If you’re looking to enjoy a restaurant-quality Philly cheesesteak right at home, you’re in the right place. This is the ultimate homemade Philly cheesesteak Recipe, loaded with tender beef, perfectly sautéed peppers and onions, and plenty of melted cheese.
The secret to a great cheesesteak is keeping the recipe simple while using the highest-quality ingredients. Great beef, fresh produce, and proper seasoning make all the difference. While prime ribeye is the traditional choice, we're using beef bavette steak for this recipe. Bavette comes from the sirloin flap and is prized for its rich beefy flavor and tender texture. It has a similar bite to skirt or flank steak but delivers incredible flavor, making it an outstanding, and often more affordable, alternative to ribeye.
Ingredients
- 1½–2 pounds beef bavette steak (or prime ribeye), thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup hot cherry peppers, chopped
- Beef tallow, for cooking
- The Bearded Butcher Original Blend, to taste
- White American cheese slices
- Provolone cheese slices
- Hoagie buns, toasted
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Beef
Place the bavette steak in the freezer for 20–30 minutes before slicing. This firms up the meat and makes it much easier to slice paper-thin. Slice against the grain for the most tender bite.
Step 2: Prep the Vegetables
Dice the yellow onion and green bell pepper, and chop the hot cherry peppers into small pieces so they're ready to cook.
Step 3: Sauté the Peppers and Onions
Heat a large griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add a spoonful of beef tallow and sauté the onions, green peppers, and hot cherry peppers until softened and lightly caramelized.
Season the vegetables with The Bearded Butcher Original Blend while they cook. Once tender, move them to one side of the griddle or remove them temporarily.
Step 4: Cook the Steak
Increase the heat to high and add a little more beef tallow if needed.
Spread the thinly sliced beef onto the hot griddle in an even layer. Season generously with The Bearded Butcher Original Blend.
The steak cooks quickly - usually just a couple of minutes. As it's almost fully cooked, begin chopping and mixing it together with your spatula.
Step 5: Add the Cheese
Lay slices of white American cheese directly over the beef, then top with the sautéed onions and peppers.
Using your spatulas, fold everything together while reducing the heat to medium-low. This allows the American cheese to melt into the beef without scorching.
Once everything is well combined, top the mixture with a few slices of provolone cheese. After all, this is a Philly cheesesteak - and when in doubt, add more cheese!
Allow the provolone to melt completely before serving.
Step 6: Build the Sandwich
Pile the cheesy steak mixture into toasted hoagie buns and serve immediately while everything is hot and gooey.
Tips for the Best Philly Cheesesteak
- Slice the beef as thinly as possible.
- Freeze the steak briefly before slicing for cleaner cuts.
- Cook on a hot griddle or cast-iron skillet for the best sear.
- Toast the hoagie buns so they hold up to the juicy filling.
- Don't skimp on the cheese - American provides the creamy texture while provolone adds classic Philly flavor.
Final Thoughts
The most important ingredient in any great Philly cheesesteak is the beef. Because this recipe has only a handful of ingredients, quality matters. Start with a well-marbled prime ribeye if you want the traditional approach, or give bavette steak a try. The Bearded Butchers recently cut up a fresh beef bavette, and it made one of the best cheesesteaks we've ever had. Its rich flavor and tender texture make it a fantastic alternative to ribeye.
Pair that high-quality beef with toasted hoagie rolls, plenty of cheese, and The Bearded Butcher Original Blend, and you'll have a homemade Philly cheesesteak that's better than most you'll find at any restaurant.
