As I begin this week’s edition, I am somewhat a state of
frustration. To those who know me, they would say that isn’t a big
surprise. I say that it depends upon the situation.
As I begin this week’s edition, I am somewhat a state of frustration. To those who know me, they would say that isn’t a big surprise. I say that it depends upon the situation.
Today was one of those “situational” instances. Despite my feelings, it did inspire this week’s recipe for grilled pepper steak sandwiches.
The situation that plagued me was a change in plans for the meal while I was at the supermarket. The evening meal I planned was grilled Italian turkey sausage sandwiches with sauteed bell peppers and onions. In fact, I had my heart set on it.
But after picking up many of the items I needed, it turns out that the turkey sausage was sold out. There wasn’t a single package on the shelves or in the back cold storage. Luckily, I had been thinking of something a little similar for about a month now.
The Santa Clara County fair was earlier this month. One item that my dad liked a lot was the pepper steak sandwich, which was sold by a particular vender.
Unfortunately, the vendor stopped attending years ago.
But, the memory of these particular pepper steak sandwiches at the fair remained strong. I have been thinking about making my own on the grill for about a month now. The absence of turkey sausage was a lucky break. Steak is an easy substitute for the sausage. The steak I needed was on sale too!
My favorite cut of meat for pepper steak sandwiches are eye of round or sirloin. When making pepper steak sandwiches, I like the steak to be about a quarter of an inch thick.
It is more economical to purchase a whole roast and slice it yourself instead of the sliced and packaged steaks. You are also able to control the thickness of the steaks if you want them a little thicker or thinner. If you are uncomfortable or do not have the time to slice your own meat, by all means, purchase it sliced.
Since the steaks are thin, they take only a few moments to grill over a high heat. It is important to monitor the steaks because it is easy to overcook them. Overcooking will lead to them becoming dry and tough. Only simple salt, black pepper and garlic powder are needed. This will allow for the flavor of the steak and peppers to become the dominant taste of the sandwich.
The peppers are easy to prepare. When paired with onions, the combination is that much better. After the vegetables have been sliced into large pieces, they are sauteed in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat.
Salt is added to help draw the water from the vegetables, which assists in caramelizing. A little black pepper also helps to balance out the flavor.
If you have a gas grill with a side burner, it may be used to saute the vegetables while the grill is heating.
When building the pepper steak sandwich, I like a nice fresh roll, or “NFR” as we call them in our home. Sweet French rolls are the best for this sandwich. For additional grilled flavor, slice the roll lengthwise and open it to grill the inside. There is no need for mayonnaise on this sandwich, but I like a little butter on the toasted bread. Cheese is optional on this sandwich too. I like provolone the best.
This sandwich may be served with many side dishes including corn on the cob, potato salad or French fries.
Try this grilled pepper steak sandwich as a hearty lunch or a satisfying dinner. It also makes an easy to prepare meal for a tailgate party or for a picnic when wrapped in foil and keep warm in an insulated container.
Pepper Steak Sandwich
(From Mitch Mariani; Serves 4)
1-1/2 to 2 pounds eye of round or sirloin, sliced into thin steaks
3 large bell peppers
1 large sweet onion
4 sweet French rolls
8 slices provolone cheese (optional)
butter (optional)
drizzle of olive oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Step 1: Begin by preheating your grill to a high heat. Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add a little drizzle of olive oil to the hot saute pan and add the bell peppers. Saute the bell peppers for about 5-7 minutes. Add the onions and saute the mixture another 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to saute until done.
Step 2: Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to both sides of each steak. Place the steaks on the hot grill. After about 2 minutes, turn the steak to the other side and allow them to finish grilling for another 2 minutes. Remove the steaks from the heat.
Step 3: Slice each roll lengthwise, but do not cut all the way through. Open the rolls flat and place cut side down on the grill until they have become toasted.
Step 4: Build your pepper steak sandwich by buttering the toasted side of the bread, then place a few slices of the steak on the bread, followed by the provolone cheese and finish with the sauteed peppers and onions.
