Any tips for making a quality philly steak & onion?

I'm "okay" at making steaks (filets to be specific) on the grill in the summer but have never attempted to make my own Philly steak & onion sandwich from scratch before. I thought it might be fun and hopefully delicious to try...

I'm not from Philadelphia or in Philadelphia so I guess I shouldn't be asking how to make a quality PHILLY steak & onion sandwich necessarily. But hopefully you all know what I'm referring to in concept at least...

I guess my questions are...

1) First and foremost, what is the tastiest and most tender-est cut of steak that you would recommend to use when making these at home? I'm a "filet guy" in steak terms. I prefer it to any other cut I know of just solely because I'm a tenderness kinda guy I don't like (even flavorful) steaks if they are the least bit tough. Yet I don't assume one makes a philly steak and onion sandwich out of a filet cut? Or can you?

2) What specifically would I want to look for in terms of the label at the supermarket in regards to this ideal cut of steak, if there is one? Or should I not even be looking for this cut in a mere "supermarket"?

3) What is the general best way (in your opinion) to slice, cook and/or season these steak fragments once I get going?

4) How about the onions (the other part I really love)? Could I sautee them? Carmelize them? Just cook them raw along with the steak pieces?

5) What are your feelings and recommendations about the cheese? I like a "dollop" of cheese on items such as these but not TONS of it. I prefer to enjoy more of the steak and onion than the cheese in terms of the proportions. But I'm definitely open to hearing what others recommend to use and or what types. I thought I read somewhere before that, interestingly enough, the traditional philly cheese steak (that the Philadelphians make) don't use real melted cheese on most of these sandwiches but rather just a cheese "sauce"?

Having said all that, I'm actually not looking to stay strictly Philadelphia-authentic with these. Just looking for some tips on how to make a tender, tasty, quality one at home first and foremost. As we all know, the toppings and or seasonings could probably be embellished or preferred in a million different ways...

P.S. Oh wow! Just as I was finishing up typing this, a "philly steak" segment just came on the food network here! I HONESTLY did not know it was coming on! Apparently the guy on this segment said he preferred rib-eye to sirloin steak for making them, if I remember right. It wasn't a very long or overly-detailed segment though...

Thanks for any thoughts you may have though! I appreciate it!

Jeff

Slice partially frozen New York steak with a meat slicer, throw it in a hot cast iron frying pan in a little oil with some crushed garlic and pepper and salt. Stir fry till done. Serve on sandwich with carmelized onions and a partially melted slice of provolone cheese.

Velveeta is a crime against food, and it pains me that melted Velveeta is the standard choice in many places.

caramelize the onions, no doubt its sweetness will be a good balance against the saltiness of the cheese and the meatiness of the steak

i always thought though that cheez whiz was what most people use hehe. but i am for a cheese sauce rather than slices of the cheese for the simple reason that a sauce can seep through the cracks and infuse everything.

i haven't tried it yet, but maybe a cheese fondue mixture (with some provolone, cheddar, and maybe even a little mozarella) might work

oh and the bun, too. make sure the bun is tender so it's easy to just bite into the thing

[Jenise]

I think you'd be wasting your money on filet here and passing up an opportunity to have more flavor steak if you used rib eye. Sliced/shaved very very thin (like 1/8" or less), and cooked VERY quickly and not past medium, it's meltingly tender.

MY SHIFT KEY IS ALSO BROKEN. PROVOLONE CHEESE IS MY CHOICE FOR PHILLY STEAKS. THE CHOICE OF BUN IS AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT, TOO.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN HAS THEIR VERSION IN A COOKBOOK THAT I'LL TRY TO FIND LATER TODAY.

My favorite local Philly cheesesteak place uses shaved ribeye. It is flavorful and tender, without doing the chopping on the grill that some shops do using two spatulas. I opt for provolone and onions. As suggested above, a good roll adds to the quality of the sub. They are baked fresh here and used shortly after baking.

ok, here is how they do it IN philly. buy the frozen thin sliced 'minute' steaks. this is what they actually use there. cook the onions first till lightly carmelized. put some 'salad oil' in a hot pan and throw on the minute steaks and add salt and pepper to taste - forget garlic. using two spatulas, pull them apart as they cook. when they are very well done, put on top of the onions and put one or two slices of white american cheese on the top of all. cover momentarily to help melt the cheese. place into a genuine italian role - almost impossible to find outside of the northeast and mid atlantic states. if your rolls are too thick, serve them 'inside out' - which means scrapping up part of the inside and throwing it away. (this is also done with sub sandwiches). gosh, i love cheese steaks!

ok, here is how they do it IN philly.

Not the ones I eat in Philly.

By coincidence, I was so ravenous last night I made myself a Philly steak before I went to bed. And there's no one correct way to make Philly steak sandwiches. I made hundreds at state fairs and they were sure good, but I would consider them as another variant. And it is difficult to find the right roll.

