Ten Essential Chicago Barbecue Bites-- Part 2

4. BURNT-ENDS SANDWICH AT REAL URBAN BBQ-- They take the tastiest 5% of the smoked beef brisket, the deckle flap, and re-season, re-smoke and sauce it in the oven. They sell out often so don't bother asking for it at after 6 pm. 610 Central Avenue in Highland Park. (Now this one sounds real interesting and since it's not in Chicago, I might even go to it.)


5. PORK BELLY PASTRAMI AT PORK SHOPPE-- They cure pork belly for ten days, turning it into bacon. Then they put a crust on it, smoke it for seven hours. 2755 Belmont Avenue. And, I like my pastrami.)


6. Q PUPPIES AT Q BBQ-- Loved in the South, hush puppies haven't made much inroad here in the North, but these make a case for them. fried in peanut-oil balls of cornmeal-balls have kernels of corn in them. 70 S. La Grange Road, in La Grange. (Being Southern myself, I love my hush puppies, an essential part of a proper Carolina-style bbq pork plate, along with cole slaw and tea.


7. PULLED PORK SHOULDER AT LILLIE'S Q-- Kevin Pang says he never met a pulled pork sandwich he liked, but these changed his outlook. The "Boston butt arrives as rose-colored smoked pork shreds, slick from sweet porcine liquid sweated out over twelve hours in the smoker." 1856 W. North Avenue. "Really. Not liking pulled pork. Kevin obviously has never been to North Carolina.)

Getting hungry typing this. Hope I can make it to the Legion picnic in three hours.

Three More to Go. --RoadDog