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Charcuterie in Chicago?

Charcuterie in Chicago?
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  • Charcuterie in Chicago?

    Post #1 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:40 am
    Post #1 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:40 am Post #1 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:40 am
    I'll be in Chicago for a few days just before T'giving, and I was wondering about the state of the art in Chicago charcuterie. Where and what? Any tips that don't include tip-top-end restaurants would be appreciated, stores as well as restaurants. On a related note, I plan to lunch at Hot Doug's.

    Thanks.
  • Post #2 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:51 am
    Post #2 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:51 am Post #2 - November 3rd, 2007, 11:51 am
    Barry-

    What exactly are you looking for - are you looking for retail establishments that sell cured meats (e.g. prosciutto, serrano ham, etc.) or are you looking for restaurants that sell a hot, dressed-up sausage (like Hot Doug's)?

    If you're looking for the former, I'd suggest Fox and Obel, an upscale grocer located on East Illinois Street. If you're looking for the latter, can you be more specific? Sausage stands are located on at least every block in Chicago, where you go for a good Polish might vary from where you want to go for a hot dog.
  • Post #3 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:11 pm
    Post #3 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:11 pm Post #3 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:11 pm
    Thanks for the reply; I should have been more specific. I lived in Chicago at one time and get back fairly regularly, so I know about the dogs and polishes and so on. Also, I'm not so interested in imported stuff, which I might get in other cities. What I'm after are locally made products: pates, hams, salamis, sausages. To zero in further, I'd probably prefer people who are newer to the business, simply because I've found that a couple of the venerable Euro-delis and butchers, God bless them, seem to have forgotten over the years what constitutes a tasty pig.

    Does that help?
  • Post #4 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:30 pm
    Post #4 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:30 pm Post #4 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:30 pm
    You know, we don't have a name artisanal shop like Salumi. I like the ethnic meat markets but as someone who makes his own bacon from natural pork, I understand where you're coming from about them using ordinary commercial meat.

    As far as a restaurant goes, if the housemade charcuterie is still on the menu at Avec, you should definitely check that out.
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  • Post #5 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:46 pm
    Post #5 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:46 pm Post #5 - November 3rd, 2007, 12:46 pm
    Barry Foy wrote:Thanks for the reply; I should have been more specific. I lived in Chicago at one time and get back fairly regularly, so I know about the dogs and polishes and so on. Also, I'm not so interested in imported stuff, which I might get in other cities. What I'm after are locally made products: pates, hams, salamis, sausages. To zero in further, I'd probably prefer people who are newer to the business, simply because I've found that a couple of the venerable Euro-delis and butchers, God bless them, seem to have forgotten over the years what constitutes a tasty pig.

    Does that help?


    If you're looking for a charcuterie that local and newer to be business (from that, I take, more contemporary, not Rich's Delicatessen, for example), you've got me stumped. The closest would be Avec, which is a restaurant, as MikeG suggested already.
  • Post #6 - November 3rd, 2007, 1:13 pm
    Post #6 - November 3rd, 2007, 1:13 pm Post #6 - November 3rd, 2007, 1:13 pm
    A topic that comes up regularly. The truth is, Chicago has little need for trendy new cured meat emporiums, because Chicago has a long_standing and unmatched tradition of sausage making. Look at the most recent Saveur re the Polish pantheon of smoked and cured meats and sausages. (Andies Bobaks and countless others.) The German tradition is very alive and well (Paulina.). For Italian, look up Riviera, which has great house made sopresata and others. Also very good Serbian, Hungarian, Romanian and other sausages in the old world tradition abound. And if you extend the search to Thai and Viet, Mexican and Argentine, well you get the picture. We are set for sausages, smoked and cured meats. There is lots here that frankly, the new guys should aspire to. And its ridiculously cheap.

    Ps, above respone was written before I saw the follow up re experience with Chicago. That said, I encourage you to give these places a try. Some, esp the smaller Polish places are very particular regarding the breeds that supply the meat.
  • Post #7 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:36 pm
    Post #7 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:36 pm Post #7 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:36 pm
    I agree with the Avec suggestion -- wonderful stuff. I love Hot Dougs but I'm pretty sure they don't make any sausages on premises there. They do have custom, proprietary recipes that are made for them.

    Addtionally, you'll definitely want to check out these places, if you get a chance:

    Paulina Meat Market
    3501 N Lincoln Ave
    Chicago, IL 60657
    (773) 248-6272

    Kurowski Sausage Shop
    2976 N Milwaukee Ave
    Chicago, IL 60618
    (773) 645-1692

    Bobak Sausage Company
    5275 S Archer Ave
    Chicago, IL 60632
    (773) 735-5334

    Gene's Sausage Shop & Delicatessen
    5330 W Belmont Ave
    Chicago, IL 60641
    (773) 777-6322

    I know there are other places of interest on the Chicago Charcuterie trail but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #8 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:42 pm
    Post #8 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:42 pm Post #8 - November 3rd, 2007, 2:42 pm
    The obvious omissions from Ronnie's list would be Italian places making their own sopressata and the like, such as Riviera and Freddy's.

