Can I use a chuck steak to make philly cheesesteak?

Making some philly cheesesteaks for friends coming over tonight. Didn't want to spend too much money so I grabbed the cheapest cut of meat, which was a chuck steak. Will this be okay? It doesn't need to be the highest quality meal, just want to make sure it'll be edible.

Krista
  • Posted by: Krista
  • March 2, 2017
  • 40462 views
  • 9 Comments

9 Comments

Abigail J.
Abigail J. March 2, 2017
Chuck steak would be too tough with all the sinews in that cut of meat. You'd be chewing and chewing, and get down to a wad of tough connective tissue in your mouth that would be akin to chewing gum. Chuck steak is intended for long cooking, not a quick flash as used in cheese steaks. If you did slice it almost paper thin and then tenderized it for 2-3 days, you might be able to get away with it, but I sure would invest in a more tender cut. If you do go with a thin-cut, tenderized technique, I'd suggest flat-iron steaks, tri-tip, or hanger steaks. Tenderize them in a ziplock bag. Put that in the freezer long enough to stiffen the meat (not completely frozen), then use a very sharp knife to cut paper-thin slices. That should work for an inexpensive meat for cheese steaks. Grill your veggies first, then sear the meat in a large skillet on a high heat. Hope it works. If not, you might have to upgrade the meat. Good luck, Krista!
 
caninechef
caninechef March 3, 2017
Actually chuck steak cooked rare is quite edible and great flavor. Combined with the thin cut I think it would work. It is the intermediate well done phase that you need to avoid.
 
Carol
Carol April 21, 2021
My friend went shopping for me and got this by accident and trust me it wasn't cheep.

 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy March 2, 2017
Agree with PieceofLayerCake... You can also marinate the meat to tenderize it.
 
MMH
MMH March 2, 2017
In philly they use rib eye
 
Krista
Krista March 2, 2017
Ideally I wanted to use rib-eye, but for the amount of people I'm cooking for it would've been way too expensive. Hoping the chuck steak would work as a cheaper substitute
 
MMH
MMH March 2, 2017
I know they also slice it frozen before they griddle it.
 
Keeffarms
Keeffarms June 18, 2022
Chuck steak is very tender when cooked correctly
 
PieceOfLayerCake
PieceOfLayerCake March 2, 2017
Should be fine, just slice it thinly and don't overcook it.
 
Recommended by Food52

Popular on Food52