Steak
Not-So-Classic Cheesesteak
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Cook time 15 minutes
- makes 2 sandwiches
Author Notes
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the cheesesteak. At its bare bones, the filling is sliced steak cooked with lots of onions piled onto a roll and finished with a blanket of melty cheese. The first time I had it, it was a quick meal between planes at the Philly airport. I savored it so slowly that I almost missed my flight! For extra kick, top it with sliced pickled peppers, such as cherry peppers, which is the way many fans like it. My version also has a tangy sauce that you won’t find in the plainer versions. - Owen Han
Reprinted from Stacked by arrangement with Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright © 2024, Owen Han.
—Food52
What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Not-So-Classic Cheesesteak
Ingredients
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1 pound
(455g) boneless rib eye steak
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1/3 cup
(80ml) tomato ketchup
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2 tablespoons
reduced-sodium soy sauce
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1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
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2 teaspoons
sriracha
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2 tablespoons
vegetable or canola oil
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1
medium sweet onion, cut into thin half-moons
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1 tablespoon
finely grated fresh ginger
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2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
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3/4 teaspoon
fine sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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3/4 cup
(75g) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
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3/4 cup
(75g) shredded unsmoked provolone cheese
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2
crusty French or Italian rolls, partially split lengthwise and opened like a book
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Sliced hot or sweet pickled cherry peppers
Directions
- Freeze the steak until firm and partially frozen, about 30 minutes. On a carving board, cut across the rain into ¼-inch/6 mm slices. Stir the ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sriracha together.
- Position the broiler rack about 4 inches/10 cm from the source of heat and preheat the broiler on High.
- Heat a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat. Add the oil, then the onions, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Move the onions to the edges of the pan and add the steak strips to the center. Spread out the steak as much as you can to have contact with the skillet. Cook the steak until seared on the underside, about 2 minutes. Flip the steak and cook until seared but still rare, about 2 minutes more. Stir the steak and onions together and move to one side of the pan. Season the steak and onions with the salt and pepper. Stir in the ketchup mixture and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
- Combine the mozzarella and provolone cheeses. For each sandwich, open a roll and heap half of the steak mixture on the bottom half. Top with half of the cheese. Place the open-faced sandwiches on a broiler pan. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Add the pickled peppers as desired. Close the roll, cut in half, and serve hot.
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