This Tailgate Cheesesteak Recipe Is More Exciting Than Football

Fine dining and tailgating may not seem like adjacent concepts — but here’s the thing: For all a football stadium parking lot typically lacks in decorative tea candles and wall-to-wall carpeting, it provides in ambiance of its own. Think about it: There’s a dress code of sorts, a soundtrack, a particular etiquette. The vibes may not call for market-priced oysters, but nonetheless, you can still arrange for some excellent food. That’s why, in this episode of VICE TV’s The Cooking Show, our host Farideh Sadeghin teams up with former NFL player (and Super Bowl champion) Jason McCourty to craft the perfect, low-maintenance, parking lot-friendly Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

Servings: 2 Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound|450 gram) boneless ribeye 
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds
• 6 tablespoons|90 ml olive oil
• ½ cup|70 grams seeded and roughly chopped hot cherry peppers
• 2 sesame seed hoagie rolls
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup|125 ml whole milk
• 6 tablespoons beer, preferably IPA
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 ounces|88 grams sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 ounces|88 grams low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated
• 3 ounces|88 grams sliced provolone cheese (about 4 slices), torn into small pieces
• mayonnaise, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Light a charcoal grill. Season the ribeye aggressively all over with salt. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes while the grill heats up.

1. Grill the steak, flipping once, until medium-rare, about 8 minutes depending on the thickness of your ribeye. Alternatively, cook in a large cast-iron skillet with 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain.

1. Cut the sides off of the bell pepper, discarding the stems and seeds. Brush the pepper and onion with 2 tablespoons of the oil and grill, flipping, until the bell pepper and onion are charred and soft, about 11 minutes for the bell pepper and 9 minutes for the onion. Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice.

1. Throw a cast-iron skillet on the grill with 2 tablespoons oil. Add the sliced beef, pepper, onion, and cherry peppers and cook, tossing, until heated through and combined. Keep warm while you toast the bread.

1. Brush the remaining oil on the inside of both rolls (protip: use mayo instead of oil) and grill until charred, 1 to 2 minutes. 

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium or on the grill. Add the flour and garlic powder and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the milk, beer, and mustard, whisking until smooth and thick. Stir in the cheeses and remove from the heat. Whisk until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. 

1. To serve, slather the insides of the bread with the mayo, then top with the steak, pepper, and onion mixture. Drizzle some cheese sauce all over, then dig in before you make a huge fucking mess of yourself.

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