It's Taken Me 36 Years To Discover The Great Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich 

I ordered a sandwich from potbelly and got it hot for the first time! Whewwwwww lit me up!

seems like a spicy form of chow chow

I'm from Chicago je t'aime and i love giardinera.

We had a Potbelly where I live in East TX and the people that worked there all knew me(and would look at me like a crazy person) because I always got "extra, extra, extra hot peppers" on my sandwiches. Love giardiniera, especially if it melts my face off.

This guy doesnt cook or understand italian cuisine. He's american.

xD

😂😂😂

Now I know where to visit when I'm in San Antonio 🔥Much love from a fellow Chicagoan

Born and raised in Chicago....they made this beef sandwich wrong.. shame in them !!!!!

i live in san antonio

I've been waiting my whole life for this sandwich.

I’ve been waiting my whole life for this beef

Ive been waiting my whole life for this

@@BIGBOIDILF Ive been waiting my whole life for

I've been waiting my whole life

There is actually a place in Memphis, TN called "Mr Rusty's Taste of Chicago" where they make one of the best and authentic Itatian Beefs...The owner is from Chicago...i wonder if it is the same guy.

Nero’s gyros used to be real good in Knoxville til the shut down

Italian beef Is hard to get wrong xD

@@antonioyeats2149 idk I live in Tennessee and a Chicago themed restaurant opened here and they don’t even put the spicy pepper on them… the ones that start with a g that I can’t spell lmao. Giardiniera? Was one of the biggest disappointments of my life

@@blackwng yeah its wild how pepper toppings can be so regional xD on the east coast, jersey, Philly, type areas they got this sort of red relish made from peppers. Can't find it wisconsin Illinois area save this sandwich shop called "jersey mikes" xD

Chicago doesnt have shit on the homemade versions down south. We call them “poorboys” and have been a midwest favorite for decades.

Ask Adam if he still has the same Ugly Girlfriend?

Man, I wish! Need a Portillo's in Spokane, Washington! Never gonna happen! 😢

BLASPHEMER!

I like the taste of Johnnie's the best (especially a combo with that grilled Italian sausage), but as far as taste AND value, I really like Tony's on 79th and Pulaski.

Is there a Ron Jeremy, Joshua Liford collaboration coming anytime soon? That's what I am waiting for.

@@jirikurto3859 🤣🤣

Sounds great

That's the real way. Italian beef is roasted, not braised.

Well said! This is the way it’s done. Internal temperature should be around 125-130 and placed in the freezer immediately. Then onto a quality meat slicer for razor thin slices that get dunked into an actual jus, it’s not just a homemade stock. Mine is simple yet complex. But hey, there’s more than one way to skin a cat!

Mmmm. Nice. I did this method but not roasted first. Gonna try that. Using a mandolin, turned out great, but more like Philly cheese steak. I need a thicker cut.

Samesies

Cheese fries for sure. I’m 10 mins from Johnny’s beef

Preach!

You forget a Chicago polish or maxwell street polish! Also, everyone talks about deep dish, but nobody says anything about STUFFED. Stuffed is the best.

@@The_Gallowglass I have to chime in and say that stuffed pizza, though a fun idea, is likely the reason that people confuse Deep Dish with casserole. Stuffed Pizza is a massive, bread pie of cheese with sauce thrown on... zero finesse. I respectfully disagree. Your Polish Sausage comment, on the other hand, is very true - it's an extremely slept on specialty. V tasty.

@@AdamWitt You can disagree all you want but you're still wrong. ( : Whenever anyone comes to Chicago they ask for deep dish, they don't ask for stuffed, because they don't know it exists--unless someone tells them. Also, they forgot the Sicilian style/grandma style pizza that D'Amatos bakery makes. C'mon man! :P

Barnaby's really is excellent thin crust

Excellent point! It is the "secret ingredient" to any sub, gyro, burger and Maid-Rite.

Couldn't agree more. It's the only condiment I need.

wait until you visit montreal and understand real italian cuisine. You eat american italian food. You dont know italian food.

@@MrJustliketht You are really trying to say Italian food is better in Montreal than Chicago? LOL

@@MrJustliketht wait until you visit italy and understand real italian cuisine.. wait

I’m Boston Italian. I’ve never heard of Chicago Italian beef sandwiches. Now that I have…… I’m severely pissed when I was in Chicago 5 years ago nobody told me about them!!!! Now I have to head BACK, and find a better reason than a sandwich for the family. 😂. I’m just curious as to what makes these Italians sandwiches? We’re Italian Americans the first to make them? This isn’t something you would find in Italy. At least not the Italy I know.

Name some !

My mans! I appreesh.

He lost me at the rapid fire questions since NONE are in Chicago. It’s like when someone asks if your from Chicago and you answer with “yup! Born and raised in Skokie!” That’s NOT CHICAGO

He even said for barnabies “it’s right out of chicago” and so is johnnies and so is gene and Jude’s. Boooooooo this man!!!!

@@phinks4444 EXACTLY !!! JOHNNIES IS IN ELMWOOD PARK AND NORTHBROOK IS FAR AS FUCK FROM THE CENTER OF CHICAGO...HE SHOULD HAVE SAID AL'S BEEF..EVEN THOUGH JOHNNIES IS AMAZING ...AND PIZZA IS BETTER AT VITO & NICK'S... GO WHITE SOX !!

