Philly Cheesesteaks and Webbers

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Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
Group Lead
Sep 12, 2009
45,279
18,182
Macungie, PA
Philly Cheesesteaks and Webbers

This Step by Step comes with a short History of Cheesesteaks & Webbers: (aka “Webers”)

The Philadelphia Cheesesteak has it's roots in Philly' starting back in the early 1930s. I believe back then it was called a "Cheesesteak Sandwich". Then during the 50s & 60s, it was called a "Cheesesteak Sandwich", "Cheesesteak Hoagie", Philly Cheesesteak", or just "Cheesesteak". In my area (Quakertown, PA and surrounding communities) it was called a "Cheesesteak" or a "Cheesesteak Hoagie", but anything in a large Italian Roll was called a Hoagie, such as Italian Hoagie, Turkey Hoagie, Tuna Hoagie, Roast Beef Hoagie, Steak Hoagie, Cheesesteak Hoagie, etc, etc.

Then in my home town (Quakertown) back in the 50s & 60s, the best Cheesesteak Hoagies around came from "Smitty's". Smitty's was a Drive-in Joint, where they had about 12 to 15 parking spots in the lot, with speakers to order your food at each spot. Then a girl would bring your food to you, just like in the TV series "Happy Days". I liked it because you could go there right from work, or Hunting or Fishing, and be dressed all grubby & dirty, and not have to worry about going into a restaurant. I also liked it because in the evenings during the 60s it was a teenage hangout, and I was a teenager at the time. No drugs back then, but a lot of hot cars, hot girls, sneaking of a few beers, smoking cigarettes, and a couple fights each week. Sometimes even what we used to call a "Rumble". Sometimes carloads of guys would invade Quakertown, from neighboring towns (Perkasie, Sellersville, Souderton, Pennsburg, etc, etc), and act tough, so we’d have to have us a real old fashion “Rumble”. No knives or Guns—Just a lot of Hooking & Jabbing!!
All just ended up with some mild Black Eyes, cut Lips, Bloody noses, and a bunch of bruises. Kinda good training for Vietnam, I guess.

Then Back during the early 50s, there was a guy who was originally from Nashville, TN, named Joseph Webber. He had a Truck Repair shop in Quakertown, and often went to Smitty's for lunch. He ate in the small inside dining room they also had there. Joe wasn't crazy about the Cheesesteak Hoagie with sauce & onions, so he always ordered his Hoagie with Mayo instead of sauce, and lettuce & tomatoes, without onions. Waitresses there used to see him driving in, and call to the kitchen, "Better get a Webber ready, Joe's here!!" Before long a lot of people started ordering that same sandwich, so they put it on the menu, and that became the birth of the "Webber".

After awhile most of the restaurants & sandwich joints around Quakertown started selling Webbers too, but Smitty's remained the best ones ever made & sold. Some of the places added onions to theirs, and some added Steak sauce or marinara sauce to the Mayo, but the only ones who made them like the original Smitty's Webber was Smitty's, the Pub (bar in the same shopping center), and the "Penn Cup" (a little round place) in nearby Pennsburg. Another big difference between a Philly Cheesesteak and a Webber from the places that made them properly was if you wanted Onions on your Webber, you'd have to ask for it, and if you Did Not want Onions on your Philly Cheesesteak, you had to tell then "No Onions".

It wasn't long before a lot of places started making a similar sandwich, but it really wasn't made the same, and any place more than 10 miles from Quakertown called it a "Cheesesteak Hoagie" which was actually the name of a regular Cheesesteak at the time of the birth of the Webber.

Fast forward that to 2020, and Smitty's is gone, the Penn Cup is no longer in Pennsburg, and the only place that still makes a Great Webber like Smitty's gave birth to is "The Pub" in Quakertown. All of the other places puts Mayo on the roll, then the Chipped Steak, then Melted Cheese, and then top it off with Lettuce & Tomato Slices. This is just not the same.

So if you ever want to have a Real Great Tasting "Weber", you'll have to go to The Pub in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, or follow my directions below.

BTW: I would have to estimate that I have probably consumed at least 4,000 of these Sammies during the last 50 years.


Thanks For Looking,

Bear

This is the best Shaved Beef Steak (Chip-Steak) we have found at the Markets:
IMG_5495.jpg


My Roll, with "Tallarico's Steak Sandwich Sauce" & "No Salt" in the back:
IMG_5497.jpg


Tearing the steak up is always Mrs Bear's job, because of her Patience:
IMG_5498.jpg


Bear's Roll ready:
IMG_5499.jpg


Loading it up, with melted Cheese on top---No Onions in stock:
IMG_5500.jpg


Ready for the "Bear Attack"!
IMG_5501.jpg


Next Night----Now for a Weber:
IMG_5503.jpg


A roll with Miracle Whip, then a mixture of Steak, tomato pieces, and more MW: (Lettuce was out of stock too)
IMG_5504.jpg


Topped with a layer of Cheese---I prefer Provolone, bu we usually only stock American:
IMG_5505.jpg


Melt that cheese---Plus I added some Deviled Eggs:
IMG_5506.jpg





 
nice story bear sounds like we grew up in the same town just 100 miles apart. great looking cheesesteaks, weber's idea idea must of at least made it this far north, i always get mine with mayo for as long as i can remember. i put may on my burgers to.
 
