The Jersey Cheesesteak Sandwich is the Garden State’s take on the signature sandwich of Philadelphia. This is a sponsored post made in conjunction with The Feed Feed and Land O’ Lakes®. All content, opinions, and photographs are mine.

Jersey Cheesesteak? WTF?

OK. OK. Hear me out. A Jersey Cheesesteak Sandwich is New Jersey’s interpretation of the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Normally, a cheesesteak sandwich you’d get in the City of Brotherly Love is comprised of thinly sliced beef, maybe peppers (purists feel free to chime in on that in the comments), thinly sliced onions, and provolone. It’s then sautéed on a hot griddle until the beef chars and the onions are caramelized. Provolone cheese slices are thrown on top and melted until they create one of the greatest combinations of flavors that America has ever created.

Or has it?

In a galaxy far, far away, in the great state of New Jersey, there’s a little restaurant called in Camden that definitely gives the Philly Cheesesteak a run for its money. It’s a classic East Coast dive bar that serves up its very own specialty, the Jersey Cheesesteak. How could they make a sandwich that competes with that juicy, beefy, treat littering the streets of America’s former capital when most attempts involve frozen slivers mystery “beef”? Well this sandwich just like a Philly Cheesesteak, but instead of being served on a hoagie and using provolone, it’s served on a Kaiser roll with ‘Murican cheese.

‘Murica!

So, like I said, this recipe uses American cheese. This time I used Land O Lakes® Deli American. You can get Land O Lakes® Deli American at your grocery store’s deli counter where they will slice it up fresh. I like it that way because I know that the cheese doesn’t have any mysterious substances that keep the slices from sticking together in shipping. That weird, plasticky coating makes it harder for cheese to melt and takes away from the creamy texture of real American cheese.

America Meets The Kaiser

Named to Honor the Austrian Emperor (Kaiser) Franz Joseph I, Kaiser rolls are ubiquitous in American markets. Round in shape with a spiral pattern on top, these rolls come in plain, sesame, or poppy seed coated. You know them. I know them. What I really like about using them in a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich is that there is a better meat and cheese to bread ratio.

What Cut Of Meat Do I Use For A Cheesesteak Sandwich?

If you’re making a proper Jersey Cheesesteak or Philly Cheesesteak there’s only one cut of meat you should use. Perfectly tender and marbled with juicy fat that renders to make every bite melt in your mouth, ribeye is the best meat for a cheesesteak sandwich.

To cut the meat as thinly as possible it helps to have a deli slicer. But, who needs a deli slicer in their home. It’s just one more expensive gadget that takes up room in your house. A good trick to do it at home is to freeze the steaks until they’re very firm (for about an hour and a half). Now you can slice the chilled meat very thinly against the grain.

Lastly, slice a couple of large yellow onions into rings about 1/4 inch thick.

Let’s Get Cookin’!

OK! Let’s do this, Jersey Cheesesteak lovers! Heat a large skillet (or a griddle if you have one) over medium-high heat. Add a little bit of olive oil to the pan and heat it until it shimmers. Add your onions, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until they begin to brown (about 10-15 minutes).

Now, to add a little extra umami to this sandwich, add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook until the liquid boils off (about a minute).

Toast your rolls in the toaster, add the meat and sauté until cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.

Add a slice of Land O Lakes® Deli American cheese to the top of the mixture and let it melt for a minute. It’s up to you how you like it but you could either a) mix in the cheese and stir to combine the mixture or b) just pick up a heap of meat and onions with the layer of melted cheese on top and place it on your Kaiser roll.

Serve hot to hungry mouths that are guaranteed to smile when they bit into one of these beauties.

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