The consumption of Philly cheesesteaks skyrocketed by almost 30% over the last year. It’s no wonder why, these delicious meat and cheese sandwiches have the toast of the town in every town since they were invented around a century ago on the streets of South Philadelphia. The way they masterfully combined meat, cheese, onion, and bread has made the Philly cheesesteak a staple of American cuisine.
But what makes a great Philly cheesesteak? What goes into a Philly cheesesteak recipe to set it apart from its brother sandwiches? How do you tell good Philly cheesesteak meat from bad?
You came to the right place. Stay put and read on for the answers as we delve deep into the world of Philly cheesesteaks.
What Is a Philly Cheesesteak?
If you’re misfortunate enough to have never savored the flavors of a Philly cheesesteak, you’re missing out. But here’s what goes into making one.
The Philly cheesesteak recipe is artful in its simplicity. You cook some frozen chip steak on a griddle, stick it in the nicest bread you’ve got, and decide whether to have it with or without onion (and c’mon, the answer is obviously with).
Oh, and then you lather it in delicious cheese.
Not bad, right? No wonder this delicious and decadent snack has been the fare of choice for so many Americans for about a hundred years.
What Makes For Great Philly Cheesesteaks?
The best Philly cheesesteaks are a matter of ingredients and preparation. When it comes to the meat, you can appraise quality the same way you’d appraise the quality of any steak. A high quality cut is a high quality cut, so something like a rib-eye will naturally make for a superior sandwich.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The bread is also an essential component of any great cheesesteak. You want a tender loaf with a little bit of crunch to the crust, but not too much. Shape is left up to the discretion of the chef and consumer, but you’ll find no end of arguments as to which kind of roll is ‘objectively’ the superior choice.
We choose not to wade into such controversial waters.
Finally, the cheese. You’ve got three choices, no more and no less. They are provolone, American cheese, or Cheez Whiz. If you try to get fancy and order some kind of aged French concoction, you’re going to end up looking very silly indeed. Those three are your only choices, and luckily they’re the best choices possible.
And, of course, the right answer is provolone.
Cheesesteaks For the People
So there you have it: everything that goes make into the perfect Philly cheesesteaks. Whether you’re a Philadelphia native or a clueless tourist, you now have everything you need to strut into a diner and secure the best cheesesteak you can possibly get.
Just don’t ask for Swiss cheese.
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