Besides Rocky and America, the cheese steak sandwich has to be one of the greatest things to come out of Philadelphia. Tender chunks of steak covered in melted cheese on a hot bun with peppers and onions is sandwich perfection. If you can’t go to Philly to have one, making them at home might be the next best thing.
I don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited to share a recipe. Jason and I have spent a lot of time tweaking these philly cheese steak sandwiches and we finally have it dialed in just to our liking.
Jay is actually the one who’s done most of the refining on this recipe. When we have these sandwiches he’s usually the one doing the work while I stand on the sidelines sneaking bites of peppers and onions when he’s not looking.
On this particular night I was able to kick back and snap couple photos while Jay prepped everything. This also meant I was powerless to stop him from adding his beloved canned mushrooms into the mix, but this is his thing and these sandwiches were so good it didn’t matter.
Jay takes extra pride in these cheese steak sandwiches because he butchers the venison himself. The cut of meat comes from the round roast located on the hind quarters. It gets sliced extra thin before we freeze it for the year. Because this meat isn’t as tender as a ribeye or top loin from a cow used in many variations of a philly cheese steak, we marinade it for a couple hours to help break down the connective tissue creating a perfectly tender, juicy bite of venison steak.
Each slice of steak gets set in the hot pan for just a second to sear each side. The meat then gets removed from the heat and cut into very thin chunks. The slices get tossed back in the pan in sandwich size portions and covered with provolone. A lid goes back on the pan just until the cheese melts, then the mounds of meat and cheese get scooped onto sandwich buns already lined with hot peppers and onion.
Of course, beef can be substituted in this recipe. If you’re using beef, stick with either ribeye or top loin sliced very thin. You can ask your butcher to slice it thin for you or pop it in the freezer until it’s firm (but nor frozen) and slice it thin. You won’t need to marinade ribeye or top loin, but because venison is leaner than beef we’ve opted to marinade it for a couple hours.
Jay popped the buns in the oven for a few minutes to soften them and they made the perfect base for the oh-so-tender venison and peppers. These sandwiches are best served warm and make a perfect meal for big games or Rocky movie marathons.
Venison Philly Cheesesteak
Makes 4 Sandwiches
For the Marinade
This is an optional step I highly recommend if you’re using venison
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Pepper
For the Sandwiches
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Red Pepper, sliced into 1 inch strips
- 1 Green Pepper, sliced into 1 inch strips
- 1 Onion, sliced into 1 inch strips
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Small Can Mushrooms (optional)
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Pepper
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Thin Sliced Venison or Ribeye
- 4 Slices Provolone
- 4 Soft Buns
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade and add the venison. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, mushrooms (optional), oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Let cook down for 10-12 minutes.
In a separate pan over medium high heat add the last tablespoon of olive oil. Add the slices of meat to the pan in batches, searing on each side for about a minute. Remove the meat from the pan onto a cutting board. Slice the meat very thin against the grain and add back to the pan in 4 heaps. Add the provolone on top of each pile of meat and cover the pan.
While the cheese is melting, warm the buns in a 325 degree oven. Scoop peppers into the buns and add the piles of meat and cheese on top. Serve warm and enjoy!
