Photos courtesy of Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia, PA
History of Philadelphia Cheese Steak Sandwich:
1930s – During the 1930s in the Italian immigrant section of South Philadelphia, brothers Harry Olivieri (1916-2006) and Pat Olivieri sold hot dogs and sandwiches. Tired of hot dogs, Pat suggested that Harry go to a store and buy some beef. Harry brought it back, sliced it up and grilled the beef with some onions. The brothers piled the meat on rolls and were about to dig in when a cab driver arrived for lunch, smelled the meat and onions and demanded one of the sandwiches. Pat never got a bite because a cab driver drove by, smelled the sandwich, and asked how much? He didnt know what to charge, so he charged a nickel. The cab driver supposedly said, Hey . . . forget about those hot dogs, you should sell these. It was not until 20 years later that cheese was added to the sandwich by a longtime employee, Joe Lorenzo, who was tired of the usual sandwich and added some cheese.
1940s – In 1940, the brothers opened Pat’s King of Steaks at 1237 East Passyunk Avenue. The business has been there ever since, open 24 hours a day. Cheez Whiz was added to the steak and onions starting in the 1960s, and provolone, American cheese, and pizza sauce later became options in the concoction along with various condiments, and side dishes.
1970 – In 1970, Pat Olivieri quit and went to southern California. A dispute over ownership broke out with Pat’s lawyer son, Herbert, on one side and Harry and his children, Frankie and Maria, on the other. In 1974 Pat died, and later Frankie bought the business out.
This is a very filling sandwich, great to make ahead of time and keep warm in the oven for a football party or any other time.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, sliced as thin as possible and rings separated*
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 12 ounces chipped steak (very thin-sliced eye of round, rib eye, or sirloin tip roast cut into 1-inch slices)**
- Salt and coarsely-ground black pepper
- Cheese Whiz or provolone cheese slices
- 1 (8-inch long) Italian loaf, hoagie roll, or French baguette
- Dill pickle spears
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In a large frying pan over high heat, add olive oil and heat so that a drop of water will sizzle when you drop it in the oil; lower heat to medium. Add onions and mushrooms, stir and cook until mushrooms darken and onions start to look transparent. Add steak slices and cook for approximately 3 minutes or until meat is lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Heap cooked meat mixture in a long length-wise pile across the frying pan. Lay cheese slices over meat until melted. If using Cheese Whiz, melt in a double boiler or in the microwave.
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Slice bread lengthwise. Using a spatula, scoop 1/2 the meat mixture and cheese and lay on bread with cheese on top. If using melted Cheese Whiz, ladle it on top. If you're using Cheez Whiz, do not use too much or it can overpower the sandwich's taste. Use remaing meat mixture to make another sandwich.
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Slice sandwich into 2 or 4 pieces, and serve with a dill pickle.
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Each sandwich makes 2 servings.
* Learn how to make Baked Caramelized Onions. This is a quick and easy way to caramelize a large amount of onions.
** Freeze steak before slicing. With a sharp knife, slice the meat paper thin.
Also learn about Philadelphia’s Hoagie Sandwich.
The Hoagie was declared the “Official Sandwich of Philadelphia” in 1992. The Hoagie was originally created in Philadelphia. There are a number of different versions to how the Hoagie got its name, but no matter what version is right (historians cannot seem to agree on the correct version), all agree that the Hoagie Sandwich started in Philadelphia or the towns’ suburbs.
22 Responses to “Philadelphia Cheese Steak History and Recipe”
jeff jones
we came back from a holiday in Washington dc and had a couple of Philadelphia cheese sandwiches and I must say they where the best I have eaten, and I have been looking for a good recipe and this one fits the bill ,yum yum.
Minerva Moser
So you “scoop 1/2 the meat mixture” on the sandwich and finish it up by slicing it in half to make 2 servings. What are you supposed to do with the other half of the meat mixture, let the cook eat it as a reward for working so hard to make the sandwich? If you read the instructions carefully, you have to agree you left something out, like “repeat with a second sandwich,” or “scoop the rest of the meat mixture onto the sandwich” maybe because there’s too much to handle in one scoopful? I hate misleading recipes.
