The Biggest Mistake You're Making With That Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

Few things are more sacred — or divisive — than a Philly cheesesteak. Ask any Philadelphian about the city's iconic sandwich, and you're bound to ignite a heated debate on the "right" way to make it and which local joint serves the tastiest version (and spark a passionate argument about the difference between Pat's and Geno's cheesesteaks). But one topic gets locals particularly riled up: green peppers. According to Carolyn Wyman, author of "The Great Philly Cheesesteak Book," green bell peppers have no business on an authentic Philly cheesesteak. 

"The classic cheesesteak contains only bread, onion, meat, and cheese," Wyman explained exclusively to Mashed. Bell peppers might be a common addition to cheesesteaks on menus around the country, but in Philly, they're practically a culinary faux pas.

Naturally, some of the absolute best cheesesteaks in America are homegrown in Philadelphia. If we consider the city's biggest rivals, neither Pat's King of Steaks nor Geno's Steaks put peppers on their standard cheesesteak — it's just meat, cheese, and onions. You can order a "pepper cheesesteak" from both restaurants, but you might as well also wear a shirt that says, "I'm from out of town." While it's perfectly fine to enjoy a variation (personally, we love a cheesesteak with mushrooms), calling it a "Philly" cheesesteak might just ruffle feathers in the City of Brotherly Love.

The beautiful thing about a traditional Philly cheesesteak is its simplicity: thinly sliced steak — ribeye is a popular cut of meat for a Philly cheesesteak — slathered in gooey melted cheese (usually Cheez Whiz, provolone, American, or a combination of these) complemented with perfectly seared onions and a soft hoagie roll. While green peppers are delicious to many, their strong flavor interrupts this harmony.

Carolyn Wyman explained to Mashed that the pepper's "taste can overwhelm the meat and cheese." For this reason, she also doesn't consider variations of the sandwich (like Italian cheesesteaks, which are often stuffed with toppings like banana peppers, sweet cherry peppers, and even marinara) worthy of the name. "They are called cheesesteaks for a reason," Wyman said. "That, to my mind, should be respected!"

Another common mistake comes down to the roll itself. A true Philly cheesesteak connoisseur won't cut the roll in half or serve it with a slit on top like a meatball hoagie. "The roll is properly cut only about three-quarters of the way through, creating a hinged roll that doubles as a grill scoop and effectively captures the juices," Wyman explained. Philly cheesesteaks are already messy — trying to stuff all that goodness into an improperly cut roll is not the way to go. So skip the peppers and master the Philly roll technique to earn the respect of any cheesesteak enthusiast (especially Philly locals).