Rib Eye Steak

• Rib eye steak, taken from the rib section of beef, is the steak of choice at Philly's most famous cheesesteak restaurants. The rib eye is one of the most expensive cuts of beef, but it will give you the most authentic result. Rib eye works well because it has nice marbling, which results in flavorful grease typical of a Philly sandwich, and a bold, beefy flavor. Unlike other cuts of meat, there is no tough connective tissue mixed in with the fat, so the meat isn't chewy. Rib eye steak is the same as a prime rib roast, but is cut into thinner slices.

Sirloin Steaks

• The beef sirloin, including the top and bottom sirloin, offers several steak cuts for a variety of budgets. Try a strip steak if you want to achieve results as close as possible in flavor to a Philly sandwich made from rib eye steak. This cut has a comparable amount of fat marbling to rib eyes, which results in flavorful, juicy and tender sandwich meat. Strip steak is commonly called New York strip, Kansas City strip, top loin or top sirloin. Bottom sirloin is a much more affordable beef cut, but is also much tougher than the top sirloin. Use a marinade to help tenderize bottom sirloin and keep it juicy.

Plate and Flank Steaks

• The plate and flank are two sections of beef along the belly from which several types of steaks are cut. Skirt steak and hanger steak are cut from the plate section, while flank steak is cut from the flank at the rear of the belly. These three similar steak cuts are significantly cheaper than rib eye, but still offer a strong, beefy flavor. Unlike the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of rib eye steak, these cuts can be tough and dry if not prepared properly. Marinades help tenderize the steaks and add flavor before cooking. Cut the meat against the grain to minimize toughness.

Cutting the Meat

• Regardless of the type of steak you choose for your Philly sandwiches, the meat must be cut as thin as possible before cooking. Meat tends to slide around easily if you cut it while thawed, which can easily result in injury. Instead, stick the steak in the freezer until halfway frozen so the meat is firm and holds shape when sliced. A sharp chef's knife works well for slicing the meat thin, but you must work carefully to cut uniform pieces. A meat slicer cuts meat paper thin easily, but you can try a slicing attachment on a food processor to achieve similar results. While frying the sliced steak, Philly sandwich pros often use spatulas to chop the meat into smaller pieces.