Philly Cheesesteaks

By Venzie

Everyone in Philly has a different opinion about which restaurant in town makes the best cheesesteak, but we wanted a Philly Cheesesteak recipe that we could make in our own kitchen. To achieve this, we found that sirloin tips outshone other cuts in our recipe tastings. And instead of slicing them, we cut the sirloin into cubes, pounded them into paper-thin slices, then topped them with provolone (which we preferred over the more traditional Cheez Whiz).

Ingredients

• 6 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak tips, pounded until paper-thin
• Salt and pepper
• 8 thin slices provolone cheese, cut in half
• 4 (6-inch) sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise

Details

Adapted from pinterest.com

Preparation

Step 1

Serves 4

We prefer thin slices of provolone cheese cut to order at the deli counter (packaged slices are too thick to melt quickly), but American cheese works well, too. If using Cheez Whiz, do not add it to the skillet; microwave 3/4 cup in a bowl until warmed through, then spoon it over the assembled sandwiches.

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.

2. Heat additional 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until smoking. Place half of steak slices in skillet (don't worry if they overlap) and season with salt and pepper. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 1 minute per side. Remove pan from heat, layer 4 half-slices of cheese over some meat, top with more with meat, and finally 4 more half-slices of cheese. Cover pan with lid to melt cheese, about 1 minute. Divide meat and cheese between 2 rolls, top with half of onions, and pour juices accumulated in skillet over meat. Wrap each sandwich tightly in foil and set aside while preparing remaining sandwiches.

3. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and repeat step 2 with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, meat, cheese, and onions. Wrap sandwiches in foil and let sit for about 1 minute to let flavors come together. Serve.

The Secret to Paper-Thin Slices
Sirloin tips, tasty but much cheaper than the rib-eye steak used in Philly sandwich shops, are often sold in long strips, making slicing against the grain difficult. We found it much easier to cut the meat into cubes and then pound them into paper-thin pieces.


1. Cut each sirloin tip with the grain into 1-inch cubes.

2. Stagger the beef cubes in a single layer 6 inches apart between two sheets of plastic wrap.

3. Using a meat pounder, pound the cubes until paper-thin.

4. When you're done, the slices of meat should be almost transparent.