My Uncles Philly Cheesesteak
During my last visit to the coast of California to see my family, my uncle made home made Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches and OMG they were good! I don’t know about you, but for me, when I miss someone, I often find myself cooking food that reminds me of them. Within a month of coming home, I decided to make my those same sandwiches.
I’m sure at one point there might have been a recipe but my uncle sure didn’t use one and neither did I. I went off memory and a few google searches to fill in the blanks.
Ingredients
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Ribeye (1 lb)
McCormiks Steak Seasoning
According to google Ribeye is the most common steak used to make a Philly Cheesesteak. The first time I made this, I purchased the Ribeye from a butcher and asked him to thinly slice it. The second time, I purchased it from the meet section of a store and cut it thin at home before cooking it.
Thinly Sliced Yellow Onion (1/2 to whole pending size)
Thinly Sliced Bell Pepper (1 whole)
More commonly you will see red and or green bell peppers but as I’m not a huge fan of green I used red, I also tend to have orange and yellow that would have worked too.
TIP_ Bell peppers come in a variety of colors from fresh green to vibrant red, even purple, brown, and black if you are adventurous. Basic green bell peppers are harvested early and don’t have the change to change color and as a result can be a little bitter. Red bell peppers tend to taste more sweet and almost fruity.
Provolone Cheese (Not Aged)
Provolone is a semi-hard Italian cheese and can range from mild and buttery to a little more sharp pending the type of provolone you get. The more common and probably affordable option is to buy the provolone pre-sliced in the dairy section of your grocery store. If this is not your vibe, maybe it’s a special occasion, or you are looking to expand your world when it comes to cheese, shop at a place like Whole Foods where they have a more robust cheese selection. Purchase a block and slice it at home.
Hoagie Rolls
Pending what options you have access to, Kaiser rolls, french baguette, and even ciabatta are good alternatives.
Ghee (About 1 Table Spoon)
I don’t often cook with butter, but when I do, I use ghee which is a clarified butter know best for being used in a lot of Indian cuisine. It has a nutty flavor and high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking.
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Order of Operations
My uncle used a large deep frying pan to make this a great “one pot” meal. Start with a little EVOO your sliced onions and bell peppers and cook until they start to soften. If you cook separately, cook until soft and set aside. Next comes the ribeye and season with steak seasoning to taste. From here I see 2 different options.
Option 1. Once the ribeye was cooked my uncle mixed in a little ghee and topped with sliced provolone cheese. Once the cheese melted he mixed and filled toasted hoagie rolls and served.
Option 2. As the pan I was cooking in was not as large as my uncles, I added a little ghee and tossed in a little provolone cheese till it melted. Then I toasted bread in the toaster over with sliced provolone so it would melt in the oven. Once melted and toasty, I added the steak mix and was ready to enjoy.
One thing you will learn about me is I’m a cook not a baker. I don’t like measuring and if I don’t have a recipe, no worries, you can still figure it out. If this is not your vibe, below are a few example of actual recipes you can follow.
Cheers!
Possible Additional Ingredients: Spinach, Mushrooms, Mayo, and more
