Which Giardiniera Is Best?

By Anthony Todd in Food on Nov 7, 2013 3:30PM

What true Chicagoan doesn't love giardiniera, the hot pickle mix that spices our sandwiches and causes our stomachache dreams? If you aren't the sort of fancy pants that makes their own, you're gonna need to buy it in a jar. But what jar should you buy?

We consider ourselves pretty hardy eaters, but we've got to hand it to Serious Eats Chicago editor Nick Kindelsperger, who put his body on the line for food science this week. He rounded up sixteen different jars of the hot stuff and taste-tested all of them. He has individual descriptions and photos for each one, and, unfortunately for him, he told us that he "hasn't felt quite right since then." It's ok Nick, you took one (or in this case, 16) for the team.

So which is best? The winner is hard-to-find Bunyons Hot Giardiniera, which is sold at Whole Foods stores across the area. Other standouts included Potbelly's brand of hot peppers, Ditka's hot giardiniera and Victoria Brand Hot Giardiniera. To learn more about Kindelsperger's methodology, read descriptions of each and every hot pepper and possibly get an ulcer in sympathy, head over to Serious Eats.