If your from the chi and your asked if something good in the chi you say where in the city it’s at! If it’s from Harvey you say it’s from Harvey not chicago! Facts

Chicago style giardiniera is identical to the muffuletta olive mix. Some places don't put olives in it but the only difference is muffuletta relish is chopped up much finer.

We call them “poorboys”. My family has made them for over 40 years. Way better than Chicagos versions.

😂

Was Salernos right on the corner of Grand and Ogden? If it was, I knew it as Lou’s at first and then LaRocs. They also had the best coffee.

You got my cousin's name (: I'm from Chicago

Mine is a three day process. Seasoned, cooked and rested all take a day each. Only thing is I dry roast my roast beef. 500 for 15 minutes and drop it to 300 till I get the right temp. As I like it pink from edge to edge and put it in the stock to get whatever color someone wants.

It's a beautiful sight.

Now I need to go to Costco, and find this. I'm in Kansas City, and I have a Rosatis right by me, and I eat Italian beefs a bit too much.

Is this beef kit come out similar to what they made. If so I gotta try it. Where on Costco is it? Thanks

@@nicknicholas3186 It's passible, with minimal effort. It's in the freezer section in the same row as frozen pizzas, but it may be a regional Costo thing since I am in Chicago

@@padraig5335 It may be a regional Costo thing since I am in Chicago

@@padraig5335 If you are still looking for the Buona beef kits, Aldi in the KC area has had them on multiple occasions.

the Italian ice at Johnnie's is over rated good but over rated

@@ucanfearme1893 ….it’s good because I lived so close. Massa has gelato and lemon ice. Since I’ve moved

@@ucanfearme1893 ……but it’s good in a pinch. Massa has great food and yummy gelato and lemon ice. I’m thankful I live near a Portillo’s so I can get my beef and hot dog fix.

@@michellemeyer1214 Portillos chocolate cake shake is the best!!!

@@ucanfearme1893 ….. I’m pretty sure it’s Hines or Duncan. Either way I’ll treat myself to a slice but I bring it home and throw it in the fridge. With a cold glass of milk. Yum!

I use to live in Chicago and remember those lines at Johnnie’s Beef were around the block

I usually hit Johnnies after my flight lands. Haven't had it for long time but Mr Beef is prob my #2 But Portillo's has locations here in AZ and it's identical to Chicago locations 🙌

OPRF Class of 84 here! Johnnie's is the greatest of all time.

Portillo’s is shit, Johnnie’s is great

@@markdashark1525 Amen. Portillo's is to Italian Beef as Little Caesar's is to pizza.

What 3 Italian Beef joints would you recommend to a visitor to Chicago? On my next trip I plan to only eat Italian Beef sandwiches!

Mind sharing your spice blend and measurements? :)

@@ascendant95 I do bell peppers and onions, not giardiniera. So the spice preference might change for you. As far as pre-mixed spices, Chicago Johnny's is good. Doing my own spices: 1 table spoon each: Italian seasoning, oregano. 1 teaspoon each: fresh cracked black pepper, salt, paprika, red pepper flakes, onion powder. If you don't have garlic or garlic paste, then 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. I like a lot of different Italian beefs and each has their own flavor/spice. So mix it up sometimes when you make it at home.

@@ragibby6557 Thank you for responding...............you're a good man! I'm sad to say that I grew up in the Detroit burbs and I never heard of this amazing sandwich growing up. I tried Ethan Cheblowski's version and it was WAY too heavy on the paprika. Made the jus orange-ish. It was 2Tbsp Paprika to 1Tbsp each of oregano, fennel seed, salt and pepper. Is it totally unnecessary to brown the roast in the pan as a first step? I'm thinking it might be. The NW Indiana Beef you dry roast it with all the spices as a rub, then you cool and slice it, then you put in the broth/stock and add fennel seed, more oregano and many pepperoncinis. After 1.5 hours you add the red and yellow bell pepper strips and cook another 2.5 -3 hours or so low and slow.

@@ragibby6557 The NW Indiana Beef is a very good sandwich and I've wowed many people with its intense flavors. I always kind of wanted to get the authentic Chicago version down so I could say "do I want Chicago Italian beef or Northwest Indiana Italian Beef this time?" lol

@@ascendant95 You're right, there is a difference. I lived in Valparaiso 25 years and Italian beef could be different town to town.

Fun video guys... nice job!

@Zack from the North Because proper Giar is actually difficult to find outside of Chicagoland/reasonably close. Lots of the time, once you get about a state distance away, the stuff isn't even consistently packed in oil. You'll get stuff that's a lot closer to California Salad or Muffeletta sandwich mix. So, I'd disagree that the real stuff is readily available everywhere. That said, easy enough to make. But for commercial kitchen sales, things get a bit more dicey.

funny you say this... I asked for giardinera at a subway in Detroit once. the employee said "jarda-what?!".... it really is a Chicago thing

Hot giardiniera or sweet peppers is typical for chicago italian beefs. Even places that only serve a la carte like Portillo's will always ask and pretty much everyone gets it. Even adding cheese or half sausage is on most menus.

@@michaelyabut5969 Sure, but I'm not sure how that applies to the beef itself.

“Poorboys”. Lol. Thats what italian beef sandwiches are called anywhere in the midwest besides Chicago lol.