Category Archives: Food Series
Chicago Style Hot Dogs: A Brief History
Chicago has a proud and unique history full of music, movies, Chicago Deep Dish Pizza, Chicago Beef and now a World Series win! But when many people think of Chicago, they obviously think about the hot dogs. Chicago style hot dogs are so iconic that other cities and restaurants started copying them. You can even buy a Chicago Style Hot Dog starter pack on Amazon. These hot dogs may contain the same ingredients, but they will be nothing like the real thing. If its not made in Chicago, it’s not Chicago style!
hot dog history
Chicago isn’t the only city to claim hot dogs as their own. It’s not really clear which city was the first to introduce them in America or when exactly they started being sold on the streets. There is a lot of speculation that Chicago was one of, if not thee first, city to start pushing dogs on the streets from vendors selling out of a cart.
When Chicago style hot dogs started hitting the streets, they actually were a bit different than they are today. At first, hot dogs were sold as a way to profit from the less desirable meat waste from the factories. Using the technology of meat curing brought to Chicago by German immigrants, these ‘waste dogs’ were turned into a tasty treat!
There is no doubt that the hots dogs of years past were delicious, but they were nothing like the Chicago style dogs we have today. The version of the story we like to is that during The World’s Fair of 1893 (hosted in Chicago) two immigrants gave the ‘waste dog’ an upgrade by making the sausage with kosher meats. Good idea.
Chicago style hot dog ingredients
So what is a Chicago style hot dog? We’re glad you asked!
introducing the chicago style hot dog
It wasn’t until the Great Depression that the Chicago style hot dogs we know and love today came to be. When food was harder to come by, these street foods became more than just cheap eating. They became meals that people used to feed their families. Chicago style hot dogs were cheap to make, had what seemed to be an entire day’s serving of vegetables and were being sold throughout the city making them the depression-era food of choice.
And for those who do not live in Chicago, NO, ketchup does not go on a hot dog! Chicago style dogs prove that ketchup has no place on one of these tasty treats. Tomato’s on the other hand make a great condiment! So if you want to give Chicago hot dogs a try, be sure to go to Chicago to get the real experience. If you want to make one at home, do us a favor and skip the ketchup please!
6 Best Chicago Lunch Specials Under $10 [Updated 2018]
Chicago has an incredible food scene. Heck Chicago has an incredible Food Tour scene. But this can come with a hefty price tag. One of the best ways to find a deal on a meal is to check out a Chicago lunch special.
We have listed our favorite 6 restaurants offering great Chicago lunch specials.
And we took it one step further – these are the best Chicago lunch specials that won’t cost you more than $10. Remember, just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean that its bad! These restaurants are incredible, and this list has a variety of options to make sure there is something for everyone.
Pierogi Heaven
169 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60606
This popular Polish restaurant has only a few menu items but there is a good reason for that. For under $10, you can get a large dish of Pierogi’s and a drink and still have some meter change.
L‘ Patron
3749 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
This is one of the most popular ‘street restaurants’ in Chicago. This restaurant serves Mexican cuisine. No reservations needed. Just walk up and grab your food! You can also sit out on their patio and enjoy the hip industrial area. $10 goes a long way here. In fact, $10 might be enough for two people! If you go, be sure to try The Gringo, it’s delicious!
Nhu Lan Bakery
2612 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
The Nhu Lan Bakery is a Vietnamese bakery located in Lincoln Square. The word on the street is they have the best banh mi in the city, and for under $10! $5 can get you a delicious and healthy meal that will keep you full until dinner, and you would still have enough for one of their delicious smoothies.
Pequod’s Pizza
2207 North Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
This has got to be one of the best pizza deals in the city. For $5, you can get a 7-inch personalized pizza with a soda. This deal is available on Wednesdays during lunch, so if you are in the mood for a classic deep dish pizza for lunch make sure you take advantage of this deal. If you can’t be there on Wednesday, they still have great deals during the rest of the week and their caramelized-cheese crust is incredible!
Harold’s Chicken Shack #88
124 E 35th St, Chicago, IL 60625
For $10 at Harolds Chicken Shack, you can get a quarter chicken dinner meal. This meal is available for lunch as well! Prices vary by location, but it’s usually at or under $10. But in this case, you came for the quality! There are plenty of cheap chicken places in Chicago, but none of them are Harold’s.
Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop
2458 W Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
If you are still hungry after eating one of these delicious cheap lunch specials, be sure to go out and try a pastry from the Lutz Cafe! For $5, you can get a pastry just for yourself. Sometimes, we deserve to treat ourselves!
Hopefully, the next time you want a cheap lunch you will skip the fast food places and head to a place that is unique to Chicago. If you are spending time in this beautiful city, be sure to get the full experience and try something new!
Chicago Style Italian Beef
Today we’re examining Chicago Style Italian Beef including the history, the ingredients and most importantly where to get it. In the past we’ve broken down Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and it is probably more involved than you might think.
