Not Cheez Whiz Or American: Some Say The Most Flavorful Cheesesteaks Are Made With This

Philadelphia is something of an underrated foodie capital, having given us both water ice (which has its origins in Philly and is distinct from Italian ice) and Philadelphia-style bagels, the secret ingredient for which is beer. No serious discussion about The City of Brotherly Love and its culinary exports is happening, however, without mentioning the glorious cheesesteak sandwich. It's deceptively simple, with its crusty hoagie roll, tender slivers of ribeye steak, and gooey cheese, but it's also the subject of intense controversy. No "authentic" Philly, for instance, contains peppers ... at least in the eyes of purists. Grilled onions may be ordered "wit" or "witout," but the main variable in a cheesesteak is the actual cheese. Some say that Cheez Whiz is the secret to a "real" specimen, or perhaps American cheese with its superior melting capacity. For our money, however, we'll take Provolone cheese every time.

While Provolone can sometimes get a bad rap for being a bland cheese choice, good Provolone – preferably an actual Italian specimen — is anything but boring. It's creamy and mellow, true, but has nutty undertones that will play beautifully with the beefiness of your steak and sweetness of your onions. It goes gooey when melted, providing a superb textural contrast to the crustiness of the bread and the chewy protein. It's more flavorful and complex than American, and it's a heck of a lot more palatable to most folks than squeeze cheese from a can. We'd go so far as to argue that Provolone should be the only choice for the best cheesesteak, and we know that's a bold statement.

We don't claim to hold the patent on traditional Philly cheesesteaks — we'll leave that to Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's — but we can tell you how to make a succulent Provolone cheesesteak at home that will delight everyone at your table and leave them begging for more. First of all, the bread is important. It's the vehicle for your sandwich, and it shouldn't be overlooked. Classic Philly cheesesteak joints outside Pennsylvania brag about importing Amoroso's rolls straight from the source, but your favorite bakery-style hoagie roll will do. It should have a pillowy interior and a good crust on the outside.

The steak isn't as hard to execute as you might think, either. Seasoned foodies swear by freezing their ribeye and shaving it to get those ultra-thin slices that characterize a good cheesesteak. They cook almost as soon as they hit the heat of a hot skillet, so don't let them shrivel and go tough. But, of course, you care about the cheese. We think that shredded Provolone beats slices every time (we've discussed why shredded cheese belongs on sandwiches), and we like to pile it high on the bread. This isn't the moment for milquetoast Provolone pulled from the dairy case at the supermarket — hit your closest Italian market for the real stuff, or at least spring for a quality cheese from the deli. A word of advice: butter your split roll(s) and broil the cheese before adding your meat and onions. The result will be the final word on indulgence, and you'll never question the "right" cheese for cheesesteak ever again.