Velveeta is a crime against food, and it pains me that melted Velveeta is the standard choice in many places.

You won't have to worry about me on this one at least! I also don't like Velveeta at all as a "cheese". There's just something about it's off-taste I just don't prefer. Maybe this is equally silly (or not) but I simply prefer Kraft singles for a lot of "home cheeses", if needed. I often make omelettes with the slices because of its neutral but satisfying taste. Or grilled cheese sandwiches especially! Nothing else seems to work/taste right to me on a grilled cheese sandwich. The problem I have with a lot of "real" or exotic cheeses (more expensive cheeses) is that many are too prominent, distinctive or strong to my tastes. I'm definitely more of a "neutral to mild" kinda cheese guy (if I must have it...)

Or perhaps cheese just isn't my thing because most I "should" find as quality or exquisite, I often don't like...LOL. But I'm not a "dairy" guy too much, that I know. I don't like cream cheese at all either for some reason. Just seems rather gross to me for lack of a better descriptor. However if masked by sugar or something in a cheesecake then it suddenly turns good! I LOVE cheesecake - just plain and pure with a simple coating of white cake-like frosting on top! No strawberries necessary (although I'll still happily eat it). I need to visit Chicago again soon...

I do enjoy sour cream the best I'd say. Particularly on tacos or mashed potatoes. Definitely more into it than the cream cheese side of things...

Jeff

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

I plan to give this sandwich a try. Maybe I'll just make a collage of EVERYONE'S ideas and see how it turns out.

And I do agree that the bun is always a major thing - in ANY sandwich! I'm definitely not a fan of the hard, tough buns for these sandwiches. I'll have to see what I can find in the way of some quality ones and hope for the best.

Thanks again!

Jeff

By coincidence, I was so ravenous last night I made myself a Philly steak before I went to bed. And there's no one correct way to make Philly steak sandwiches. I made hundreds at state fairs and they were sure good, but I would consider them as another variant. And it is difficult to find the right roll.

I agree. There's no one correct way to make a Philly cheesesteak, and that is what makes it so much fun to discuss. One advantage of living in the Philly area is that the local bakeries make their version of a Philly roll so we also get to argue about which of the bakeries makes the best roll for a cheesesteak.

Well, I am sure this is not even close to what you were looking for, but I often make "steak" sandwiches, by taking leftover cold cut roast beef, frying it quickly in some butter, and sauteeing some onions and mushrooms. Then I take a fresh roll, butter both insides and fry it in the pan, add some provolone or American cheese and put the beef, onion, and mushrooms on. It is good and helps to use up leftover roast beef which only lasts a day or two.

When I want to make something more "authentic" I will use the frozen minute steaks.

Well, I am sure this is not even close to what you were looking for, but I often make "steak" sandwiches, by taking leftover cold cut roast beef, frying it quickly in some butter, and sauteeing some onions and mushrooms. Then I take a fresh roll, butter both insides and fry it in the pan, add some provolone or American cheese and put the beef, onion, and mushrooms on. It is good and helps to use up leftover roast beef which only lasts a day or too.

When I want to make something more "authentic" I will use the frozen minute steaks.

Thanks Maria. It definitely sounds worthy of a try! It's true that as a general rule I don't usually buy much roast beef. I never can find "home sandwich roast beefs" that I like too much for some reason. I inevitably end up making turkey, ham or BLT's more than anything in terms of sandwich meats. I do like Arby's roast beef though! I often have very "pedestrian" tastes sometimes...

Jeff

LOL Jeff...oh, you are so pedestrian!! I am not an Arby's fan but love Big Macs every once in awhile...YUM!

LOL Jeff...oh, you are so pedestrian!! I am not an Arby's fan but love Big Macs every once in awhile...YUM!

Oh don't get me started on the bliss of burgers (either fast food or homemade)! It's probably my single favorite food (or "guilty pleasure" depending on one's attitude towards them)! And it's also the one food where I can honestly say that I enjoy them both in real and in "fast food" fashion. Typically, that's unusual as I normally prefer a food prepared in one particular way or style and not so much in another. But, provided the meat isn't outright spoiled and/or one doesn't put some unimaginably bizzare toppings etc on it, then I have virtually no negative words to say about ANY (meat) burger!

Jeff

By coincidence, I was so ravenous last night I made myself a Philly steak before I went to bed. And there's no one correct way to make Philly steak sandwiches. I made hundreds at state fairs and they were sure good, but I would consider them as another variant. And it is difficult to find the right roll.

I agree. There's no one correct way to make a Philly cheesesteak, and that is what makes it so much fun to discuss. One advantage of living in the Philly area is that the local bakeries make their version of a Philly roll so we also get to argue about which of the bakeries makes the best roll for a cheesesteak.

I lived near the northern edge of Philadelphia in my twenties and enjoyed my share of philly steaks. So true about the rolls; they can make or break a Philly.

... but love Big Macs every once in awhile...YUM!

I love them too, Maria, but only occasionally - calories!