Takeout Fake-out: Philly Cheesesteak

In light of some recent events that have hit a little close to home, my husband and I have decided to start saving more aggressively than we have been in the recent months. Ever since we purchased our home, it's been the wild west as far as spending goes. I'm surprised the people at Home Depot don't know us by our first names yet! One place that we could easily save is eating out. The problem is, I love trying new restaurants, so this will be a pretty big challenge for us.

Enter, this new feature, Takeout Fakeout. I'm going to try and do one recipe a week where I mimic something I see on a menu or that we've eaten at a restaurant. My main goal is to try and do it cheaper. So here is my first attempt, a Philly Cheesesteak (minus the cheese because we want to stay healthy, too).

Take Out Fakeout - Philly Cheesesteak
Kitchen Canister Original

Ingredients

1 lb of sirloin steak
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
fresh ground pepper
1 green pepper
1 onion


Directions

Slice the sirloin steak into very thing slices, so thin you can almost see through them, discarding any large pieces of fat you come across. Once all the meat is slices thinly, put it in a large Ziploc bag and add the Worcestershire and soy sauces, and pepper. Add about a half cup of water and toss around the mixture once the bag is sealed. Let marinate for a half hour.

While the meat is marinading, roughly chop the green pepper and onion into bite size pieces. Coat a pan with oil and, once hot, add the onions and peppers. Let cook until the onions are translucent and the green peppers soft. Put on low and coat another pan with a small amount of oil. Add the steak and cook for about 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain the steak and mix it into the pan with the onions and pepper. Raise the heat back to medium and cook for 3 minutes so the flavors combine.

Serve on a roll with desired toppings. (I prefer tomatoes, ketchup and pickles.)

Chef's Note:


photo credit: wallyg via flickr
This is a picture of a steak from Pat's King of Steaks in South Philadelphia. When visiting the area, tourists usually opt for Pat's or its rival across the street, Geno's. The debate between which establishment makes a better steak can get very heated. People in this area are very passionate about this. One thing everyone can agree on is one thing: It is all about the roll. If you're not using Amoroso, you might as well use an old shoe!




And now here is a picture of my version of Philly's claim to fame, besides Rocky and the Liberty Bell of course.


This tasted really great, and while it wasn't quite as big as the sandwich you'd get at Geno's or Pat's, it was still very filling. The only difference between my sandwich and the pro's version, was the way the steak was chopped. To do it right, you need a flat grill surface and two metal spatulas. If you get the technique down, you end up with slivers of steak that melt in your mouth. Since I have non-stick pans and plastic spatulas, I didn't quite get the same consistency. It still turned out great, though.

Price Comparison

Kitchen Canister
Amoroso Rolls - $3.99 for 8 = $0.50
Sirloin Steak - $9.01 for 1 lb, which made 4 sandwiches = $2.25
Green Pepper - $1.00 for 4 sandwiches - $0.25
Onion - $1.00 for 4 sandwiches - $0.25
Total Cost: $3.25

Pat's Steak Sandwich - $7.50

Total Savings: $4.25

Want to see more fakeouts? Click here.

If you'd like to read more about the Geno's/Pat's rivalry - see this Destination Eats blog post.