Philly

[jimroletter]

As a long time Philly guy, I have to tell you that the steak has changed since I was a young guy. Pat's or Geno's, it makes no difference. The meat is not as good, nor the wiz, and not even the size of the steak.

When I was 16, the meat was a high quality beef, sliced razor thin. I was slow cooked on the grill in a pile, and there was a roll it took two hands to hold, and if you wanted yours "wid," the cheese was placed on top of the meat pile that has been set aside for your steak, and moved to a hot section of the grill. There was nothing better on earth.

Now I go to Geno's to support the various causes like Police Officer Daniel Falkner's family, or the English speaking movement. But the steak? It's a caricature of a better time.

I hear you on that.
I tell you what though, sometimes that "slow cooking" method seems to me more like a shortcut.
If you go to this place Delasandro's in Roxborough they have a pile of like 30 pounds of meat on the grill.

So when you order your steak you get some of that meat that seems like its been sitting on there for a week.

I kind of like that at Genos they throw raw meat on the grill and cook it for you right then and there. But thats just me.

I live in Manayunk now and everything is fancy smancy. I sure do miss the neighborhood delis in port richmond where I could get a nice turkey hoagie and a fresh jewish pickle straight from the bucket.

[jimklo]

I live in Manayunk now and everything is fancy smancy. I sure do miss the neighborhood delis in port richmond where I could get a nice turkey hoagie and a fresh jewish pickle straight from the bucket.

I've got a great recipe for Kosher Deli pickles that you brine, let ferment on the counter top, and then refridgerate. Tastes just like from the pickle barrel!

I'll have to post it because fresh cucumber time is coming up fast.

[Green Mountain]

I've got a great recipe for Kosher Deli pickles that you brine, let ferment on the counter top, and then refridgerate. Tastes just like from the pickle barrel!

I'll have to post it because fresh cucumber time is coming up fast.

Man that would be great. I love deli pickles. Tried making them a couple of time and they tasted like I put them in some of that Harris liquid flux.

[jpb2]

I'm up for that too. garden is going well

[iron]

I like to make pickled asperagus
two kinds hot and wussy
everyone loves em

[jimklo]

I've got a great recipe for Kosher Deli pickles that you brine, let ferment on the counter top, and then refridgerate. Tastes just like from the pickle barrel!

I'll have to post it because fresh cucumber time is coming up fast.

OK, here's the recipe, as promised. First and most importantly, everything needs to be CLEAN! I use a gallon glass jar with a screw on lid and FRESH, never store bought pickling cucumbers to avoid the food wax. The cucumbers need to be well scrubbed, particularly the flower end which, after the flower is removed, contains a little "plug" or "caul" which holds enzymes that will make the cucumber rot if not scrubbed off. I can usually fit 12 cucumbers in the gallon jar, depending on the size.

12 pickling cucumbers
3 quarts of water
1/3 cup white vinegar
6 tablespoons kosher salt
1 bunch of fresh dill, divided
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1-1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon pickling spices (McCormick makes a good one in the spice aisle at the grocery)
1 small dried red pepper

Wash cucumbers thoroughly.

Combine water, vinegar and salt; stir until salt is dissolved.

Place 1/2 of dill on bottom of glass jar, add garlic, peppercorns, mustard seed, bay leaf, pickling spices and red pepper.

Put half of cucumbers in the jar, followed by rest of dill and remaining cucumbers.

Fill jar with brine, being careful to completely cover the cucumbers so that they remain under the brine throughout fermentation.

Loosely cover the jar, and sit it on the counter out of direct heat and light.

The brine should remain completely clear for at least a day or two until the fermentation process gets cooking. Be sure cucumbers remain under brine all the time. If any scum forms on the top of the brine, it can be spooned off.

After about three or four days, the brine will begin to slowly get cloudy. This is when I usually put the jar in the fridge to stop fermentation because I like my pickles more "half-ripe". They will continue to get more flavorful anyway. I have left them on the counter for up to five days.

Enjoy with a cheesesteak!

[homebrewski]

When I was a kid, my dad used to take me and my sister to the steak shops and he always reminded us of when he was a kid growing up in Philly, (if I remember correctly) you could get a steak for 25 cents at Pats, but for the same quarter you could get two at Geno's. I think both gave you a soda too.
I have always preferred Jim's on South. Now I live in West Chester and may as well live in Virginia, the steaks suck and nobody, i mean NO body will deep fry a panzorati for me.

[KLEINman]

Cheese steak...

Pat's or Geno's ???

I just watched the two prepare theirs on tv. They move a lot of sandwiches.
Only difference I saw was Pat's chopped their meat while Geno just had slices.
The Cheese Wiz surprised me a little.

Between the two i would say genos, but i personally like tony lukes. I grew up in philly and now live right over the bridge in jersey, had all three plenty of times, i favor tony lukes but genos is a close second.

[jimklo]

OK, here's the recipe, as promised. Enjoy with a cheesesteak!

And here's a picture of the pickle jar. Another few days and it will be pickle Nirvana!

[marylandtech]

I grew up eating scrapple for breakfast, they always told us it is everything but the squeel! it is a Pennsylvannia Dutch thing, also available in Philly, it is basically scrap meat from the butchering process, cooked, ground, mixed with cornmeal and spices, chilled and shaped like a brick. you slice it into pieces like you would spam, fry it until golden brown, and enjoy, some put a little maple syrup on it, Rappa is probably the largest commercial producer of it, old style butchers, particularily amish and the like still make it.
And now you know the rest of the story.

love some RAPA scrapple.... scrapple egg and cheese for breakfast mmmm mmmm good ........ didnt really know it was a regional thing till
i moved to phoenix for awhile. Funny the little things you miss

[Poodle Head Mikey]

Cheese Wiz?!!! The jerkoffs that use that crap ought to be horsewhipped and then rolled in salt.

The best "South Philly Cheesesteaks" are apparently only made in NJ.

The Steak-Out in Mantua NJ is one of the best but there are a lot of really good steak shops around - east of the Delaware River.

And . . . . I know where the best rolls on the planet come from Ricci's Bakery in Glassboro NJ. Same all brick oven from 1926. No advertising, no sign, just a plain building behind an old house. Ricci is over 80 now and has no kids so soon enough it will all be gone. The best rolls - nothing else is even Close. I do give some thought to buying the place when he goes - just for the huge brick oven.

PHM
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Cheese steak...

Pat's or Geno's ???

I just watched the two prepare theirs on tv. They move a lot of sandwiches.
Only difference I saw was Pat's chopped their meat while Geno just had slices.
The Cheese Wiz surprised me a little.

[KLEINman]

Cheese Wiz?!!! The jerkoffs that use that crap ought to be horsewhipped and then rolled in salt.

The best "South Philly Cheesesteaks" are apparently only made in NJ.

The Steak-Out in Mantua NJ is one of the best but there are a lot of really good steak shops around - east of the Delaware River.

And . . . . I know where the best rolls on the planet come from Ricci's Bakery in Glassboro NJ. Same all brick oven from 1926. No advertising, no sign, just a plain building behind an old house. Ricci is over 80 now and has no kids so soon enough it will all be gone. The best rolls - nothing else is even Close. I do give some thought to buying the place when he goes - just for the huge brick oven.

PHM
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cheeze wiz is awesome lol. I will never get a steak from pats, genos, tony lukes, or even the place around the corner from me wit out it. Steak out is not bad in my opinion, i dont live too far from there either.

[y7turbo]

I was just in philly for a week doing some work.. I dont remember the names of all the places i tried the "Philly Steak" from but its nothing special..