Italian beef
An Italian beef sandwich
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| Type | Sandwich |
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| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Chicago |
| Created by | Multiple claims |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Roast beef, Italian-style roll |
| Variations | Multiple |
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An Italian beef is a sandwich of thin slices of seasoned roast beef, dripping with meat juices, on a dense, long Italian-style roll, which originated in Chicago where its history dates back at least to the 1930s. The bread itself is often dipped (or double-dipped) into the juices the meat is cooked in, and the sandwich is typically topped off with Chicago-style giardiniera (called "hot") or sauteed, green Italian sweet peppers (called "sweet").
Italian beef sandwiches can be found at most hot dog stands and small Italian-American restaurants in northeastern Illinois, southeast Wisconsin (notably Kenosha), Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis. However, Chicago expatriates have opened restaurants across the country serving Italian beef, Chicago-style hot dogs, and other foods original to the Chicago area.
Italian beef is made using cuts of beef from the sirloin rear or the top/bottom round wet-roasted in broth with garlic, oregano and spices until cooked throughout. The meat is roasted at medium heat (≤350°), which contributes to the sandwich’s famous ‘jus’ or gravy. This process can result in as much as a 45% reduction in yield. The beef is then cooled, sliced thin using a deli slicer, and then reintroduced to its reheated beef broth. The beef then sits in the broth, typically for hours. The inefficiency of this process, however, has started to concern many larger Italian beef producers and retailers. In response, some attempt to achieve higher yields by lowering the cooking temperature and placing the beef into food-grade polyester and nylon cook bags, which changes the outer appearance of the beef. Though this reduced time is sufficient for cooking the beef all the way through, it does not allow the jus to be harvested fully. Because traditional Italian beefs are dipped in the jus from their own roast, when this more efficient method is used, the sandwich’s potency is affected. Some companies even add MSG, phosphates and other additives in attempts to reach for higher yields.
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Wikipedia