What is a Steak Salad -Pittsburgh Style, you ask? WELL! Let me tell you that if you have never had one, you are missing out!
It may sound odd to those of you who have never been to Western Pennsylvania or specifically to the Pittsburgh region but please don't judge it until you try it. It is amazing! Actually, it's the number one item that I order from the menu when we go out to restaurants.
So without further ado, let me introduce you to my favorite dinner salad...The Steak Salad - Pittsburgh Style!
Ta Da!!!
Doesn't it look yummy??
I know you all are thinking that I've lost my mind.
I know you all are thinking that I've lost my mind.
French fries on a salad?
YES, french fries on a SALAD!
Jerry's Curb Service ,back in the county I grew up in, is credited with inventing this Steak Salad. You can read about how it came about by clicking here. Even though they invented it, it is now on EVERY menu of every restaurant you frequent in Pittsburgh region. You can also be sure that if a chain restaurant in this area has a steak salad on their menu that doesn't come with fries, the diner will most definitely add a side of fries to their order. It just isn't the same without fries!
Jerry's Curb Service ,back in the county I grew up in, is credited with inventing this Steak Salad. You can read about how it came about by clicking here. Even though they invented it, it is now on EVERY menu of every restaurant you frequent in Pittsburgh region. You can also be sure that if a chain restaurant in this area has a steak salad on their menu that doesn't come with fries, the diner will most definitely add a side of fries to their order. It just isn't the same without fries!
Since there are many variations of the Steak Salad, it would be wrong of me to claim that the recipe I am posting is the correct one. In truth, there is no correct one. However, you do need 5 basic components to make up a steak salad in my opinion. They are lettuce, vegetables, cheese, steak and fries. The recipe below is the one I make at home...it's the one in the picture. Below it, is a list of other options for you. They all work, just make sure you don't forget the fries!
Oh! Dressing! I can't forget to talk about dressing! Some people will tell you that Ranch is the way to go. Others will argue that Italian is the best. I, of course, have my own opinion on that! Maybe it's just me being odd but honestly for me it depends on the combination in the salad! Certain restaurants I order it at, I like Ranch...at other places I like Italian or Bleu Cheese or Sweet & Sour or Country French or I've even been known to mix Italian & Bleu Cheese...I know it sounds gross but it's really not! When I was still in high school, I was a waitress. I use to wait on this lady and she would come in and order the steak salad with a cup of beef gravy on the side. She would pour it over the whole salad...lettuce and all! Now THAT is gross!
Oh! Dressing! I can't forget to talk about dressing! Some people will tell you that Ranch is the way to go. Others will argue that Italian is the best. I, of course, have my own opinion on that! Maybe it's just me being odd but honestly for me it depends on the combination in the salad! Certain restaurants I order it at, I like Ranch...at other places I like Italian or Bleu Cheese or Sweet & Sour or Country French or I've even been known to mix Italian & Bleu Cheese...I know it sounds gross but it's really not! When I was still in high school, I was a waitress. I use to wait on this lady and she would come in and order the steak salad with a cup of beef gravy on the side. She would pour it over the whole salad...lettuce and all! Now THAT is gross!
Cindi's Steak Salad - Pittsburgh Style
Ingredients:
Iceberg lettuce, washed, chopped and chilled
Carrots, shredded
Cucumbers, peeled and sliced
Tomatoes, chopped
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Olive oil
Steak, cut into bite sized pieces
Steak seasoning
French Fries, frozen or homemade oven fries
Dressing of choice
Directions:
1. Assemble lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and cheddar cheese on a dinner plate.
2. Season steak cubes with steak seasoning and fry in a little bit of olive oil until done.
3. Bake fries.
4. Add cooked steak on top of prepared salad.
5. Add fries on top of steak.
6. Cover in dressing.
Options:
~ Use your favorite greens...romaine, leaf, spring mix, etc.
~ Cook a whole steak on the grill or in the oven and cut into pieces after it's done. I like the stove top method because I can make mine medium rare and the others medium.
~ Other topping choices: sliced black olives, green peppers, onion slices, sliced or diced hard boiled eggs, pepperoncini peppers, hot banana pepper rings...as you can see the possibilities are endless.
~ Try different style of fries...shoestring, homemade oven baked, crinkle cut, steak, etc.
~ Use your favorite cheese...mozzarella, Swiss, Monteray jack...shredded or cubed or a combination of a couple.
~ Add a couple of breaded fried onion rings on the top.
~ Put the cheese over the top of the fries so it melts.
~ Another option is to try different proteins...grilled chicken, breaded baked chicken fingers and breaded baked fish...which is really good with 1000 Island dressing.
I hope you try it and come back and let me know what you think. And for those of you in the Beaver County/Pittsburgh area and already love this salad, let me know what restaurant out there has the best!
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!
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