Philadelphia Cheesesteak with Bonus Cocktail
Date completed: 1/5/2021
Recipe #2 came from the Northeast chapter of Martha’s American Food. This cookbook focuses each chapter on a region of the United States!
I’m searching my memory and can’t think of a time when I’ve tried a Cheesesteak. This recipe caught my attention due to the limited ingredient list and straightforward cooking process. Two keys for cooking on a Tuesday night!
This recipe calls for top round steak which I had not previously used. You roll the steak up into a log and wrap it to put in the freezer for about an hour. Just until the meat is firm enough to slice into “paper-thin strips.” I felt very thankful to have a brand new utility knife to use for this task because it definitely requires a sharp knife! I also stopped halfway through to briefly refreeze the meat.
All the cooking happens in a cast iron skillet with plenty of olive oil. First you caramelize your onions. I am a big fan of caramelizing because you can do other things while you wait (and it results in such delicious onions!). Once the onions are done then you cook the meat strips in batches. Separating all the strips required a touch of patience, but it only took 4 minutes on the heat to get them browned up.
Interestingly (or maybe this is totally normal for cheesesteak) this recipe did not call for any seasoning for either the onions or the meat. That seemed odd so I added a sprinkle of salt to both as I cooked them.
In the end I drained the fat from the pan and added everything back together. The recipe called for 2/3 pound of provolone cheese here. I skimped and only added 3 slices then let them melt/mix in with the beef and onions.
I served these in rolls from the grocery store bakery and topped with some pickled roasted peppers.
Taste report:
I have to say that I was thrilled with the results - these were so yummy! Very filling as well which was no surprise. I have to say that this project is so much fun. This recipe had several components (ingredients & techniques) that I’d never tried before. I really enjoyed mixing up my Tuesday dinner with this Philadelphia Cheesesteak!
The leftovers also passed my taste test with flying colors. I heated up the meat mixture the next day for about 30 seconds in the microwave and made another perfectly delicious sandwich for my lunch. Very pleased!
Mess report:
This actually didn’t generate too many dirty dishes which was a plus! We’ll call that the third key to weeknight cooking.
Random thought: almost every time I tried to type “cheesesteak” for this post I ended up typing “cheesecake” instead.
Bonus Cocktail: Manhattan
Martha’s American Food comes with a bonus regional cocktail page with most chapters. This inspired me to try my hand at some mixology. From the Northeast chapter, I chose the Manhattan recipe - a cocktail I’d never before even tasted!
Martha noted that although the Manhattan could be made with either bourbon or rye, it was best with rye. The recipe also called for vermouth and bitters. Three ingredients I had absolutely no experience with prior to this recipe. Cue the inevitable “best rye for Manhattan” Google search then repeat for vermouth and bitters. Three liquor stores later and we were ready to roll with Redemption rye, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, and Angostura aromatic bitters.
I breezed through the mixing process and have to say I very much enjoyed the final result! I have to credit my sister for gifting me a set of measuring cups that look like a scientist’s beakers. They include ounce measurement markers key to getting my ratios correct for this drink.
Further research taught me to store my vermouth in the refrigerator after opening and to use it within one month. I see a “best uses for vermouth” Google search in the near future.
