Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich made with super thinly sliced ribeye steak, caramelized onion, and provolone cheese. That simple combination is the original classic as made popular on the East Coast. The Philly Cheesesteak has been modified on the West Coast to include bell peppers and mushrooms but a true “Philly” only has steak, onion and cheese served over a roll.
Ribeye is the steak of choice for Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches. It is well-marbled and tender when cooked. Another cut that we have used with great results is flank steak which is lean but very tender when cut against the grain. You will need a little extra oil on your cooking surface if using flank steak.
Ingredients
1 lb Ribeye steak trimmed and thinly sliced*
1/2 tsp Sea salt or to taste
1/2 tsp Black pepper or to taste
1 sweet onion (large), diced
8 slices provolone cheese mild (not aged provolone)
4 Hoagie Rolls sliced 3/4 through
2 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 garlic clove pressed
2-4 Tbsp mayonnaise or to taste
Instructions
Slice hoagie rolls 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife. Dice onions and thinly slice beef.*
In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp softened butter with 1 pressed garlic clove. Spread garlic butter onto the cut sides of 4 hoagie roll. Toast the buns on a large skillet, flat cooktop or griddle on medium heat until golden brown then set aside.
Add 1 Tbsp oil to your pan/cooktop and sautee diced onions until caramelized then transfer to a bowl.
Increase to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Spread the super thinly sliced steak in an even layer. Let brown for a couple of minutes undisturbed then flip and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sautee until steak is fully cooked through then stir in the caramelized onions.
Divide into 4 even portions and top each with 2 slices of cheese and turn off the heat so the cheese will melt without overcooking the meat.
Spread a thin layer of mayo on the toasted side of each roll. Working with one portion at a time, place a toasted bun over each portion and use a spatula to scrape the cheesy beef into your bun as you flip it over. Serve warm.