In my opinion a great cheesesteak comes down to two things:
Juicy steak and a soft, pillowy roll.
A lot of people focus on getting a good sear, but my goal with this cheesesteak was different. I wanted maximum juiciness from the steak and a soft bun that soaks up all that flavor.
After making a lot of cheesesteaks on my Blackstone, these are the 4 tips that made the biggest difference:
Cook at a lower temperature: Instead of blasting the steak over high heat, I cooked most of it around 300°F and used a cooler zone on the griddle. This lets the steak cook gently in its own fat instead of drying out.
Use a good steak and slice it thin: My favorite choice is ribeye. I put it in the freezer for about an hour to firm it up, then sliced it as thin as I could with a knife. It won’t be as perfect as a restaurant slicer, but it works great at home.
Get the softest roll you can find: The bread makes a huge difference. My favorite option is getting a fresh sub roll from a local sandwich shop. They’re usually baked daily and give you that soft cheesesteak shop texture.
Wrap it in foil: This might be the most important step. Wrapping the cheesesteak keeps the steam trapped inside and makes the roll even softer while everything comes together.
I walk through all four tips, the steak I used, how I cooked it, and the final taste test in the video below.