Yahoo Lifestyle How to Make the Best-Ever Philly Cheesesteaks, According to My Chef-Husband
I'm not going to lie: I never had a Philly cheesesteak until last week. Even though one of my best friends lives in The City of Brotherly Love and I've visited more times than I can count, they just never appealed to me.
Maybe it's the fact that it's hot beef smothered in melty cheese. Maybe it's the street meat association with the iconic sandwich. Or maybe it's that I would rather have anything else—even a turkey hoagie from Wawa, the famed Philadelphia convenience store—other than a cheesesteak.
So, when my chef-husband Luke proposed cheesesteaks for the NFL playoff games in support of the Philadelphia Eagles (his beloved Broncos lost so he was all in on the Eagles), I was NOT thrilled. "Can't we do your famous nachos?" I begged. "Or buffalo wings?? Anything else but cheesesteaks??"
"Trust me," Luke replied. "You'll love them."
"We'll see" was all I could say, mid-eye roll.
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Ingredients Needed for Philly Cheesesteaks
Although traditional cheesesteaks usually call for ribeye, Luke found a Waygu ribeye while he was rummaging around in our freezer and decided to get fancy with it. Of course, you can go with a regular ribeye here or top round—anything with good marbling he tells me—but I had a feeling these cheesesteaks were about to be on another level, thanks to the Waygu.
Luke also grabbed a green pepper, an onion, some aged provolone cheese and a couple of super soft hoagie rolls. "It's funny," he said, washing the pepper. "I used to hate green peppers when I was a young chef and now I love them."
I, on the other hand, have always loved green peppers. Especially stuffed like my mom used to make for me when I was a kid. I even love peppers and onions with Italian sausage, and I was hoping this sauteed veggie element might change my mind about cheesesteaks.
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How to Make the Best-Ever Philly Cheesesteak
Luke got to work slicing his peppers and onions super thin before moving on to the Waygu. He sliced the meat into long, thin strips and seasoned it with a few shakes of steak seasoning he found in the cabinet, along with salt and pepper.
Then it was time to cook. First, he sautéed the peppers and onions over medium-high heat with some Wagyu Beef Tallow Spray (which you can buy on Amazon) to double down on the Waygu flavor. Once the veggies were silky and soft he removed them from the pan, set them aside and tossed in the meat with more tallow spray.
Cranking the heat to high and working quickly, he seared the meat for a second, then added the veggies back into the mix and stirred everything together. He finished by shredding a blanket of provolone cheese over the top, which smelled so incredible I was ready to dive in right then and there.
"Not yet!" he said as he saw me inching toward the pan. "It's a warm sandwich roll, it has to steam first."
Spooning the cheesesteak filling into the split rolls, Luke set each on a sheet of aluminum foil and then rolled them up tightly. "You wrap the rolls in foil so the sandwich steams inside," he says.
"But everything's already melted? What's the point?" I asked.
"It's so the meat doesn't dry out," he replied. "And stays extra tender."
I wasn't completely convinced until he sliced the whole shebang in half a minute later and I peeked in. "I get it now. Wow."
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My Honest Thoughts On My Chef-Husband's Philly Cheesesteaks
"Where have these been all my life?" was the first thing out of my mouth. "This might be the best thing I've ever had." I mean, I really don't know why I'd been turning away from this glorious sandwich all these years.
Cheesy, savory, seasoned, melt-in-your-mouth Waygu with bits of fresh sauteed peppers and caramelized onions in every bite...it was delicious. It was also steamed to perfection just like Luke promised. There's something about eating a warm melty sandwich filled with umami bomb ingredients all wrapped up in tin foil like a burrito that hits every time.
I finished my entire cheesesteak without hesitation and will be requesting a redo just in time for the Super Bowl.
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Best Tips for Making a Cheesesteak
Freeze the meat. "Freezing the Wagyu for 30 minutes will make slicing easier," Luke tells me.
Always foil wrap. For the aforementioned steaming process. Simply stuffing and plating the cheesesteak won't do and will be a surefire way to dry out your steak.
Shred your cheese. I swear I've seen cheesesteaks that look like they have sheets of provolone on top but Luke says shredding is the only way to go. This way the melty cheese gets in all the nooks and crannies.
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