    Riviera
    3220 N Harlem Ave
    Chicago, IL 60634
    773-637-4252

    Freddy's Pizza
    1600 S. 61st Avenue
    Cicero 60804
    708.863.9289
    Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
    New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
    Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.
  • Post #9 - November 3rd, 2007, 3:46 pm
    Post #9 - November 3rd, 2007, 3:46 pm Post #9 - November 3rd, 2007, 3:46 pm
    Mike G wrote:The obvious omissions from Ronnie's list would be Italian places making their own sopressata and the like, such as Riviera and Freddy's.

    Riviera
    3220 N Harlem Ave
    Chicago, IL 60634
    773-637-4252

    Freddy's Pizza
    1600 S. 61st Avenue
    Cicero 60804
    708.863.9289

    Thanks, Mike. We were just talking about Riviera this morning at breakfast . . . DOH!

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #10 - November 4th, 2007, 9:11 am
    Post #10 - November 4th, 2007, 9:11 am Post #10 - November 4th, 2007, 9:11 am
    Let me throw in a couple of my favorite sausage shops.

    Zoran Lalich makes some wonderful Serbian smoked sausages and bacon.
    http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5732

    Lalich Delicatessens
    4208 W Lawrence Ave
    Chicago, IL 60630
    (773) 545-3642

    Lalich Delicatessens
    8133 N Milwaukee Ave
    Niles, IL 60714
    (847) 581-1120


    The Danjanovic family of Sandy's Bakery and Deli makes great Cevapi and Serbian Kobasice. On weekends the deli features roast Pork and Lamb. They also own a very nice restaurant where you can get the Serbian equivalent of a Charcuterie plate (sort of) called "mešano meso"
    http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=15494

    Sandy's Bakery & Deli
    5857 W Lawrence Ave
    Chicago, IL 60630
    (773) 794-1129

    Sandy's Restaurant
    7021 W Higgins Ave
    Chicago, IL 60656
    (773) 467-4700

    The Beograd Meat Market & Restaurant also does a nice mešano meso, and makes their own sausages.
    http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=16010

    Beograd Meat Market
    2937 W Irving Park Rd
    Chicago, IL 60618
    (773) 478-7575

    One of my favorite small commercial sausage makers in Chicago is Harzcak Sausage. They make a smoked spicy Serbian sausage that is hot and delectable, as well as great Polish specialties like Kielbasa and Krakowska. The double-smoked butt is the smokiest pork I have ever tasted (but it is tough like jerky from all that smoking). It is great chopped up in eggs or potatoes. Harczak also sells packaged smoked pork ribs.

    Harczak has a small outlet store, but their products are available at many ethnic markets like City Fresh Market which carries a wide range of Eastern European specialties by various local makers. As I noted in another post, City Fresh carries a tasty Slovonian dried salami called Kulen made by Max's Meat, which is full of hot paprika and loads of garlic.

    Harczak Sausages
    7035 W Higgins Ave
    Chicago, IL 60656
    (773) 631-8400
    www.harczaksausage.com

    City Fresh Market
    3201 W Devon Ave
    Chicago, IL 60659
    (773) 681-8600

    I have found that Russian delis also have a well developed appreciation for sausage and salami. A real Russian deli will use a different angle and thickness for slicing each type of sausage. My favorites are a black dry cured salami made with cognac and the fatty but tangy (as in lactic) dry cured tsarskaya, which is sliced paper thin. The best Russian deli counter I have found is in the Farmer's Best Market in Niles. The nearby Greenwood Market also brings in a lot of hard-to-find Russian and Georgian type sausages and smoked meats from the east coast.

    Farmers Best Produce
    8526 W Golf Rd
    Niles, IL 60714
    (847) 965-0260

    Greenwood Market
    8716 W Golf Rd
    Niles, IL 60714
    (847) 803-0013

    I also have to mention the grand destination for encased meats, Ream's Elburn Market. It is 45 miles from Chicago, but worth the trip. They make dozens of types of sausages from Cajun Boudin to Hungarian Hurska. Call ahead to see if they have your favorite. The Metra Union Pacific west train (AKA CNW) now goes to Elburn.

    Ream's Elburn Market
    128 North Main Street
    Elburn, Illinois 60119
    (630) 365-6461

    http://elburnmarket.com/
    http://metrarail.com/Sched/cnw_w/cnw_w.shtml

    Oh yeah. I almost forgot one of my sentimental favorites, Romanian Kosher Sausage Company. Of course, they make all-beef sausages and meats. Some of my favorites are the addictive "beer sticks", medium-hard salami and the kishke, but what the Romanian is best known for is hotdogs. The Polish style garlic hotdogs are my favorite, but the regular hotdogs ain't so shabby either. The dogs come in a variety of sizes. Their products are available frozen if you want to ship some home.
    http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=12987

