Imagine walking through downtown Chicago on a cold night and there’s nothing better to warm you up than a delicious hot meal. Introducing the Italian Beef Sandwich. Thinly sliced juicy beef is piled high and gently laid on fluffy Italian bread, then topped with hot, salty Chicago-style giardiniera. The sandwich (also simply called “Italian Beef”) is famous for its flavorful, slow-cooked meat and generous portions of pickled vegetables, but if you’re a gourmet who really wants to experience the thrill of flavor, you’ll want to try the whole sandwich in a cup. We recommend soaking it in. Hot beef juice may be just the ticket. In fact, the Italian Beef Sandwich is truly one of those soul-warming meals and, as many say, the best you can find in Illinois. Some will argue, but Chicago’s Italian beef sandwich has long been overshadowed by the city’s infamous deep-dish His pizza and pepper-packed Chicago His hot dog. Now, it looks like this Chicago classic is finally getting its long-overdue spotlight. For proof, check out his recent YouTube video featuring food-focused creator Joshua Wiseman. He asked his followers to vote for the most iconic one. They received food from the state and were able to prepare and rank their dishes. In Illinois, Italian beef was the clear winner. This is certainly a sign of a cultural shift (perhaps due in part to Hulu’s hit series “The Bear”). But whatever the cause of Italian beef’s recent rise, it took a long time to materialize. And more than that, this is a well-deserved victory.
Read more: America’s 101 Best Pizzas
The original Italian beef is super local (and one of a kind)
Perhaps Italian beef is a truly unique Chicago creation more than its hot dog or deep-dish pizza rivals, and therefore deserves top billing as an Illinois standout dish. There’s no denying that deep-dish pizza and Chicago dogs also originated in Illinois, but these two dishes aren’t entirely original. Both hot dogs and pizza (in this case the American version) were first made and sold by immigrants in New York City. And in this battle of Chicago classics, location is key. Unlike other Windy City staples, the Italian Beef His sandwich was first created in Chicago by Italian immigrants who were looking for a way to feed more people with less money. So they cut the beef incredibly thin and served it on bread. result? Well, there’s nothing else quite like it.
As food writer and Chicago native Lucas Kwan Peterson explains in an article for the Los Angeles Times, the “hyperlocal” sandwich is also something truly deep and singular. “This is not your typical Italian sub sandwich with various cured meats, and it’s not a roast beef sandwich with a relatively thick slice of meat that still has some pink in the middle,” Peterson says. is writing. Its unique qualities, Peterson said, are nearly impossible to replicate, even at Chicago-themed restaurants in the Chicago suburbs, which serve some of the city’s most famous dishes. If you want a delicious Italian beef sandwich, you have to come to Illinois, no exceptions.
Italian beef is truly an everyday meal
Italian beef takes the top spot as Illinois’ (at least Chicago’s) most iconic food. Because Italian beef is the only food eaten by everyday Chicagoans in their daily diet year-round. Chicago’s deep-dish pizza has long been considered the most iconic food of the city (and by extension, the state), but the truth is that most locals don’t eat pizza on a regular basis. In fact, most Chicagoans prefer to eat tavern-style pizza, which has a thin, crispy crust and is cut into small squares. How about a Chicago-style hot dog? While popular and admirable in its own right, it doesn’t deserve the number one spot because, unlike an Italian beef sandwich, it’s more of a summer thing, like a baseball game or a walk by the lake. Seasonal cuisine. When the cold winter winds blow, outdoor hot dog stands across the city close and don’t reappear until warmer weather returns. Italian Beef Sandwiches are easy to find at stores all over the city, especially famous ones like He Al’s #1 Italian Beef. So if you’re in Chicago and want to eat like a true Windy City resident, Italian Beef is always the way to go.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.