Chicago Style Italian Beef History
We’re not sure why we Chicagoans have such a hard time with history and getting stories straight. Who started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871? Where did we get our Chicago Nicknames? Italian Beef also has some debatable origins. Here are a handful of the most recognized theories.
- 1925 a company by the name of Scala’s Original Beef and Sausage Company started in Chicago. (Spoiler alert: it still does operate and supplies many Chicago restaurants with their meat for beef sandwiches). According to them the Italian Beef was introduced at weddings and banquets. The roasted beef was sliced thing and served on bread to help “stretch” the food to feed the many guests. It was, needless to say, a very popular item and the rest is history.
- Then there is the story of an Italian immigrant working in the Chicago Stock Yards in the early 1900s. (The stock yards were Chicago’s meat-packing district, and Chicago led the world in meat packing back then). The worker would take home the less desirable cuts of meat that the company sold and according to the story made literally the same exact thing that is served today: roast the beef in Italian spices and broth, slice it, serve on Italian bread. This one seems a bit far-fetched, but we love it.
- And while perhaps not the inventory of Italian Beef sandwiches we do have to tip our caps to Al Ferreri and his sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Chris Pacelli. Why? Because that trio is responsible for opening Al’s Beef in 1938. The restaurant is still open today and has expanded quite a bit. In fact there is one in Dubai now!
Regardless of who invented the Chicago Style Italian Beef when we know this much – it’s dang good. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients used to make these sandwiches.
Chicago Style Italian Beef Ingredients
Al’s Beef Chicago Style Italian Sausage. Don’t you tell us this doesn’t make you hungry.
We like this part the best. So often we don’t know what were eating. A Chicago Style Italian Beef? Easy, it’s meat, bread, juice and maybe some peppers, right? Not so fast…
The meat used to make an Italian Beef sandwich is beef. Typically it’s one of three different cuts of meat: sirloin rear, bottom round or top round. Bottom Round is by far the most popular which if you look at the graphic below it would be a 32 lb. cut of beef just above the shank on the outside of the steer’s hind legs.
Study and remember these cuts the next time you are shopping for beef in the grocery store. Source: Yzmo at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)
Once the beef is cooked it’s then sliced thin in a deli slicer and returned to it’s broth to cook some more before being served to you on an Italian roll with your choice of peppers – either sweet or hot.
You’re going to get your choice – sweet or hot peppers. Of course you could opt for neither, but if you take one or the other here is what you’re getting:
- Sweet Peppers – the pepper is actually called the Friggitello, but you might here it in the streets called “Golden Greek”. We (Americans) will often times confuse this with a peperoncini – THIS IS NOT a peperoncini. Oh, and often times if you order sweet peppers on your Italian Beef you could get simply cooked green bell peppers, which is OK too.
- Hot Peppers – Mmm. This is where it’s at! When you order hot peppers on your Chicago Style Italian Beef you aren’t simply going to get a couple of whole peppers thrown on there. You’re going to get a hot relish of pickled vegetables that INCLUDE peppers called Giardiniera. (Pronounced: JAR – DIH – NAIR – AH) This HOT style relish is a Chicago thing and we’ll often times add sport peppers to kick it up a notch. The remaining vegetables include carrots, celery, cauliflower, serrano peppers and gherkins. There can be an entire post on Giardiniera – which is a good idea…
Some places you can have them throw cheese on top, typically melted mozzarella. We’ve had it. It’s not bad – actually it’s quite good. However, there is just something that feels “right” about not getting cheese. No one is going to look at you crazy if you order a cheesy beef though.
And when you order you are definitely going to be asked “Wet or Dry?” This can throw a first-timer off. You might be wondering, “wait…what? it’s a sandwich..” Here is what you need to know to properly answer:
- Wet: The beef gets pulled from the broth with tongs and is immediately put onto the Italian roll – most of the juices are soaked into the bread.
- Dry: The beef gets pulled from the broth and the server gives the beef a chance to dry off. Most of the juices drip back into the pot and don’t make it to your bread.
- Dipped: This is a thing. Beef sandwich is made and then with the tongs the ENTIRE sandwich is dipped into the broth. 100 out 100 in the flavor department, 100 out of 100 in the very soggy, kind of hard to eat department too.
Where to get Chicago Style Italian Beef
Johnnie’s Beef (Courtesy of TripAdvisor)
There are so many great places for Italian Beef in Chicago. We couldn’t possibly list them all. We’ll do our best to provide our favorites. If we forgot a place on this list add it to the comments section. In no particular order…
Al’s Beef – Many locations, one of the originals founded in 1938
Mr. Beef on Orleans – Another one of the originals – classic.
Johnnie’s Beef – One of our favorites – located just west of Chicago. Yum.
Portillo’s – A Chicagoland favorite – has a large menu of other foods too and many locations across the city.
Jay’s Beef – This place serves awesome beef sandwiches and is located in Wicker Park. So we like it. A lot.
