Slow Cooker Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
These Slow Cooker Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches are the perfect hands-off meal for busy days. Tender shredded beef cooked in a rich broth with onions, peppers, and mushrooms — all topped with melted cheese on a toasted hoagie roll. Easy, flavorful, and irresistibly cheesy!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
- 4 –5 lbs chuck roast
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can 10.5 oz condensed French onion soup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup dark beer
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 10 hoagie rolls
- 4 tbsp butter
- Cheez Whiz or provolone cheese
Season chuck roast with salt and pepper.
In a skillet, heat oil and sear the roast 4–5 minutes per side until deeply browned.
Transfer to slow cooker. Add broth, onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, and beer.
(Optional) Deglaze skillet with ½ cup broth and pour into slow cooker for extra flavor.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
In the last hour, add onions, mushrooms, and peppers.
Toast hoagie rolls with butter until golden.
Slice beef thinly, pile onto rolls, add veggies, and top with melted cheese.
1. Brown the beef first
Don’t skip searing the roast before slow cooking — this step builds deep, caramelized flavor that defines a good Philly steak sandwich.
2. Deglaze your pan
After browning the meat, pour a bit of beef broth into the pan and scrape up all the browned bits — that’s pure umami gold. Add this liquid into your slow cooker for richer flavor.
3. Choose the right roast
Chuck roast is ideal because its marbling melts into the broth as it cooks, creating juicy, shreddable beef.
4. Don’t lift the lid too often
Each time you open the lid, you release heat and extend cooking time. Let the slow cooker work its magic uninterrupted for the first 6 hours.
5. Add veggies later
Add sliced onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers during the last hour of cooking to prevent them from turning mushy.
6. Slice beef against the grain
Once cooked, use a sharp knife and cut the beef thinly against the grain for tender bites that pull apart easily.
7. Toast the buns
Spread butter on your hoagie rolls and toast them before assembling. This adds crunch and prevents sogginess when the juicy meat hits the bread.
8. Choose your cheese wisely
Provolone gives a classic mild melt; Cheez Whiz gives that authentic Philly street-food vibe. You can even use both for an indulgent twist.
9. Save the au jus
Skim the fat and serve the flavorful cooking liquid on the side for dipping — it turns your sandwich into a restaurant-quality French dip.
10. Make it ahead
Cook and shred the beef a day in advance, then reheat in its juices for easy meal prep or game-day sliders.