Philly Cheesesteak
The Philly Cheesesteak sandwich was invented in the 1930s by Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor in Philadelphia who one day decided to grill strips of beef on his own grill, putting them in a roll. A passing taxi driver asked to try one himself, and his enthusiasm convinced Pat to abandon hot dogs and focus exclusively on the new sandwich, later opening the restaurant Pat's King of Steaks, which still operates at the same intersection in the southeast part of the city. Cheese was only added in the 1940s, and the rivalry between Pat's and the competing restaurant Geno's Steaks, located directly across from each other, remains a hot topic in Philadelphia to this day. Locals order using specific jargon — 'wiz wit' means Cheez Whiz with onions, and ordering incorrectly or hesitating too long at the counter is considered a clear sign that you're a tourist.
Extremely thin-sliced beef
Partially frozen beef tenderloin is sliced on a griddle or with a professional slicer into almost translucent strips, essential for the authentic texture.
Onions caramelized on the same griddle
Thinly sliced onions brown on the same hot griddle, then mix directly with the meat during the final cooking.
Melted Cheez Whiz or provolone
Cheese melts directly over the hot meat on the griddle, with every Philadelphia local having a clear preference between the two variants.
Long Italian roll, soft inside
An elongated Italian roll, crusty outside and soft inside, is generously filled, able to absorb the juices without falling apart.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600 g beef ribeye, partially frozen
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 4 long Italian rolls
- 200 g provolone cheese, sliced (or Cheez Whiz)
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Pickled hot peppers for optional serving
How to make it
- 1The partially frozen beef is sliced extremely thin, with a very sharp knife or a slicer, obtaining almost translucent strips.
- 2Oil is heated on a large flat griddle over high heat, and the thinly sliced onion browns, stirring often for eight minutes, until caramelized and golden.
- 3The caramelized onion is pushed to one side of the griddle, keeping warm, and the sliced meat is placed on the free side, in a thin layer.
- 4The meat cooks quickly, just two to three minutes, chopping it gently with metal spatulas into smaller pieces as it browns.
- 5The sautéed onion mixes directly with the meat on the griddle, combining the flavors, then it's seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- 6The meat and onion mixture is divided into four equal piles on the griddle, and slices of provolone cheese are placed over each pile.
- 7The cheese melts directly on the hot meat for one minute, until it becomes completely liquid and covers the mixture.
- 8The Italian rolls are cut lengthwise, without separating completely, and lightly warmed at the edge of the griddle for a few seconds.
- 9The hot mixture of meat, onion, and melted cheese is carefully transferred into each roll using a wide spatula, and the Philly Cheesesteak is served immediately, while hot, with pickled hot peppers on the side if desired.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
