Fran’s Philly Cheesesteak
Let’s just say that it’s a bit presumptuous of me to call my sandwich a Philly cheesesteak since I’ve never been to Philadelphia and, therefore, have never had a bona fide Philly cheesesteak. So, I don’t know how close mine tastes to Philly’s, but I do know that my version is super delicious!
Last week, my local supermarket had shaved steak on sale. I’d been wanting to try my hand at making a Philly cheesesteak, so it was game on. Through the years, I’ve read stories about the great cheese debate—Cheez Whiz or provolone for the sandwich topping? Since I don’t care for Cheez Whiz and I’d rather have provolone on an Italian sub, my first choice for cheese was American. I’ve also looked through recipes for Philly cheesesteaks and found that some cooks add a little Worcestershire sauce to the steak mixture. That didn’t appeal to me, so I went with KISS—keep it simple, stupid!
It was super easy to sauté the onion and bell pepper, followed by the shaved steak. All you do then is add salt, pepper, and the cheese. Spread (or, if you’re like me, slather) some mayonnaise on the toasted rolls and stuff them with the cheesy steak mixture. Grab some chips and a dill pickle and save the air fare to Philadelphia!
Fran’s Philly Cheesesteak
Ingredients
- 4 sub/hoagie rolls (ciabatta is also a very nice option)
- 2 to 3 tbl. canola oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 1 pound shaved steak
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 6 to 8 slices American or provolone cheese (depending how cheesy you want it
- Mayonnaise for spreading on the toasted rolls—optional but really, really good
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400o F. Cut the rolls, keeping one long side attached. Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and bake until the crust has crisped up. It should take approximately 4 to 6 minutes. If the crust isn’t crisp to the touch, bake for another minute. Set toasted rolls aside.
While the rolls are toasting, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper (also mushrooms if using) and sauté until the vegetables are lightly browned and the onions are golden. You can add a little more oil if needed. Remove vegetables onto a plate and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil and spread the steak in a thin layer. Cook for a minute or two or until the steak is browned, then flip to the other side, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until fully cooked.
Add the vegetables back to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove from heat, add the cheese to the top of the mixture and let it gently melt for about a minute. While the cheese is melting, spread some mayonnaise over the top and bottom of the toasted roll.
Divide the warm, cheesy steak mixture into the rolls and serve with potato chips and pickle spears.
Source: A frantastic original