Corporate Fat Cat Chicago style giardiniera [2/10 heat] *Scovie Award Winner!*

Winner, 2024 Scovie Awards, 1st place in the hot and spicy relish  category!

Winner! 2022 Spicy Flave Awards, 3rd place in the pickled veggies category!

Winner! 2022 International Flavor Awards, 1st place in the pickled relish category!

What is giardiniera? (pronounced Jar-Dee-Naira)

Giardiniera is a mix of pickled vegetables originating in Italy. These pickled vegetables (including carrots, cauliflower, celery, and peppers) tend to be on the large side and can often be found as part of a charcuterie board.

Chicago style giardiniera on the other hand, consists of much smaller diced vegetables in a vinegar and oil marinade. It's commonly used as a relish in Chicago, for hot dogs, burgers., etc, but is most well known as being the deliciousness behind Italian beef sandwiches. (Note: as seen on the Hulu show the Bear.)

Italian beef sandwiches contain chuck or other roast meat slow cooked in spices (or spices with giardiniera) and then sliced thin on a deli slicer. It's served on a sub/hoagie roll with more giardiniera poured over top. The broth the beef was cooked in can also be ladled over or the whole bun dipped in the broth.

Italian beef sandwiches can easily be made at home! Here's the recipe:

• 2.5 lb. (or so) beef chuck roast or similar cut
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 jar Corporate Fat Cat Chicago style giardiniera

Combine these three ingredients in a slow cooker on low. Cook for several hours (8 or so). Shred the beef and let it keep cooking another hour. Serve beef on a hoagie roll with the giardiniera. Add as much of the cooking liquid as you like (dipped, juicy, soaked).

Ingredients: Distilled Vinegar, Canola Oil, Cauliflower, Red Peppers, Serrano Peppers, Celery, Carrots, Onion, Anaheim Pepper, Jalapenos, Salt, Citric Acid, Garlic, Oregano, Black Pepper, Mustard Seeds, Celery Seed, Coriander 

2/10 Heat level

*vegan

Corporate Fat Cat Chicago style giardiniera is named after my own fat cat, Ron Burgundy.  We call him a corporate fat cat because he's big and fat and fluffy. Also we can't prove he's not a devious businessman with a sole obsession on wealth and greed.

Here he is:

We adopted Ron from the Durham Animal Protection Society. Adopt a kitty from them yourself!