While this is definitely not a traditional cheesesteak recipe, this Animal Style Cheesesteak was insane. Start by caramelizing onions slowly over the flames, just like with a classic animal style burger. Next, cook up the sliced steak and add the onions in at the end. Then top with cheese and scoop it all into a bun. Serve with all the classic Animal Style toppings, serve and enjoy!
This recipe takes 15 minutes of prep and 1.5 hours of cooking to serve two people. Make sure to multiply the recipe if you’d like to serve the whole family.
Want another easy Philly cheesesteak recipe? Then make sure to try our Smoked Cheesesteak Sliders, Philly Cheese Sausage Skewers, or Beer Cheese Smash Burgers.
Why You’ll Love Animal Style Cheesesteaks
If you love a traditional philly cheesesteak, you’ll enjoy this easy recipe! It is a twist on classic animal style burger but on a cheesesteak– making it the best Philly cheese steak recipe for burger lovers.
Prioritize at least an hour to caramelizing the onions as it takes longer than expected, but will ensure the perfect onions for your dish. Also plan to have all your stuff ready before serving because once the onions are done the rest of the cheesesteak comes together very quickly. Overall, this is not a classic cheesesteak, but the melty cheese, special sauce, and caramelized onions make it worth your while.
If you love this homemade Philly cheesesteak recipe, try our Cheesesteak Quesadilla or Pizza Cheesesteak.
Animal Style Cheesesteak Recipe Ingredients
You’ll start out with a thinly-sliced Ribeye steak seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and canola oil.
We’ll also caramelize onions out of sliced yellow onion and vegetable oil.
Next, make your special sauce out of mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, and white sugar. If you like, make double– this is going to become one of your favorite toppings for any sandwich.
Finish off the cheesesteak with a sandwich bun, sliced American cheese, sliced tomatoes, sliced lettuce, and dill pickle chips.
How to Make Animal Style Cheesesteaks
Caramelized Onions:
Preheat your grill to medium heat (around 300F) for direct cooking.
Add a cast iron skillet to heat up for 2 minutes over the fire. Add 2 tbsp of oil then your thinly sliced onions. Slow cook the onions, making sure to stir often, until they turn to a dark brown color (about 45 minutes of cooking). Once the onions are done, pull them off and keep warm.
Cheesesteaks:
For this cheesesteak recipe, start by heating your grill to high heat now (around 450F) for direct cooking.
Add a large skillet or plancha over the flames. Then add the beef and “chop” it up with a sharp knife (or the edge of your spatula) so it’s finely cut. Once all the meat is cooked and there is no more red in the meat, season with salt, pepper and garlic. Add your caramelized onions to the meat on the skillet and mix it all together.
Make the meat into a shape on the skillet that will fit on your bun, then cover the top of it with cheese and let it melt. Add the bun over the pile of meat and melty cheese, and then lift it up and into the bun. Set the cheesesteak down on a platter and repeat for the other cheesesteaks.
Build your cheesesteak with the special sauce, pickles, tomatoes and lettuce. For extra flavor, wrap in foil and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Slice in half, serve and enjoy!
Cheesesteak Recipe Tips and Tricks
If you’d like to take this sandwich to the next level, a toasted roll is the way to go. Brush some melted butter over the inside of the bread, and set it on the skillet until it’s a toasty golden brown.
If you’d like to drizzle the sauce but don’t have a spare squeeze container, put your sauce in a Ziploc bag, cut off the tip of one of the bottom corners, and squeeze the Ziploc bag to drizzle your sauce over the sandwich.
How to Store Leftovers & Reheat
Store any leftover meat and special sauce in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy for up to the next 3 days. Keep unused buns in the pantry so you can enjoy a freshly toasted bun whenever you remake the cheesesteak sandwich.
What to Serve with Animal Style Cheesesteaks
These delicious cheesesteaks pair well with french fries, fresh vegetables like baby carrots and also chopped bell peppers with ranch.
Recipe FAQ’s
Feel free to grab the soft roll of your choice for this delicious sandwich. A toasted Hoagie roll, Italian roll, Amoroso rolls, or other bread options– the world is your oyster!
Yes, you can use your favorite cut of beef for this cheesesteak recipe. Any steak you can get from your local grocery store or local butcher can be substituted into this recipe.
Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are typically made with rib eye steaks, but you can experiment and find out what the best steak is for you. There are so many cuts of meat that could work perfectly.
As always, the best meat for the recipe is the one you like the best!
There are lots of amazing ways to enjoy a good cheesesteak. The hearty meat, gooey cheese, caramelized onions, and warm bun are staples, but we have fun transforming classic meals here at Over the Fire.
This recipe takes the bones of an authentic Philly cheesesteak and ditches the peppers, adds a special sauce, and introduces hamburger toppings. It brings the delicious animal style flavors to a family classic, making it sure to please.
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Animal Style Cheesesteak
Ingredients
Beef:
- 1.5 lbs Thinly Sliced Ribeye
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1.5 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Garlic Powder
- Canola Oil as needed
Caramelized Onions:
- 1 Whole Yellow Onion sliced
- Canola Oil as needed
Special Sauce:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Ketchup
- 2.5 tbsp Relish
- 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 1 tbsp White Sugar
Cheesesteaks:
- Sandwich Bun
- Sliced American Cheese
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Sliced Lettuce
- Dill Pickles chips
Instructions
Caramelized Onions:
- Preheat your grill to medium heat (around 300F) for direct cooking.
- Add a cast iron skillet to heat up for 2 minutes over the fire.
- Add 2 tbsp of oil then your diced onion. Slow cook the onions, making sure to stir often, until they turn to a dark brown color (about 45 minutes of cooking).
- Once the onions are done, pull them off and keep warm.
Cheesesteaks:
- Heat your grill at high heat (around 450F) for direct cooking.
- Add a cast iron skillet or plancha over the flames. Add the beef and “chop” it up more so it's finely cut.
- Once all the meat is cooked and there is no more red in the meat, season with salt, pepper and garlic.
- Add your caramelized onions to the meat and mix with the meat.
- Make the meat into a shape on the skillet that will fit on your bun, then cover the top with cheese and let it melt.
- Add the sliced bun over the pile of meat and then lift it up and into the bun.
- Set the cheesesteak down on a platter and repeat for the other cheesesteaks.
- Build your cheesesteak with the special sauce, pickles, tomatoes and lettuce.
- For extra flavor, wrap in foil and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Slice in half, serve and enjoy!