Linda Stradley
You are right, I forgot to say that. Thank you for your input.
David Hobson
It does say use remaining meat to make another sandwich. I hate people can’t read
Laura
Read, It CLEARLY says to make another sandwich with the remaining meat.
Milan Coddington
Excellent, what a website it is! This website provides valuable facts to us, keep it up.|
Sergio
Good to know!
Nonsense
An authentic Philly cheesesteak is not cheese wiz. Nor does it have pickles. Nor is a French baguette a suitable substitute. Come on
Whats Cooking America
If you fully read the history and the recipe instructions you would learn that Philadelphians like either provolone or melted cheese wiz when they order a cheesesteak at a counter. The Pickle is served on the “side”, not in the sandwich. Also, Italian bread or hoagie rolled is listed to use for the bread. A fresh baguette loaf would work if you have no other options.
Ronni
Everyone (at least we Philadelphians) know there is a cheese sauce that is used – however it is NOT cheese whiz. The steak needs to be chopped up, (have you ordered a cheesesteak and gotten a slab of steak?) and needs Amoroso roll. Sounds easy right? Not so much, proof are all the look-a-likes, aka Philly Cheese Steak Subs…No where but Philly can you get a “real” cheesesteak
Cckremer
Philly girl here. C’mon everyone knows the true Philadelphia cheesesteak must be on a roll made in Philadelphia — it’s the Philadelphia water that makes the bread! (Also true for Philadelphia soft pretzels and Tasty cakes).
The roll has a semi-hard crust which pieces flake off of and is soft inside & you can taste the unique saltiness of the roll.
You can’t really get these items anywhere else.
Anthony michilizzi
Yes it’s the bread the steak the
Cheese the onion.
My question if adding mushroom are they fresh or canned
I hate canned mushrooms,
Out here in California they say canned is traditional
But I’ve had them with fresh way better
Ronni
Fresh mushrooms are perfect!
Chloe
It says serve with dill pickle. That implies “on the side”.
Anita
I’ve ate alot of cheesesteaks some good some bad I’m going to make my own and it pretty much boils down to preference. I dont like onions and peppers but I love mushrooms and swiss or provolone cheese sooo make it according to what you like there is no wrong way of making a cheesesteak.
Richard
I grew up in Philadelphia and always considered the only cheese to be used on a cheese steak to be American cheese. I would never use cheesewiz
Michael A krajnik
You must be out of your mind provolone is the only way to go.
George
Out here in northern Cal, a “cheese steak” is actually a beef and cheddar sandwich under an alias. Blech! They oughta be sued for fraud. Beef for steak. Next, it’ll be gristle for beef.
John Morrow
Wilmington is my home town.
We had a place where we hung out called the
Charcoal Pit or “the Pit” as we called it.
Decent food but not the reason we went there.
Great shakes though.
But I am a purist so Pat’s is my place.
My son lives there and he likes Jim’s.
Got to use provolone.
JM
JM
John Morrow
Not any roll but an Amoroso roll!
Wayack
The instructions say to add the meat AFTER the onions and mushrooms are soft and ready. The instructions also say to cook the meat until it is “lightly browned”. I’m sorry to tell you that this is impossible. If you have already been sauteeing onions and mushrooms in your pan, there is no way you can “brown” the beef. It will be gray, not brown, because of the water released by the onions and mushrooms. If you want the meat browned (which you undoubtedly do want, because of the extra flavor from the Maillard reactions) then you must brown the meat first in the oil, then remove the meat and sautee the onions and mushrooms, and only then add back the meat just to make it warm again.
PS I happen also to like red and / or green bell peppers in there with the onions and mushrooms, so I’m probably some kind of barbarian.
Todd the epicurious
I live in Willoughby, OH ( a suburb of Cleveland) and I argued that our Philly cheese steak wasn’t authentic so often, long and loudly that the owner eventually changed the name of our sandwich to “DTW stuffed cheesesteak”.