Pizza Today - January 2022 - 43

tells the story, steeps you into the tradition,
makes you feel everything Chicago than
visiting an Italian Beef Stand.
The Windy City's signature dish, the one
that was truly birthed here is the Italian
Beef Sandwich. Deep Dish pizza (which
most locals revert to only when hosting
out of towners) was a modification in the
1940 of various styles of pizza from Italy.
Chicago-style hot dogs, albeit extremely
popular and fantastic in their own right,
was an evolution from the Frankfurter in
Germany. The Italian Beef would lead you
to believe it has its roots in Italy, but that
is not the case. The sandwich is our thing,
created out of the industrious and creative
spirit that our city was founded and built
upon.
In one of his last visits to Chicago, the
late Anthony Bourdain said " Chicago is
a big, brash, muscular, broad-shouldered
mother****in' city. Forget Deep Dish, the
Italian Beef sandwich is a big soggy load of
awesomeness, dripping with magical greasy
beef juice. It is a signature dish any great
city should be proud to boast of. "
Chicago-based fast food chain, Portillo's
Inc., famous for its Italian beef sandwiches,
does a staggering $7.9 million in yearly
revenue per store, surpassing competitors
like Chic- Fil - A (approx. $5 million)
and McDonalds (approx. $3 million).
Since going public they plan to open 600
additional stores across the United States.
As Portillo's takes Chicago's favorite
sandwich nationwide, let's take a look at its
origins, the recipe and how pizza operators
can benefit from adding this classic staple to
the menu.
History
The Italian Beef Sandwich dates back
to the early 1900s, when many Italians
immigrated to America. They found work at
the Chicago Union Stock Yard and Transit
Co., in the meatpacking district. More meat
was processed in Chicago than anywhere in
the world at the time. Workers would bring
home cheaper, rougher cuts of meat. They
would tenderize and simmer the meat in
a broth of flavorful Italian spices. The dish
became a very popular meal for Italians on
holidays and special events, like famous
" Peanut Weddings " . They would gather in
church basements or homes to celebrate
weddings, feasting on peanuts, sausage and
Italian beef.
The Godfather of Italian Beef
The godfather of the beef sandwich is
Pasquale " Pat " Scala. There were many
who claim they originated the sandwich,
but it was Pat who made them a cultural
tradition during the Great Depression. He
delivered meats and homemade sausages to
people's homes by horse drawn carriage. He
prepared the beef, shaved the thinnest slices,
soaked the meat in its flavorful juices and
served it on thick bread rolls.
The Beef Stand
In 1938 Al Ferreri and Chris " Baba "
Pacelli opened Al's Beef. A front for
their bookie operation, it was the first
documented beef stand. Al and Baba would
finish at their day jobs, then go open the
restaurant, serving Charcoal Grilled Italian
Sausages and Italian Beef sandwiches
in the front and hosting card games and
sports betting in the back. Eventually
the restaurant became so successful they
dropped the bookie operations. Others
saw their success and beef stands started
popping up across the city.
The composition of a Beef
Sandwich Bread. The most important
element is the bread. French bread is the
best - it absorbs the beef juice and holds
the ingredients together. If the bread falls
apart, the sandwich is ruined! So a sturdy
bread is a must!
Beef. Top sirloin or bottom round are
great options. Slow cooked, then sliced
paper thin (or shredded).
Peppers. Hot pickled giardiniera
peppers are a must. The other option are
" sweet peppers " , which are bell peppers
sliced, oven roasted with olive oil, salt,
pepper and a little oregano.
Ways to order a Beef
Dry. The beef is pulled from the juice,
most of the juice drips off and is placed in
the bread.
Wet. The beef is pulled from the juice
and immediately placed in the bread,
leaving the beef " wet " . Another spoonful is
added to the top after this step.
Dipped. The beef is pulled from the
juice, placed in the bread and the sandwich
is then dipped into the beef juice, making it
soggy and delicious.
While many top Italian beef restaurants
in the city use recipes passed down for
generations and even roast their own beef,
most pizzerias use heat and serve products.
The thin sliced vacuum sealed beef comes
in cases of 10 pounds with one gallon of
beef gravy and is available through most
distributors. Jim Buonavolanto, of Chicago
Authentic Brands, recommends heating
the gravy to about 170 F. It can be held
throughout the day in a steam table. When
needed, drop in your sliced beef, and let
it soak for a minimum of three minutes,
maximum 30 minutes.
It's easy to see why most pizzerias in
Chicago have Italian beef on the menu.
It's a simple, delicious and fast item with
a three-week shelf life. Chicago based
national chains Rosati's and Giordano's
carry the item on their menus all across the
country.
All pizzerias should add Italian beef
to their toppings list. Although chicken
and pork toppings are very popular in the
industry, beef toppings are scarce. Some
places will have ground beef, hamburger
(which may contain soy), or meatballs
(some pizzeria's fail to mention that
majority of meatballs distributed contain
pork as well). Italian beef is a great option
to round off your topping menu and offer
a great tasting protein that meets religious
and cultural dietary requisites. This can be
an easy upcharge, as most customers will
understand it is premium meat.
There are two ways to incorporate Italian
beef on pizza. One way is to cook the pizza
completely, soak the beef in gravy and
apply to the pizza. The other is to place the
beef on the pizza prior to cooking, without
dunking in gravy. Both ways are delicious,
but I prefer cooking the beef on the pizza
with a side of beef gravy. The full flavor
of the meat bakes in the pizza, and the
crispiness gives great crunch and texture.
One of our most popular pizzas at Bacci
Pizzeria is the " Old School Chicago. " It
has Italian Beef, bulk Italian sausage, hot
giardiniera, sweet peppers and a sprinkle
of Romano cheese, peppers, a sprinkle of
oregano and Romano cheese, and is served
with a side of beef gravy to dip or pour on
the pizza.
PASQUALE DI DIANA is the owner of
Bacci in Chicago, IL
Pizza Today - January 2022

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