The Philly sandwich originated in the 1930s as a steak sandwich without cheese, but later evolved to include Cheez Whiz as a topping. Variations include pizza steaks and toppings like green peppers and mushrooms. Authenticity is difficult to replicate outside of Philadelphia.
The Philly sandwich is often called a Philly cheesesteak or just a philly, and the recipe originated from Pat’s Steak King in the 1930s. Pat Olivieri initially simply called the sandwich a steak sandwich and early versions didn’t, surprisingly, they contained cheese as the main ingredient. The Philly sandwich known as the cheesesteak would come much later in the 1950s when melted cheese, Cheez Whiz was added as a topping, and you can still get “widdout” (without) cheese steak sandwiches if you like, at Pat’s or competitor in nearby Geno and a variety of other Philadelphia delis and restaurants.
The basics of philly, as it was first made, was cooked quickly, very thin pieces of steak combined with fried onions. These were placed on a long soft roll, with some of the roll scooped out. When melted cheese was added, the Cheez Whiz was spread on one side of the bread before the steak and onions were scooped out. Many people like to add other types of cheese to a cream sandwich, and cheeses like provolone or American cheese can be melted onto the bread or directly onto the cooking steak.
You can add a lot of variety to the Philly sandwich. There are pizza steaks, which are topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella. Other typical additions include grilled green peppers and mushrooms, together or separately. Philly sandwich lovers can spice up their steaks by adding hot sauce, or some prefer a little ketchup, though these sandwiches can definitely be eaten without toppings.
For Philadelphia residents or former residents, there’s nothing like the Philly sandwich, and some argue that Philly tap water provides some of the flavor and excellence of most high-quality rolls. used. This would make it difficult to get an authentic Philly sandwich outside of Philly, although many restaurants outside of Philadelphia, and throughout much of the United States, certainly try to present steak sandwiches and even cheesesteaks authentically. Those who grew up on the original Philly sandwiches in Philadelphia may judge them harshly, but those who grew up outside of Philly often find these imitations elsewhere quite delicious.
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