Philly Cheese Steak
Chef Bobby Flay’s restaurant-worthy cheesesteak sandwich recipe is loaded with thinly sliced steak, caramelized onions, sauteed peppers and mushrooms and a velvety Provolone cheese sauce.
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1340
- Total Fat
- 100 g
- Saturated Fat
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Protein
- 74 g
- Cholesterol
- 281 mg
- Sodium
- 1970 mg
Article by Layla Khoury-Hanold
Philly cheese steak, also known as Philly cheesesteak or Philly steak and cheese, is a beef sandwich that originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Traditional Philly cheese steaks are made with thinly sliced steak and melted cheese on a hoagie roll. Philly cheesesteaks also often include toppings such as sauteed onions and peppers, sauteed mushrooms or sweet or hot peppers. For his gourmet take on a Philly cheese steak, chef Bobby Flay tops thinly sliced strip loin with a Provolone cheese sauce, caramelized onions, sauteed poblano and Cubano peppers and sauteed cremini and shiitake mushrooms. With Bobby’s easy, homemade Philly cheese steak recipe, you’ll learn the best cut of beef to use, the secret to slicing steak paper-thin, how to build flavor and texture in the cheesesteak toppings and how to make the best cheese sauce.
How to Make Philly Cheese Steak Like a Pro
Freeze the steak for optimal slicing. Place strip loin steak in freezer for 30 to 45 minutes; this helps the steak maintain a firmer texture and makes it easier to thinly slice the meat.
Lucy Schaeffer
Slice the steak paper thin. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice paper-thin; you should almost be able to see through it. Bobby uses a meat slicer, but you can also use a mandoline slicer or a very sharp knife.
Quickly cook the sliced steak on a flat top. Bobby cooks the slices of steak on a flattop griddle over high heat, just like they do in Philly, 45 to 60 seconds per side. If you don’t have a griddle you can use a grill pan.
Lucy Schaeffer
Make a creamy cheese sauce for the best texture and flavor. Bobby makes a bechamel sauce to get the texture of Cheez Whiz and adds shredded aged Provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano for depth of flavor.
Caramelize the onions and don’t rush the process. Bobby cooks thinly sliced Spanish onions in butter and oil until golden brown and caramelized, about 30 to 40 minutes. The caramelized onions add a pleasing sweetness that pairs well with the cheese sauce.
Sautee peppers until soft but retain some texture. Bobby cooks thinly sliced poblano and Cubano peppers until they’re cooked through but have a little crunch.
Sautee mushrooms until golden brown and add herbs for freshness. Bobby uses flavorful cremini and shiitake mushrooms, cooks them until golden brown, then stirs in fresh chopped parsley for a hit of herbaceous freshness.
Lucy Schaeffer
Assemble the Philly cheesesteak in a specific order. Split soft hoagie rolls ¾ of the way open to ensure that there is enough room for the filling and the sandwich holds together. Place several slices of meat on the bottom half of the roll, spoon the cheese on top, then top with the mushrooms, onions and peppers.
Best Meat for Philly Cheese Steak
The best meat for Philly cheese steak is ribeye, sirloin or strip loin (aka NY Strip). For a more budget-friendly option, you can use shaved steak.
Best Cheese for a Philly Cheesesteak
There is an ongoing debate on the best cheese to use for Philly cheesesteaks, which includes either Provolone or American cheese or Cheez Whiz. For his sandwich, Bobby adds a combination of aged Provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano to a bechamel sauce to get the texture of cheese whiz with the flavor of Provolone and savory depth of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bread for Philly Cheese Steak
The best bread for Philly cheese steak is a hoagie. Hoagie bread rolls are traditionally used for Philly cheesesteaks because the long split-rolls are sturdy enough to accommodate the fillings and hold their shape. Hawaiian rolls are used to make Philly cheesesteak sliders.
Ways to Serve Philly Cheesesteak
The Philly cheesesteak’s iconic ingredient combination of steak, cheese, onions and peppers has inspired creative ways to serve it, including Philly cheesesteak pasta, pizza, casserole, quesadillas, egg rolls, mac and cheese and kebabs. Philly cheesesteaks are a popular sandwich to serve for game day parties and tailgating and the format lends itself to interpretation, like Philly cheesesteak sliders, Bobby’s Grilled "Philly" Cheese Steak made with filet mignon and grilled peppers or these appetizer-ready Open-Faced NY Strip "Philly Cheese Steaks".
Philly Cheese Steak
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 45 min
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1340
- Total Fat
- 100 g
- Saturated Fat
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Protein
- 74 g
- Cholesterol
- 281 mg
- Sodium
- 1970 mg
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 45 min
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 1340
- Total Fat
- 100 g
- Saturated Fat
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Protein
- 74 g
- Cholesterol
- 281 mg
- Sodium
- 1970 mg
Ingredients
Provolone Sauce:
Sauteed Mushrooms:
Caramelized Onions:
Sauteed Peppers:
Directions
- Place steak in freezer for 30 to 45 minutes; this makes it easier to slice the meat. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice very thinly.
- Heat griddle or grill pan over high heat. Brush steak slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds per side.
- Place several slices of the meat on the bottom half of the roll, spoon some of the cheese sauce over the meat, and top with the mushrooms, onions, and peppers.
Provolone Sauce:
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk, and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the provolone and Parmesan until combined; season with the salt and pepper.
Sauteed Mushrooms:
- Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Caramelized Onions:
- Heat butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook slowly until golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Sauteed Peppers:
- Heat the oil in medium saute pan over high heat. Add the peppers and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
