East Coasters know a thing or two about cheesesteaks. It's a Pat's or Geno's type of thing over there. (If you're really smart, it's Joe's or bust.) What Pat's, Geno's, and Joe's don't do, however, is go beyond the beef. That is to say, a true Philadelphia cheesesteak sticks to beef-based protein. Field & Stream is challenging the notion that cheesesteak is strictly beef, though. They're ditching the cow in favor of some wild game. Move over beef, venison cheesesteaks are in town.
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The recipe starts with fresh venison steaks. In a crazy turn of events, you're actually supposed to freeze the fresh steaks for about 30 minutes. No, they won't turn into ice cubes, but we were still a tad surprised to see this step. The Field & Stream pro-tip is that this will make the meat easier to slice.
After the 30 minutes is up, you do just that. You'll slice the meat into thin strips. Next up are the veggies. Mushrooms, onions, and peppers are suggested in this recipe, but we encourage you to get a little creative. After sautéing the suggested veggies (or your own delightful combo), set them aside.
You'll want some scorching hot oil ready to go in a pan for the next step. The sliced venison is to be browned in said oil. We suggest extra virgin olive oil for this one, but any vegetable oil will do. Stir the meat frequently; browning it without making it tough is the goal.
Toss those pre-sautéed veggies in with the browned meat. Cheese is next. Field & Stream suggests provolone and American, but perhaps you'll want your cheesesteak in good old-fashioned "whiz-wit" format. If you don't know what that means, it's okay. (Ask someone before heading to Pat's in Philly, though.)
Cover the combo and cook for two to three minutes. You can then toss it into a halved and hollowed Italian hoagie roll. And voila, the venison cheesesteak is ready-to-eat.