    Romanian Kosher Sausage Company
    7200 N Clark St
    Chicago, IL 60626
    (773) 761-4141
  • Post #11 - November 4th, 2007, 12:53 pm
    Post #11 - November 4th, 2007, 12:53 pm Post #11 - November 4th, 2007, 12:53 pm
    Thanks, everyone, for some great info. I'll check these out on this visit and future ones. And D4V3 in partic: You are a meaty guy--and I mean that in the nicest possible way.
  • Post #12 - November 4th, 2007, 2:21 pm
    Post #12 - November 4th, 2007, 2:21 pm Post #12 - November 4th, 2007, 2:21 pm
    Barry Foy wrote:Thanks, everyone, for some great info. I'll check these out on this visit and future ones. And D4V3 in partic: You are a meaty guy--and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

    Hey! What am I? Chopped Liver? (I certainly hope so :lol:)

    Seriously though, I hope you enjoy your time here.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #13 - November 4th, 2007, 3:51 pm
    Post #13 - November 4th, 2007, 3:51 pm Post #13 - November 4th, 2007, 3:51 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:I love Hot Dougs but I'm pretty sure they don't make any sausages on premises there. They do have custom, proprietary recipes that are made for them.

    You are correct. Chicago Magazine reported that most of Hot Doug's sausages are made by Columbus Meat Market (906 W. Randolph).

    A couple of places to try for charcuterie downtown include Fox & Obel and Pastoral. Neither is cheap but both offer high quality products.
  • Post #14 - April 9th, 2021, 5:10 pm
    Post #14 - April 9th, 2021, 5:10 pm Post #14 - April 9th, 2021, 5:10 pm
    Looking for recommedations for a great charcuterie plate. I have really enjoyed the version at Gather and remember liking the offering at Bistro Campagne. I imagine some will want me to be more specific or define my terms, but I am really open to wide interpretations. I guess I enjoy pate and would be looking for that but not required. Northside is best but will travel. Any ideas?
  • Post #15 - April 9th, 2021, 5:51 pm
    Post #15 - April 9th, 2021, 5:51 pm Post #15 - April 9th, 2021, 5:51 pm
    cleanplateclub wrote:Looking for recommedations for a great charcuterie plate.

    Le Bouchon for a friends birthday two days ago, Spectacular dinner, which I plan to post about. Highlight was the charcuterie platter. $25 for everything pictured, a surprisingly good deal. All delicious with duck prosciutto slightly leading the pack. Salade Lyonnaise tip top as always.

    Mondays are half-price wine, though the 5 of us went on a Wednesday for the birthday celebration.

    Clockwise from 12: Mousse, Rillettes, Pickle, Pate, Duck prosciutto, Saucisson sec, Chorizo.
    click to enlarge
    Image

    Le Bouchon, count me a Fan!
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #16 - April 10th, 2021, 11:49 am
    Post #16 - April 10th, 2021, 11:49 am Post #16 - April 10th, 2021, 11:49 am
    Before I noticed the comma, I was trying to figure out if you meant mouse rillettes or moose rillettes.

    -Will
  • Post #17 - April 11th, 2021, 8:47 am
    Post #17 - April 11th, 2021, 8:47 am Post #17 - April 11th, 2021, 8:47 am
    Sounds like something that might appear on one of those tasting menus: A mousse made of moose, stuffed into little mouse skins made from forest mushroom paper.
  • Post #18 - April 12th, 2021, 2:56 pm
    Post #18 - April 12th, 2021, 2:56 pm Post #18 - April 12th, 2021, 2:56 pm
    tjr wrote:Sounds like something that might appear on one of those tasting menus: A mousse made of moose, stuffed into little mouse skins made from forest mushroom paper.

    So, a moose-mousse mouse amuse bouche?
    "Your swimming suit matches your eyes, you hold your nose before diving, loving you has made me bananas!"
  • Post #19 - April 17th, 2021, 7:55 pm
    Post #19 - April 17th, 2021, 7:55 pm Post #19 - April 17th, 2021, 7:55 pm
    Looking for recommendations for a great charcuterie plate. I have really enjoyed the version at Gather and remember liking the offering at Bistro Campagne. I imagine some will want me to be more specific or define my terms, but I am really open to wide interpretations. I guess I enjoy pate and would be looking for that but not required. Northside is best but will travel. Any ideas?

    One of the more innovative delivery meals we have had during COVID was from https://www.beautifulrind.com/ in February. It was a day when we had eaten a heavy lunch, yet still wanted to eat something for dinner, and their cheese, charcuterie, and wines (we stocked up a bit) were perfect for the non-occasion.

    (As an aside, since you mentioned it: Bistro Campagne has been one of our favorite carryout options throughout the pandemic. Their seasonal and staple offerings are consistently well-crafted, we can eat healthy or indulgent depending on our moods, and their attention to safety has been apparent and appreciated since the beginning.)

    From their website:
    ​Beautiful Rind is a cheese shop, restaurant, and classroom found at:
    2211 N. Milwaukee Ave.
    Chicago, IL 60647

    We are open for walk-in retail, pickup, and delivery.
    Our hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 12 pm to 8 pm

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