Iconic American Sandwiches to Try Before You Die

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© Craft & Process

Italian Beef

If you didn't grow up in Chicago, you might not be familiar with its famous Italian beef sandwiches, made of thinly sliced seasoned roast beef, simmered slowly in its juices and served on fluffy Italian bread rolls. Sometimes they come dipped in the juices and topped with a sprinkling of spicy giardiniera (an Italian relish of pickled vegetables). Its Midwestern origins are a bit murky, but it's believed to be created by Italian immigrants who worked for Chicago's old Union Stock Yards in the 1930s. It's hard to imitate the original because you need a professional meat slicer to get those paper-thin slices, so you're better off getting cooked roast beef from your local butcher, as in this easy recipe.