Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Since there is no food more associated with Philadelphia, and no more city in the country more associated with the Fourth of July, I thought I’d make Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches with white cream cheese and red bell peppers, served on blue napkins this week.
Lately, though, I feel like every gram of fat I consume is adding an ounce of fat to my waist. So instead of making a huge Philly cheesesteak, I figured I’d make mini ones instead.
Philly Cheese Steak Sliders
1 pound sirloin, very thinly sliced by the butcher (or you could use Steakums)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper
small dinner rolls
your favorite steak sauce
4 ounces cream cheese
1. Season sirloin with salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in small batches, brown sirloin on both sides. Remove to a plate.
2. Add oil to the pan and cook onions over medium-low heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender. Add in peppers and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Slice rolls open and spread with a small amount of cream cheese and steak sauce. Fill with steak, peppers, and onions.
These sound tasty, but they’re not Philly cheesesteaks! A Philly cheesesteak is shaved meat (NOT Steakums!) and AMERICAN CHEESE, with or without fried onions, with or without tomato gravy, on an Amoroso roll. Tourists eat them with Cheese Whiz, but people who are actually from Philly know it’s all about white American cheese. Different people will add different toppings, but steak sauce isn’t common, nor is red pepper.
Thanks for the new take on an old favorite. I love the fact that you are willing to step out of the box and try new flavor combinations. That’s how great new recipes are discovered. Without people like you, we would still just be eating gruel.
Amen, Katie! I wouldn’t mind if they were called steak sliders, but attaching Philly to any combination of bread, cheese and beef gets on my nerves as a Philly native.
You’re right, Katie and Nakia. The true “Philly Cheese Steaks” they serve in Philadelphia do have all the things you said.
However, food—particularly street food—does have a way of evolving over the years.
As you can see, I wanted it to look a certain way for the Fourth of July, and I HATE American Cheese. I figured, since I was born just outside Philadelphia, and it was my Dad’s old stomping ground, and his father’s, and my ancestors were influential in its rich history, I had a small claim on the city and could name the sandwiches as I chose.
Good recipe, for a tastbud twist..try a little jalapeno and pepper jack cheese instead of cream cheese! YUMMMMM the more onions and green peppers the better! Enjoy.