Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure

My quest to find the Ultimate Cheesesteak

What makes the ultimate cheesesteak? 

Wiz Wit? 

or a Beer?  

I’m Jim Pappas.  I have eaten over 1,100 different cheesesteaks since 5/16/2018.  I keep track of the cheesesteaks I have eaten on a 36 column spreadsheet.  I score them using my 5 category 100 point scoring system.  Each one has a video review on my YouTube Channel; Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure.  

Clicking here will redirect you to my complete spreadsheet. The default view is sorted by date I ate the cheesesteak. It is a spreadsheet so you can sort by; state, county, city and/or scores.

Your search results (and clicking on a ‘pin’) will include my YouTube video, full review, notes and scores for each of the 5 categories in my scoring system. 

When I started my quest I was told I was wasting my time because all cheesesteaks were the same and everyone already knows where to get a good cheesesteak.  I quickly found out; 

Cheesesteaks are NOT created equal  

I was going to try and explain all the different roll, meat and cheese combinations.  I wrote a paragraph about bread density and then I looked at two pictures of rolls with different bread density.  The pictures were much easier to understand.  I added some verbiage because I feel like I have to.  I apologize for my grammar.  Luckily google corrects my spelling.

  

The Roll – A long roll. Amoroso Rolls are probably the most well known cheesesteak roll.  I think the perfect cheesesteak roll is M&Mesque.  I want a crispy crust that I can bite right through and soft bread that holds the meat, cheese and fried onions inside the roll.  I very much dislike biting into my cheesesteak and the meat, cheese and fried onions shoot out the back. 

The Meat – We will save the Sirloin vs Rib Eye vs Wagyu for a different time.  Here we will discuss chopped vs slab/ribbon.  The original places had a slicer next to the grill.  As orders would come in they would slice the steak and lay it on the grill.  From the grill to a roll.  Add some cheese whiz and you have a cheesesteak.  Serving the meat this way is called; a ribbon or slab.  In the suburbs, most places chop the meat as it cooks on the grill.  I grew up on chopped meat and that is my preference.

The Cheese – Beer Cheese is the way of the future.  Provolone is my new recreational cheese.  I’m becoming a fan of melting the cheese and then pouring onto the cheesesteak.  We can discuss these topics later.  Here we will stick to the original cheese debate; Whiz vs American.  Traditionally, ‘in the city,’ aka Philly they would use Cheese Whiz with their ribbons/slabs.  In the suburbs,  we use American cheese.  The cheese melted all through the chopped meat on the grill is my preferred method.