Cheesesteak Dip

In what looks to be the next-to-last recipe of the Tailgating For Everyone experience, the friendly pitmaster endeavors to make a cheesesteak dip for the ages. I know this isn't a true Philly experience - and PA folks can keep their anger out of the comments section, so let's get down on making the party a memorable place to be. We remember those house parties back in our younger years, so why not feed the flock in the meantime in our more experienced season although it may require Icy-Hot the next morning?

INGREDIENTS 

Steak, cubed or shaved

Kosmo's Cow Cover rub

(2) 8 oz blocks of cream cheese

8 oz of sour cream 

1 green bell pepper

1 onion

1 tsp of minced garlic

Heath Riles's Garlic Jalapeño rub

4 oz each of cubed mozzarella and Monterey jack cheeses

STEP ONE. Cube your steak and cheeses as well as prepare all of the other ingredients above. You're going to want to be ready as this cook goes fairly quickly, and a trip to the store may result in your dip being burned - and no one deserves burnt cheese dip. Regarding the steak, I've seen the inspiration behind this cook (Jonathan Jones of Jonathan BBQ in Phoenix) cube up a ribeye, and since I'm not sacrificing a steak that can be thoroughly enjoyed, I snagged a cheap griller from my local grocery store. Size does matter: Make sure your steaks shaved or cubed are small enough for a quick one bite that can handle being on a tortilla chip if crostinis are unavailable in your area or the time to slice garlic breadsticks on a bias is super limited. Don't forget to add Cow Cover to the steaks on all sides although in the grand scheme of things, it will not matter; beginning cooks need to recognize that all sides and angles are worthy of flavor.

STEP TWO. One you finish the first step, head outside to light the grill. Your cooker does not matter, but for today's barbecue exercise, I have my trusty Weber kettle and some briquettes I recently bought from Costco that burn hotter and faster than the regular blue bag stuff we typically pick up from the big box stores. Bring out a cast-iron skillet and allow it to warn up to 400 degrees before adding the steak.

STEP THREE  Cook that steak to medium-well before swapping it out for the veggies, garlic, and butter. Allow the butter and Garlic Jalapeño rub to melt and garlic to get to know the peppers and onion on an intimate level until they are sautéed. 

STEP FOUR. Here come the cheeses and creams: In addition to the sautéed team still cooking on the skillet, both blocks of cream cheese, the sour cream, and cubed cheeses accept their party invitations. Let everything melt away and lastly, return the steak chucked or shaved back to the mixture for that final element of flavor punch.

Serve as soon as it is cheesy to your liking and it is pulled from the kettle.

My thoughts: OK, I like.

Do I love it? 

Unless it is specifically requested, I probably won't make it again; instead, I might redirect friends and events I cook for toward spinach dip or regular queso. It's still tasty, yet it teetered on the hit or miss line for me.

With one more week remaining in the Tailgating For Everyone experience, the final one is going to be a doozy that my fellow big backs might find themselves beating down the door for a bite. Thank you for reading and heading outside to improvise and improve a party item that otherwise would have been missed. If you like this one (or any of the other four T4E seasons' of barbecue), the methods have been lain out for mass consumption. Y'all be safe, be blessed, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!