For the most-authentic beef sandwich head to Chicago, where you'll find one that rivals any other. Owner Chris Pacelli Jr. is heir to the 77-year-old beef sandwich empire, and his family's restaurant was the first to serve them in Chicago. The beef is rubbed down in a secret seasoning blend before being roasted for three-and-a-half hours. Order yours either dry, wet or dipped — the sandwich is basically submerged in the cooking juices. It's finished with a housemade giardiniera.
Think you'll find the best pastrami in New York? Think again. New York transplant Kenny Gordon has recreated the classic pastrami sandwich in Portland, Ore. Everything is made from scratch, including the rye bread and coleslaw. The pastrami is treated to a brine for a week before it's rubbed down with a special spice blend and smoked over oak for 11 hours. It's so popular that the restaurant sells 1,500 pounds of pastrami every week.
The Noble Pig sandwich is so beloved that regulars now refer to the Austin restaurant by the same name, which owner John Bates believes is a testament to its success. The sandwich starts with housemade bread, which includes bits of bacon and rendered bacon fat. The sandwich is assembled with ham, pork shoulder and crispy bacon — all made in-house. Then it's topped with provolone and "fancy sauce," a blend of mustard and mayo.
Puebla, Mexico, native Armando Macuil brought his region's cuisine and his knowledge of Mexican tortas to San Francisco. His sandwich restaurant has become even more popular than some of the Bay Area's hottest burrito joints. Instead of the typical cola marinade, Macuil marinates the pork leg in simple spices and fresh orange juice. After simmering for hours, it's pulled and blended with an adobo salsa and piled onto a soft bun, where it's layered with refried beans, queso fresco, mayonnaise, red onion and avocado.
Chef Mario Carbone has re-created the juiciest and cheesiest meatball parm sandwich in New York City, based on the traditional Italian grandma's recipe. He blends veal, beef and pork sausage with sofrito, eggs, Parmesan cheese and a panade (stale bread soaked in milk) to create the most-tender meatballs. After a quick fry until golden brown, they're baked low and slow in a quick-cook tomato sauce, which preserves the fresh and acidic flavor of the tomato. The meatballs are served on freshly baked Italian sesame bread, and topped with housemade mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
