The Most Underrated Cheese Option For A Philly Cheesesteak

While the invention of the Philly cheesesteak is credited to Pat Olivieri of Pat's King of Steaks back in 1930 (per Visit Philadelphia), the truth is that there are a lot of good places one can go when in the city of brotherly love to grab a cheesesteak. As with any sandwich, however, there are many different ways of customizing your cheesesteak and there are many folks who would go to their graves swearing that their way is the best. 

If you got money burning a hole in your pocket, Thrillist advises you to swing by Barclay Prime and order a cheesesteak made with prime cuts of A5 wagyu beef for a price tag of $140. If you don't have the traditional crusty hoagie rolls, King's Hawaiian suggests using its sweet rolls to make sliders. As long as you have steak and cheese, you can make any sort of cheesesteak to suit your own personal tastes.

On the subject of cheese, you may hear claims that true cheesesteaks are only served with Cheez-Whiz. While Cheez-Wiz is indeed a tried-and-true condiment, is there another type of cheese that should be given some extra love too?

As First We Feast explores the components of what makes a good Philadelphia cheesesteak, the inevitable question is asked: what kind of cheese to use? First We Feast claims that a good substitute for Cheez-Whiz is white American cheese. But what makes white cheese slices a good choice for your steak? 

As Lacademie explains that white American cheese has a very mild, salty taste when compared to yellow American's strong and tangy flavor. The addition of certain ingredients such as spices and seasonings to enhance the taste of cheese in yellow American gives it a much bolder flavor, compared to the somewhat bland profile of white American cheese. 

It is this bland flavor, however, that is said to complement a Philly cheesesteak. You don't want a strong, powerful cheese such as Parmesan or Gorgonzola (should you be a fan) to overpower the taste of your steak and other toppings. Think of it like having a really good steak. You wouldn't want to douse it in something that would overpower the natural flavor, but instead, you'd want something that would compliment the steak while having its own unique profile. 

Provolone cheese may sometimes take a backseat, but according to some sources, it's actually a perfectly good cheese for your sandwich. In fact, if Charley's Philly Steaks is to be believed, Provolone was actually the first cheese to ever grace the Philly food staple, giving Provolone a historical advantage over Cheez-Whiz and its white American counterparts.

Provolone cheese boasts a slightly milder, sharper flavor than other cheese commonly used on cheesesteaks. This means that it delivers a much more noticeable flavor than white American cheese while still keeping itself from being too overpowering. It's also a pretty decent melting cheese, according to Martha Stewart, being able to melt into what is described as a "satisfyingly ropey chew." MasterClass also tells us that, while it's not exactly as great a melting cheese as mozzarella is, Provolone's firmer shape and texture is perfect for sandwiches, presumably because it helps to keep everything together rather than melting out of the bread onto the plate or one's hands.