Post by Glen Carman aka Delmonico on Sept 5, 2017 5:40:10 GMT -6
Cowboy Cheese Steaks
(One example of a day when there were no one to see our fancy plates but us cooks.)
The cheese steak sandwich is credited with being invented by two brothers in Philadelphia in the 1930’s, hence the name Philly Cheese Steak. So in a sense this is not a correct dish for the late 19th Century. However the idea of cutting food up in small pieces and cooking it in a hot pan or on a hot grill is not very new, stir frying in a wok is a good example. Another quick dish for mostly when we are setting up the day before, I make biscuits and cobbler and keep beef around ready to go, it don’t take long to shave some off for someone and then I can use the hunk to make beef and noodles or stew later.
What this dish is good for is a quick camp meal or a quick meal at home. (I keep shaved beef in the freezer a lot) I have no doubt in my mind some cook in some camp needed food quick and shaved some steak up and if and onion or two found it’s way into it, so what, most would have not had cheese, but I often do, I don’t do it in camp with mushrooms, but canned mushrooms although expensive were around. (I won’t touch the wild mushroom idea with a 10 foot pole.) Toss the results on a biscuit and you have what my friends have named cowboy cheese steaks.
You can prepare this ahead of time, although I most often just take a hunk beef and shave it up in camp for effect. The concept is basic and there is no need to worry about exact amounts but I will give approximate amounts.
Shave beef, I just do it with a butcher knife and make my pieces between penny to quarter sized and about that thick to about twice as thick. You can also buy it this way but it adds to expense.
For every 2 pounds or so of beef use 1-2 onions and about a half pound of cheese, shredded is nice but chunk can be cut up and used, this would be more in staying with looking historical. I use cheddar cheese, most often sharp. Green peppers and mushrooms (canned or fresh) can be added but I don’t in camp.
At home I use a 15 inch skillet, in camp I most often use my 20 inch skillet or for small amounts a 14 inch shallow dutch oven. The ironware needs to be well seasoned but you don’t want to add any extra oil or grease.
I get everything ready while I’m pre-heating the iron, I get the cooking vessel hot enough to be smoking or so a drop of water will dance. (At home I pre-heat the skillet in the oven at 550F and then put it on top and turn the burner up on high.)
When everything is hot enough, toss in everything but the cheese and stir it around just enough to cook even and keep it from scorching. When everything is cooked, toss the cheese in on top, remove from the heat and stir till the cheese melts.
Traditional bread for a cheese steak is a hoagie bun, but in my camps you are going to get a biscuit or more likely several to put it on these can either be baking powder type or sour dough.
(One example of a day when there were no one to see our fancy plates but us cooks.)
The cheese steak sandwich is credited with being invented by two brothers in Philadelphia in the 1930’s, hence the name Philly Cheese Steak. So in a sense this is not a correct dish for the late 19th Century. However the idea of cutting food up in small pieces and cooking it in a hot pan or on a hot grill is not very new, stir frying in a wok is a good example. Another quick dish for mostly when we are setting up the day before, I make biscuits and cobbler and keep beef around ready to go, it don’t take long to shave some off for someone and then I can use the hunk to make beef and noodles or stew later.
What this dish is good for is a quick camp meal or a quick meal at home. (I keep shaved beef in the freezer a lot) I have no doubt in my mind some cook in some camp needed food quick and shaved some steak up and if and onion or two found it’s way into it, so what, most would have not had cheese, but I often do, I don’t do it in camp with mushrooms, but canned mushrooms although expensive were around. (I won’t touch the wild mushroom idea with a 10 foot pole.) Toss the results on a biscuit and you have what my friends have named cowboy cheese steaks.
You can prepare this ahead of time, although I most often just take a hunk beef and shave it up in camp for effect. The concept is basic and there is no need to worry about exact amounts but I will give approximate amounts.
Shave beef, I just do it with a butcher knife and make my pieces between penny to quarter sized and about that thick to about twice as thick. You can also buy it this way but it adds to expense.
For every 2 pounds or so of beef use 1-2 onions and about a half pound of cheese, shredded is nice but chunk can be cut up and used, this would be more in staying with looking historical. I use cheddar cheese, most often sharp. Green peppers and mushrooms (canned or fresh) can be added but I don’t in camp.
At home I use a 15 inch skillet, in camp I most often use my 20 inch skillet or for small amounts a 14 inch shallow dutch oven. The ironware needs to be well seasoned but you don’t want to add any extra oil or grease.
I get everything ready while I’m pre-heating the iron, I get the cooking vessel hot enough to be smoking or so a drop of water will dance. (At home I pre-heat the skillet in the oven at 550F and then put it on top and turn the burner up on high.)
When everything is hot enough, toss in everything but the cheese and stir it around just enough to cook even and keep it from scorching. When everything is cooked, toss the cheese in on top, remove from the heat and stir till the cheese melts.
Traditional bread for a cheese steak is a hoagie bun, but in my camps you are going to get a biscuit or more likely several to put it on these can either be baking powder type or sour dough.
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