cheesesteak sandwich.....

[ourwed]

I am from the south so we don't have those GOOD cheesesteak sandwiches. Can anyone tell me what kind of meat to buy and the best way to make them at home???? What cheese is the best to use......Thanks

 

[pbharris4]

I grew up in NE PA and our cheesteaks had sliced meat a good Italian hoagie roll, fried onions, chuncky tomato sauce and mozzerella and provolone. Some people used cheez whiz (yuck for me). Personally...I think it's all in the roll it's on. Lay off the lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and mayo. When I moved to VA and asked for a cheesesteak..I was surprised it had all that stuff on it..not bad, but not the same. Try looking up....Geno's steaks or Pat's Steaks in Philadelphia they should have more info for you.

 

[BethR]

I grew up in NE PA and our cheesteaks had sliced meat a good Italian hoagie roll, fried onions, chuncky tomato sauce and mozzerella and provolone.

Tomato sauce? Really? I never knew.

 

[Kycha]

I grew up in NE PA and our cheesteaks had sliced meat a good Italian hoagie roll, fried onions, chuncky tomato sauce and mozzerella and provolone. Some people used cheez whiz (yuck for me). Personally...I think it's all in the roll it's on. Lay off the lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and mayo. When I moved to VA and asked for a cheesesteak..I was surprised it had all that stuff on it..not bad, but not the same. Try looking up....Geno's steaks or Pat's Steaks in Philadelphia they should have more info for you.

I totally agree! The roll really makes a cheesesteak.

 

[ourwed]

what cut of meat do I buy??

 

[kathrna]

Hooters makes an awesome Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. I know, I know... Hooters. But really, they do. I know this didn't answer your question, but I just thought I'd point you in a good direction to start until you found your secret ingredients.

 

[i3utterfli82]

Cheese steaks have either American, provolone, or cheese whiz. Depends on what you like best.

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

http://philadelphia.about.com/cs/cheesesteaks/ht/makecheesesteak.htm

That's a link from about.com. They say to use rib-eye or top round. Personally, when I'm making them for eating at home, I'm just buying the frozen pack of Philly cheesesteak meat. They sell it here in Cali, so I'm guessing they'd have one brand in the SE. It's just faster. But if you do get your own meat, it just needs to be REALLY really thinly sliced. It should completely cook in like, 1 minute flat.

ITA with the posters who said that the roll makes the cheesesteak. There is no other way to describe it. The rolls in philly don't really have a lot of bulk to them, and they are just... amazing. Amoroso's is the brand that is widely used in the area. And you have to leave some of the grease on the meat. At the college I went to in Philly they'd put some more grease onto the griddle and toast the inside of the bun on it for a few seconds - ok this was heaven but wicked hard to do at home I've discovered, mostly because I don't have spare grease and end up having to take the meat off and then toast the bun and then assemble the sandwich. I personally like american (not packaged singles, the real stuff) or provolone on my steak, with some fried onions. I grew up like an hour north of philly and my steaks always had on a steak sandwich sauce (tallarico's, haha) but there is no way to replicate such a sauce. Philly steaks, true philly steaks, don't have a sauce, but they classically use cheez wiz - though it's ok to use the american or provolone. I am not a fan of the cheez wiz steak. Sometimes I'll put sauteed mushrooms on my steak, but a classic really only has the fried onions as an option. No lettuce, no tomato, no peppers, no pizza sauce.

Good luck. They are delicious.

 

[LisaNJ25]

i loovvveeee Philly chicken cheese steaks.

 

[kswm30b]

I'm sorry, but if you don't get a "real" Philly cheesesteak, no matter what you use to make it, it's not going to be the same thing.

There's a town outside of Tampa (Dunedin) that has a cheesesteak/hoagie place that makes great, authentic Philly cheesesteaks. The key, like others have said, is that they get the ingredients, especially the roll (Amoroso's) shipped from Philly. The owners are from the Philly area, and missed getting local food (they also have tastycakes and Herrs chips, among others) in FL. Since it's near the Phillies spring training site, there's a lot of people from the area that go there (including us!) OK, that was my long winded way of saying other than this place, I've never had a good cheesesteak outside of the Delaware Valley area. And I'm a rare one that doesn't even get cheese on my cheesesteak.

 

[BethR]

I'm a rare one that doesn't even get cheese on my cheesesteak.

Although I LOVE cheese, and I always have a cheeseBURGER, I don't care for cheese on a steak sandwich. Just fried onions for me. Often places (not in Philly) will serve onions AND peppers, and although I like both on a sausage sandwich, not on a steak sandwich.

