Guess what? I had one more container of Multi-Purpose Shredded Beef in my freezer and one more trick up my sleeve.

(please excuse my chewing, I'm eating one of these as I type... and it's sooo good.)

Why is it a (not) Philly Cheesesteak? Well, because it's really just a Philly Cheesesteak-esque sandwich made with slow cooked beef rather than thinly sliced steak. Different technique, but insanely delicious all the same.

This is by far one of the fastest and easiest recipes that I made with the Multi-Purposed Shredded Beef. All it takes is a quick re-heat of the beef, a super fast saute of the onions and bell peppers, and then a quick melt of the cheese in the oven and you'll be in cheesesteak heaven! Now I definitely need to restock my freezer with shredded beef.

I did much better with my produce prices for this one. Green bell peppers were on sale 2/$1 and I got a big 'ol 3 lb. bag of onions for only $1.29 (score!). I used two bell peppers and two onions and it was probably more than enough for four sandwiches. You might be able to get away with using one of each, or two bells and one onion (or vice versa).

Any way you slice it (har har har), I think you're gonna love this one!

(not) Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Total Recipe cost: $9.29
Servings Per Recipe: 4 (6-inch sandwiches)
Cost per serving: $2.32
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 15 min. Total: 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 cups	Multi-Purpose Shredded Beef	$5.20
2 medium	onions	$0.43
2 medium	bell peppers	$1.00
1 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.02
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
1 large loaf	soft French bread	$1.69
4 slices	provolone cheese	$0.90
TOTAL		$9.29

STEP 1: Reheat the Multi-Purpose Shredded beef in the microwave or in a small sauce pot over low heat. While the beef is heating, thinly slice the bell peppers and onions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

STEP 2: Place one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet and place over a medium-high flame (or use a non-stick skillet with a little non-stick spray). When the skillet is very hot, add about 1/3 of the sliced vegetables. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until they become soft and the edges become golden brown. Continue to cook the rest of the vegetables in small batches and replenishing the oil as needed. Try not to over crowd the skillet, which can trap the steam and cause the vegetables to stew instead of caramelize on the edges.

STEP 3: Cut the French bread loaf into four equal pieces and then slice each piece open. Place the opened bread on a baking sheet. Divide the shredded beef between the four sets of bread. Pile the beef on one half and spoon some of the cooking juices over the other half. Add the sauteed onions and peppers on top of the beef and then top each sandwich with a slice of provolone.

STEP 4: Bake the sandwiches in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is slightly crispy on the edges, then EAT.

Step By Step Photos

Begin by reheating your beef. If you recall from the original shredded beef post, I froze mine in the cooking liquid. For most of the other recipes I drained off the liquid after reheating, but this time I used it as an au jus to moisten up the bread - and it was deeeelicious. You can reheat it either in the microwave or in a pot over low heat.


I used two bell peppers and two onions, which was probably too much for four sandwiches, but I really don't mind having extra sauteed bell peppers and onions. They can go on any type of sandwich or pizza. You can try just one of each or two of one and one of the other... or something.


Slice them up thinly so that they cook quickly.


Add just a little oil or non-stick spray to a skillet and heat it over medium-high. Wait until the skillet gets nice and hot and then add some (but not all) of the vegetables. Saute them quickly over the medium-high flame until they are soft and the edges have browned.


Do the same with the bell peppers... you can actually cook the bell peppers and onions at the same time as long as you do it in batches so that they skillet is not over crowded (so it doesn't trap the steam).


Cut your french loaf into 4 pieces (approximately 6 inches long each). Slice each one open and then place them on a baking sheet. Pile the shredded beef onto one half of each sandwich and spoon some of the cooking juices onto the other half. Note: I only made two sandwiches because I used the other half of my French bread for something else.


Pile the sauteed peppers and onions on top of the beef...


Then place a slice of provolone on each one. I happened to get smoked provolone and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I thought one slice per sandwich was going to be skimping, but it was plenty. Pop these babies in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and then...


You're in business!


Seriously.