This Trader Joe's Beef Product Is Your Secret To Easy Philly Cheesesteaks

The ideal Philly cheesesteak is subject as much to careful construction as it is strict convention and occasional controversy. Its vehicle must be a hoagie roll. Its titular beef must be chopped thin on a flattop with the steady swiftness of a perpetual motion machine. The dairy is where factions begin to form: provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz? 

One way to evade debate is to make your cheesesteak in the privacy of your own home. And Trader Joe's shaved beef steak comes ready-made to skip the cheesesteak's most labor-intensive step — all that repetitive chopping — for about $11 per pound. TJ's shaved beef steak is already as thin as its name implies, and it's made of the same ribeye you'll find in the city's formal (and more famous) official cheesesteaks. And that's vital, as the high fat content is what provides that deliciously buttery texture when sliced thin and seared fast over high heat.

You can expect to build four sandwiches per 16-ounce pack. With a little additional attention to detail, you can approximate a (less-than) real-deal cheesesteak away from the prying eyes of any self-appointed sandwich authenticators. 

You must first assemble your ingredients. The aforementioned hoagie is critical. It must be soft enough to offer less bite resistance than crusty breads might but with enough structural integrity to stand up to the substantial fillings to come. If choosing (correctly) the Whiz, remember that it's the spreadable, near-liquid stuff in the jar, not the stringy stuff in the can. If you (incorrectly) opt for sliced cheese varieties, remove them from the refrigerator to reach room temperature for better melting while you prepare Trader Joe's shaved beef steak. Optional onions make your cheesesteak "wit" (aka "with onions") in local parlance.

If your range has a flattop, heat it to medium-high. Otherwise, do the same with a large skillet. Because these ribeye strips are wispy by design, you can't test their temp with a food thermometer. Instead, you'll need to eyeball it all for color. Trader Joe's product page claims you don't need to worry about under- or overcooking, but you'll still want to make sure that it's decently browned. Don't look away for a moment, as this cooks up quick. 

Then slice the hoagie almost all the way through along the side, pile on the steak, cheese, and maybe a handful of alliums, and bask in the knowledge that you've made it one more day without running afoul of the City of Brotherly Love. Probably.