet, roughly the same size as the buns. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, Turn the heat to medium, and allow the cheese to melt. If you find that the cheese isn’t melting well, add a lid to the skillet.
Once the cheese is melted, use one quick motion with a spatula to scoop up each pile, and lay it on the bun. Serve immediately.
Tools Used:
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Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
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