 

[Crazy Hakim]

Am I the only one here who buys and uses Steak-ums for my cheese steaks?
I think this is what OP was asking.
Also, we always cut our rolls, butter and add garlic powder and lightly toast the rolls before adding the steak, cheese, peppers, onions......

 

[jennifer293]

I buy Steak Ums and also Walmart has a generic of this meat and it tastes just as good. I have a box in the freezer right now. I buy the rolls out of the bakery dept. Mozz cheese, onions and bellpepper..MMMMMM...you can also make them with shredded chicken and it is tasty as well!!

 

[Belle2667]

I personally like american (not packaged singles, the real stuff) or provolone on my steak, with some fried onions. I grew up like an hour north of philly and my steaks always had on a steak sandwich sauce (tallarico's, haha) but there is no way to replicate such a sauce. Philly steaks, true philly steaks, don't have a sauce, but they classically use cheez wiz - though it's ok to use the american or provolone. I am not a fan of the cheez wiz steak. Sometimes I'll put sauteed mushrooms on my steak, but a classic really only has the fried onions as an option. No lettuce, no tomato, no peppers, no pizza sauce.

Good luck. They are delicious.

I agree with the American cheese, get the real stuff (Clearfield's the best). And Tallarico's is the best steak sandwich sauce! We get our "chipped" beef from a local market and we always have to have it with American Cheese. Rolls are important, but even tortillas work well.

Sometimes we mix taco seasoning and use cheddar cheese, just to mix it up a little.

DS16 loves the "California" Cheesesteaks, and those are the ones with lettuce, tomato and mayo.

Hmmm, now I know what we're having for dinner tonight!

 

[Kies99]

"BOO" on cheesesteaks..."BOO" I say!!

You want a good old Primanti's Sammich!!!

http://www.primantibrothers.com/

I reccomend the Capicola and Cheese with a fried egg for good measure!!

 

[java]

Cheese steak -
It is all about the roll as others have said.
But to fake it you can use what the store calls minute steak - the really thin steak. onions sliced thin, I think a little beef broth goes in no? And the cheese - provolone for me . Classic is American or cheese whiz though(the SALT factor!)
mmm now I need a cheese steak but it is about an hour away to philly.

Oh and a different cheese steak sandwich that we love was from a local bar. It is basically steak tips with mozz. cheese. At home I use garlic rolls buttered up and garlic powdered- no fancy garlic rub for us. Then I saute up some stew meat cut into about 1 inch cubes a little smaller is good too- with some onions. put this onto the bread- top with cheese and under the broiler for a minute to melt the cheese.

mmmmmm.

 

[Nina]

IMO... Steak Ums & the other boxed stuff do not even compare to a cheese steak from Philly. They do sell chip steak, which is steak sliced up really thin. I get mine from a local butcher, but I have seen it packaged in the store
I just fry up the meat with a little oil, top with cheese & fried onions.
I either will do American cheese or Cheese Whiz. The roll has to be good. And definately no sauce!

LOL... now I am wanting a good Pats steak!!!

 

[DisneyMissy318]

Food Lion just started carrying a new product. It's in the fresh meat case. It's the meat for cheesesteak sandwiches! My DH is a mgr in the meat department and we have had this a couple of times in the last month! I love that the meat is fresh - already "shredded" - doesn't have the frozen "steak-um" taste. Definitely a great new item.

 

[BCV2003]

"BOO" on cheesesteaks..."BOO" I say!!

You want a good old Primanti's Sammich!!!

http://www.primantibrothers.com/

I reccomend the Capicola and Cheese with a fried egg for good measure!!

I'm right there with you on this one!

 

[kileybeth]

Oh my goodness! I am old enough to know that food is regional and have traveled a good bit too but really, I mean REALLY! not know what a cheesesteak is? hehehe. I am in a burb just south of Philly within driving distance to dozens and dozens of cheesesteak shops, most fairly decent.
We quit trying to order cheesesteaks away form home years ago tho.

But to eat a cheesesteak with anything other than fried onoins and a little ketchup on an amorosa roll? scandelous I'm sure.

At home, I do cheat. Costco carries an excellent cheesesteak (threw away the box, sorry) that comes in preshredded meat patties that cook up delicious. Just use some fat from pan of steak to put on roll and a spereate frying pan to toast up your roll. We use velvetta ( I know, I know!) b/c it melts the best/quickest.

Whoever mentioned Herr's chips and Tastycakes just sealed my lunch selection for the day. Must. go. to. Pat's.

and if any DE transplants to Las Vegas folks are out there, Capriottis has a shop in LV! I know! crazy! (only the best hoagies and bobbies ever)

sorry, you guys made me hungry!!!