Mmmm I could eat one of those about now

Gary
 
Looks great Bear! Love Cheesesteaks in most any form. The version with lettuce, tomato and mayo was also know as "California" cheesesteaks I've seen. Thanks for the story too, very interesting. Were the sandwiches from Smitty's comparable to the famous one's in Philly? Geno's and I forget the other place down the street from there.

Mike
 
You guys are making me crave a Cheesesteak. Looks like Target carries that brand. Will stop on way home and check. Guess I will being doing the breadless Philly Cheesesteak!
 
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Looks great Bear! Love Cheesesteaks in most any form. The version with lettuce, tomato and mayo was also know as "California" cheesesteaks I've seen. Thanks for the story too, very interesting. Were the sandwiches from Smitty's comparable to the famous one's in Philly? Geno's and I forget the other place down the street from there.

Mike


Thank You Mike!!
I've heard of them being called "California Cheesesteaks" too. I forgot to mention that one.
They're similar to the "Weber" but the other ones don't mix the Lettuce & Tomato pieces in with the meat & the Mayo. You wouldn't believe the difference when you mix it.

"Geno's and Pat's are 2 of the worst Cheesesteaks in the Philly area. They only survive on their Tourist Trap names, due to their advertising. They're edible, but they suck compared to at least 100 Cheesesteak Joints in & around Philly. One of them---Maybe both by now, actually uses that Tasteless Grease they call Cheese Whiz. Pretty rotten stuff.
You can go to just about any Bar or Steak Joint within 50 miles of Philly, and you'll get a better Cheesesteak that Pat's or Geno's.
We prefer Provolone or Mozzarella, but usually use American, because we don't stock Provolone, and never think far enough ahead to get some Provolone & Onions.
And Thanks for the Like.

John
 
Interesting story on the Webber and I didn't catch that the Lettuce, Maters and Mayo are mixed in! Interesting concept. Some places I've been to, order a Cheese Steak you get meat cooked with Onions and choice of Cheese. A Cheese Steak Sub, gets Lettuce,, Tomato and Mayo on top. Got to try the Webber...JJ
 
I heard that John. I'm from Jersey originally, and have only been to Philly 2-3 times in my life. Never had either Pat's or Geno's. I only knew of them from the Rocky movies. The Philly Cheesesteaks we used to get in Jersey were great from most any Sub Shop, along with almost any of the Subs. The Webber sounds good and I'd like to try it that way. Of course being in Ga the last 30 years, we're limited to good Sub places. I think it's mostly the bread. Believe it or not the best subs we get are usually from Publix. As a native Jerseyan and lover of good food, I find that offensive, lol. There's a few places in and around Atlanta that have good ones, but they're a little too far for us to go. I do prefer Provolone as well, and hate that cheese whiz type sauce. Thanks for the info and the wake up call.

Mike
 
I heard that John. I'm from Jersey originally, and have only been to Philly 2-3 times in my life. Never had either Pat's or Geno's. I only knew of them from the Rocky movies. The Philly Cheesesteaks we used to get in Jersey were great from most any Sub Shop, along with almost any of the Subs. The Webber sounds good and I'd like to try it that way. Of course being in Ga the last 30 years, we're limited to good Sub places. I think it's mostly the bread. Believe it or not the best subs we get are usually from Publix. As a native Jerseyan and lover of good food, I find that offensive, lol. There's a few places in and around Atlanta that have good ones, but they're a little too far for us to go. I do prefer Provolone as well, and hate that cheese whiz type sauce. Thanks for the info and the wake up call.

Mike


I figure it this way, if your product sucks, but you have great advertising, and "Rocky' movies help, and all the out of town Sports teams go there to see the hype, and they don't have any good ones to compare, they all think their great. Even the sports announcers promote them!!
Plus if you can coerce Hundreds of Thousands of people to go there, even if they never go back, you still sold probably hundreds of thousands of Cheesesteaks, and paid way too much for them too.

Bear
 
I figure it this way, if your product sucks, but you have great advertising, and "Rocky' movies help, and all the out of town Sports teams go there to see the hype, and they don't have any good ones to compare, they all think their great. Even the sports announcers promote them!!
Plus if you can coerce Hundreds of Thousands of people to go there, even if they never go back, you still sold probably hundreds of thousands of Cheesesteaks, and paid way too much for them too.

Bear
True. They got lucky with all of that advertising over the years. My buddies and I always thought those 2 places would be the benchmark that all other Philly CS would be judged by. Glad I never had the chance to try them, I'm sure I'd have been disappointed. And would've had to suffer a trip to Philly too, lol.

Mike
 
LOL---Yup, not worth a trip to Philly!!
Don't get me wrong, they aren't terrible. They just don't rank in the top 80% of all the Bars & Steak Joints within 50 miles of Philly, including Jersey Joints.
They're Big, and they at least used to be loaded with meat, although usually pretty Gristly Chewy Meat.
However a lot of those fine Steaks from the other Bars come from some pretty rough places, that a lot of Peeps would not want to frequent. I used to mostly go with a couple other Vietnam Vets, and that usually keeps the bad guys off your backs. And We all get along Fine!!
LOL---I never used to go anywhere without my black " Vietnam Vet" hat.
We got a lot more respect than we did back in the 60s & 70s, when we first got home!!

Bear
 
I can imagine. I've often found the best food in the worst looking places. Down here in the South too, the best Pulled Pork I've had was in a terrible looking place been there for over 40 years. No paved parking lot. But it is by far the best I've had here. And I always try new places when I come across them. At least I used to when we were able to go out, etc. And thank you for your service, much respect for what you've been through during and after the War.

Mike
 
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