Enjoy your Chicago Style Italian Beef sandwiches!
Chicago Pizza
Pizza. Arguably America’s favorite food. There is a really funny quote about pizza that says when pizza is good, it’s great – but when its bad it’s still pretty darn good. In a 2015 survey by gluten-free crust purveyor Smart Flour Foods and the Center for Generational Kinetics, more than 6 million adults said they would give up sex for a year before they’d stop eating pizza. Hahah – wow.
Pizza History
Pizza gained popularity in the late 1940s after US troops stationed in Italy brought the concept back to the States. Over the last 70+ years pizza has taken on many different looks and feels courtesy of different regions of the USA creating their version of the pizza. Today the pizza industry in the United States is an estimated $37B – yes, that is a B, as in Billions.
Regardless of where you are eating your pizza there are some general differences between American pizza and traditional Italian pizza. The most notable difference is the ingredients use to make the dough. In the US we use fat in our dough – typically a vegetable oil or shortening (in some cases olive oil). The amount of oil or shortening will vary depending on the style of pizza. For instance a New York Style pizza will use a very little amount of oil while a thick-crust Chicago Deep Dish pizza will use quite a bit. Another difference is the actual flour that we use here. Often times the dough will have a high gluten level – think of a dough that would be used to make a bagel. The high gluten percentage allows the pizza dough to be stretched to the max creating an uber thin crust.
Chicago Style Pizza
Giordano’s
Believe it or not Chicago has 3 distinct styles of pizza. Chicago Deep Dish is by far the most popular. You’ve probably had the other two and may not have known you were even eating a Chicago-style pizza. The other two styles are Chicago Stuffed and Chicago Thin Crust.
Chicago Deep Dish has a bit of a controversial beginning in that no one really knows for certain who or where the pizza came from – for certain. The most common theory is that Pizzeria Uno in 1943 invented the pizza. Whether or not that is in fact the truth is not important – the stuff is good regardless.
Kind of exactly how the name sounds the biggest difference with the Chicago Deep Dish pizza is the depth of the crust. The pizza is baked in a high-wall steel pan, similar to how you would bake a cake. The crust itself isn’t very thick but there is a “wall” of crust along the outer edge. The pan is almost always lined with an oil that gives the bottom and side crusts a “fried” effect making it crispy. It’s common to order your pizza “well done” or “extra crispy” when getting deep dish.
The layering of the remaining ingredients is a bit unique as well. Often times the first layer to be put onto of the bottom crust is the cheese – most common is mozzarella. The next set of ingredients are the toppings that you have ordered and finally the sauce is poured over as the last layer.
For those ordering to-go or delivery you might end up with an uncut pie. Don’t worry though, this was intentional. The pizza is specifically left uncut to prevent the juices from seeping into the crust and creating a soggy pizza. You don’t want that.
Chicago Stuffed Pizza is the deep dish pizza’s stunt double. It’s very easy to mistake the stuffed pizza for the deep dish pizza.
These pizzas were invented in the 1970’s by a couple of pizza chains that began tweaking their recipes and styles of the deep dish pizza. Inspired by a traditional Italian Easter pie the pizza chefs created the Chicago Stuffed pizza.
The easiest way to think about the difference is this:
- The ingredient layer is more dense than traditional deep dish pizza
- On top of the tomato sauce (which is the last layer of deep dish pizza) is another layer of dough that is pressed (or connected to) the side crust. Creating a sort of pie. And just like pies the cooks will poke holes in the top layer of dough to allow the pizza to steam and prevent an unfortunately explosion in the kitchen!
You would think that would be really easy to identify, right? The stuffed pizza has a top layer of dough, the deep dish pizza has a top layer of sauce. Not so fast. More times than not pizza sauce is ladled over the top layer of crust and making it nearly impossible for the amateur to tell the difference.
Chicago Thin Crust doesn’t get the attention of the deep dish or stuffed pizza, but please – do not overlook this version. As the name implies the crust on this pizza is quite thin but is strong. And by strong we mean that it can hold quite the amount of topping without “bending” and there is a crunch when you bite into the pizza. This is much different than the popular New York style pizza which has flimsy dough and it curled in your hand and eaten like a taco. The cut of the pizza – in squares – is a also a giveaway you’re eating Chicago Thin Crust and not a version of New York which is served in large triangles.
Where to eat Chicago Pizza?
This is the hardest part, trying to help someone figure out where to eat their pizza. Fortunately you really can’t go wrong no matter where you go. If you can eat at all the places then by all means do so!
Lou Malnati’s (deep dish)
Pequod’s Pizzeria (deep dish)
Gino’s East (deep dish)
Pizzeria Uno (deep dish)
Giordano’s (stuffed)
Rosati’s (thin crust)
Pizano’s Pizza (thin crust)
The Art of Pizza (deep dish)
What places did we miss that should be included on this list?
