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Ribeye Philly Cheesesteak with Cheese Wiz, Onions, & Sauteed Mushrooms

During the year I spent living in Philadelphia when I was twenty-one, I tried my best to eat a few cheesesteaks every week. While people spent a lot of time debating the merits of Pat’s vs. Geno’s, I was partial to the friendly service and customization options offered by a small cheesesteak place on 38th & Chestnut called Abner’s. I also really enjoyed Jim’s Steaks.
One of the things I appreciated most about many cheesesteak spots in Philadelphia was their unashamed admiration for Cheese Wiz, a canned liquid cheese product. This recipe includes both processed American cheese and Cheese Wiz. Don’t knock it till you try it.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 large white onions cut in uniform 1/8” slices
  • 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 8 oz fresh mushrooms of choice such as White Button or Bella, cut in 1/8” slices
  • 20-24 oz high-quality Ribeye steak
  • 8 slices white American cheese
  • 4 soft & fresh hoagie-style buns
  • 4 Tbsp salted butter softened
  • 1 cup warmed Cheese Whiz

Instructions

  • Caramelize the sliced white onions in 2 Tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium heat, stirring frequently until the onions go from uncooked, to translucent, to very lightly golden.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid into the lightly golden cooked onions.
  • Continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated from the onion and mushroom mixture.
  • Remove from heat and set cooked mixture aside for later.
  • Take Ribeye steak and place in freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until the steak is firm but not frozen.
  • Using a very sharp slicing knife, cut the ribeye steak into as thin slices as you can.
  • *It is not important to have all the slices be uniform sizes, as they will just be shredded up in the pan. So just try to slice the beef as thinly as you can.
  • Before you cook the beef, turn your oven to high broil, or 550F.
  • Butter your soft hoagie rolls with very thin layer of softened salted butter on both sides of the inside of the roll.
  • Place the rolls on a piece of parchment paper on a sheet tray
  • Place the rolls in the oven until they are warmed through and the thin spread of butter has melted into the bread.
  • Remove from oven and place two slices of American cheese on the insides of each hoagie roll.
  • Reserve rolls for sandwich assembly later.
  • Heat up your Cheese Wiz in a small sauce pot on the stove on low heat to keep it warm but not boiling.
  • When you are ready to sear your beef and your buns and other cheesesteak components are prepped, heat a large skillet or saute pan and wait until it is very hot.
  • Pour a few Tbsp of vegetable oil in the pan and very quickly sear your sliced ribeye steak in batches, shredding the beef as it cooks.
  • The initial cooking process should only take a minute or two, with some of the shaved steak remaining rare as you take it off the heat.
  • Quickly take your seared beef and divide it among the 4 hoagie rolls, placing it on top of the American cheese slices.
  • Top the beef with the mushroom and onion mixture you made earlier.
  • Place back in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the sandwich bun and the sandwich components are warm.
  • Remove from oven, ladle on some liquid Cheese Wiz on top, and serve immediately.

Notes

People are pretty particular about their sandwiches. I like to add a bunch of shredded iceberg lettuce to mine at the end, just to give it some freshness and added crunch. Out of respect for city and the sandwich, I did not include shredded lettuce in the recipe above. But, as with anything, make it however you like it!