What's on the Grill #301: Steak & Cheese

I love steak (obviously).  I also love cheese (perhaps not as obvious), so it’s not a surprise (obviously) that I love steak and cheese.  While I don’t adhere to a purist version (Read: No Cheez Whiz among other things), I mix it up enough to keep it original and satisfying.  It’s a simple grilled meal that is ready in a pinch.

My first deviation is the meat.  Traditional steak and cheese requires a ribeye.  While I love a ribeye, I get more mileage out of a flat iron steak.  With plenty of fat content and more square inch of meat per dollar, a flat iron ensures not only dinner but leftovers the next day.

My next change is the cheese.  There is something I love about fresh mozzarella, which is why I use it instead of the mainstay provolone.  You may call it sacrilege, I call it preference.  Of course, that’s not to say you won’t find me slather on some provolone one night either.  I go in phases...

Whereas, in the past, I have used a cast iron skillet, or an "on the grate" griddle, my plancha for my Weber Grill Center now does the heavy heat work.  Its high sides and vast real estate make for the perfect steak and cheese launchpad.

Let’s get down to it. Slice up some mushrooms, onions, and green peppers.  Drizzle the cooking surface with olive oil, and cook the vegetables (covered with a healthy dose of salt and pepper) until translucent, if not lightly browned. 

Once cooked to your likening, push to one side.  Add the thinly sliced meat to the other side of the cooking surface. Cover with salt and pepper.

Allow the meat to cook a few minutes before moving around.  

Once the meat is almost all the way brown, mix in with the vegetables.  Cook a few minutes longer and then top with cheese.  Lower the lid to allow the cheese to melt.

Scoop off the cheesy meat goodness and serve on toasted rolls, or as I do 90% time, scoop directly onto a plate and eat.

For an easy last minute dinner, nothing can really compare.  Grill up some steak and cheese and make it your own.  Perhaps next time I’ll be encouraged to add the Cheez Whiz.