Philly Cheese Steak. The thought alone makes me salivate as this beefy/cheesy sandwich is one of my top favorites. A sandwich with perfectly cooked tender beef coupled with a delicious cheese that coats the mouth and adds that je ne sai quai.
The beef of choice for a Philly is the rib eye, but in todays recipe I’ll show you how to make an excellent cheesesteak using whatever cut of beef you can get your hands on. The trick to maximum tenderness is in the preparation. We start by slicing our partially frozen beef against the grain very thinly. If you happen to have a meat slicer now would be a good time to use it. If you don’t a sharp knife and a skillful hand will work just fine. Just remember, the thinner the better. Once the beef has been sliced I personally like to chop it up into small pieces. This is optional but I find that it delivers a better mouth feel and increases tenderness, Finally we will be velveting our beef. Velveting your meat lock in the juices and really tenderizes the meat. This is the same technique used by Chinese restaurants to get their cheaper cuts of beef to taste like a super tender premium cut. This is a fairly straight forward process that only requires baking soda, water, and about 8 minutes. There is only 1 rule when it comes to velveting your beef, DON’T OVER DO THE BAKING SODA!!! More is not better in this circumstance so stick to the recipe. If you find that the beef is not as tender as you like it you can let it sit in the solution a little longer (thicker cuts require a little more time).
You can’t have a cheesesteak without the cheese and the type of cheese is completely up to you. Cheeze Whiz is a popular choice of cheese to use and if you choose to use cheeze whiz you can omit this entire section about cheese preparation. Personally I’m not a big fan of cheeze whiz but I really do like the idea of what it does for a cheese steak. So what we are going to do is create a “Cheeze Whiz” type of sauce using provolone cheese. This is actually quite easy and the secret ingredient is something called sodium citrate.
Sodium citrate is a white powder that acts as an emulsion stabilizer. When added to cheese it keeps the fats and proteins bound together so you end up with a beautiful cheese sauce and not a grainy cheesy mess. I generally add 1 cup of liquid, 1 teaspoon of sodium citrate, and 1 pound of cheese (it doesn’t matter what variety of cheese you use). Try to stay away from pre shredded cheese with a corn starch coating. This seems to mess with the process.
Wit or wit-out? That is the question. Thankfully you get to decide. I prefer onions on my cheesesteak so I guess I’m in the “wit” group. I’ve seen this served with bell peppers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, pickled vegetables, spinach, you name it.
Step 1 – Marinate Steak: Marinating the steak is KEY for the Best Philly Cheese Steak recipe. The marinade is where all the flavor comes from AND it tenderizes the meat. Our marinade consists of a simple mixture of Dijon, balsamic, Worcestershire and seasonings.
Here are a few things you might find helpful when making this recipe
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Philly Cheese Steak Tenderizing Trick – Episode 140
FAQ
What is the most tender steak for Philly cheesesteak?
How do you keep Philly cheesesteak from drying out?
What kind of meat is used for Philly cheesesteak?
How do you tenderize steak?
Tenderizing is the process of making meat more tender by breaking down the connective tissue. You can tenderize meat in several different ways, including pounding, marinating and slow cooking, among others (more details on these processes in a moment). Should You Tenderize Steak?
How long does it take to tenderize Philly cheesesteak?
Tenderizing with a baking soda solution takes only 20 minutes and makes the Best Philly Cheesesteak meat ever! Once you season the meat right you can add Philly cheesesteak filling to pasta stuffed shells, egg rolls, sloppy joes, steak Stuffed Peppers, easy homemade hot pockets, or make a Cheesesteak Pizza !
How do you tenderize a steak using a mallet?
About this method: This is likely one of the most commonly recommended methods for tenderizing a piece of meat or poultry. To tenderize meat using a mallet, it’s recommended to lay the meat (or, in this case, flank steak) on a stable work surface, such as a cutting board, and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap.
How do you cook a Philly cheesesteak?
Some cheesesteak enthusiasts choose meat that’s simply sliced, while others prefer chopped steak. Either way, place your meat on a hot griddle or skillet and cook until evenly browned. If you’re ordering an authentic Philly cheesesteak, it’s important to know the lingo. “Wit or witout” refers to your choice of onions being mixed in with the steak.